Carl Giles

Ronald "Carl" Giles (September 29, 1916 – August 28, 1995), often referred to simply as Giles, was a cartoonist most famous for his work for the British newspaper the "Daily Express".

His cartoon style was a single topical highly detailed panel, usually with a great deal more going on than the single joke. Certain recurring characters achieved a great deal of popularity, particularly the extended Giles Family, which featured prominently in the strip. Of these, the most famous is the enigmatic matriarch of the family, known simply as Grandma. Another recurring favourite was Chalkie, the tyrannical school teacher whom Giles claimed was modelled on one of his childhood teachers, and Larry, the mop-haired child from next door, often seen with a camera, who it is said is the alter ego of Giles himself.

Giles was born in Islington in London, England. He was nicknamed "Karlo", later shortened to "Carl", by friends who decided he looked like Boris Karloff. After leaving school at the age of 14 he worked as an office boy before becoming an animator for cartoon films. This included a stint working for Alexander Korda on the unfinished animation "The Fox Hunt".

In 1937, Giles started work as a cartoonist for "Reynold's News". In 1943 he was offered wages of 20 guineas a week to move to the "Daily Express". He served as a War correspondent during World War II and in 1959 was awarded an OBE. Among his fans were the British Royal Family, who often requested the originals of his work.

At one point during World War II he was assigned as war correspondent to the Coldstream Guards unit who liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Giles interviewed the camp commandant Josef Kramer who turned out to be aware of and an admirer of Giles's work. Kramer gave Giles his Luger pistol and holster, a ceremonial dagger, and his swastika armband. In return Kramer asked for a signed original of Giles's work.

Giles:

"I have to say, that I quite liked the man. I am ashamed to say such a thing. But had I not been able to see what was happening outside the window I would have said he was very civilised. Odd, isn't it? But maybe there was a rather dishonourable reason. I have always found it difficult to dislike someone who was an admirer of my work. And strangely, Kramer was."

"I never sent him an original. What was the point? He had been hanged."

He never actually sold any of his creations, preferring to donate them to charitable organisations and friends, like the RNLI of which he was Life President and which continues to issue charity Christmas cards each Christmas which bear his work.

A bronze statue depicting Grandma looking up at the newspaper office window in Ipswich, England where he used to work was unveiled by Warren Mitchell. Giles, who was by this time wheelchair-bound, was present at the unveiling.

In April 2000, he was voted 'Britain's Favourite Cartoonist of the 20th Century'.

He supported Ipswich Town F.C.

In popular culture

The protagonist in the 2008 science fiction novelette "The Last of the Funnies" by Mike Cope (cartoonist) is named after Giles. [ [http://lastofthefunnies.com/plot The Last of the Funnies » Plot Description » Official Website ] ]

Bibliography

By Giles
*"Golden Jubilee Special Edition" (2002)
*"Giles VE Day Cartoons" (1995)
*"Fifty Years At Work" (1994)
*"Fifty Years At The Express" (1994)
*"Nurse!" (1975)
*"Giles At War" (1955)
*"Children by Giles" (1955)
*"Cartoons from" The Journalist (1948)

About Giles
*"Giles: a life in cartoons" by Peter Tory (1992)
*"The Giles Family" by Peter Tory (1993)
*"Giles At War" by Peter Tory (1994)
*"The Ultimate Giles" by Peter Tory (1995)
*"Grandma" by Robert Beaumont (1999)

References

* [http://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/artist.py?id=60 Giles, Carl - Biography] at the British Cartoon Archive, University of Kent. Accessed August 2008
*cite news|first=Max|last=Blain|pages=6–7|title=Cartoon collection scoops originals from the hilarious world of Giles: Laughter Box|date=2006-03-03|publisher=Canterbury Adscene (UK local newspaper)
*cite book|first=Peter|last=Tory|pages=145-155|title=Giles At War|date=1994|publisher=Headline Book Publishing

External links

* [http://giles.clickhere2.net/ A 'Tribute' page]
* [http://www.gilescartoons.co.uk/ 'A Celebration of Giles'] 'A Celebration of Giles', with a good database of publications by / featuring Giles, plus other ephemera
* [http://www.toonhound.com/carlgiles.htm a short biography]
* [http://library.kent.ac.uk/cartoons/ British Cartoon Archive] A substantial online collection of Giles' work. The physical museum also has everyday objects from his studio.