THE STANLEY AWARDS: THE FACTS AND FIGURES Story courtesy of the Walkley Magazine South Australian freelance cartoonist Peter Broelman was given the Gold Stanley award for Australian Cartoonist of the Year at a gala celebration in Darling Harbour on 14 November. 2009 marked 85 years of the Australian Cartoonists Association - and 25 years of handing out Stanley Awards.
stained handkerchiefs and staring out the window that go into the noble artform of cartooning. As guests scribbled furiously during the main course to enter an impromptu caricature competition, Kittson said she’d never seen an industry awards night before where the people being celebrated were also expected to perform their day job. Norman Hetherington, former Bulletin cartoonist and the creator of kids’ television icon Mr Squiggle, was lauded with the Jim Russell Award for his outstanding contribution to cartooning. Accepting the award in front of a standing ovation, Hetherington was quick to pay tribute to his wife, Margaret, who wrotes the scripts for Mr Squiggle’s 40-year stay on TV.
Since beginning his career at The News in 1990, Broelman has contributed to publications ranging from Australian MAD to Australasian Post and the Sunday Mail. He also took out the category award for his particular passion, Editorial/Political cartooning. Also recognised on the night were John Spooner (Caricaturist), Matt Golding (Single Gag cartoonist), Dave Follett (Graphic Artist), Gary Clark (Comic Strip Artist) and 2009’s Illustrator, Anton Emdin. Interestingly, both Clark and Spooner won their categories at the first Stanleys in 1985.
The Stanleys are named after the creator of what’s alleged to be Australia’s funniest cartoon. In 1933, cartoonist Stan Cross drew the “For Gorsake, Stop Laughing, This is Serious!” gag that still graces the Stanleys trophy and Year Book cover. The awards organisers managed to unearth riveting archival footage of a young Mike Carlton improvising the name “Stanleys” at the inaugural awards night.
It was a night of thrills and thankfully no spills... but not without slapstick moments. Tealight candles on the tables proved a combustible combination with guests absentmindedly doodling on the sketchbooks provided. And after he was presented with a hard-hat in honour of his recovery from a nasty fall last year, The Australian cartoonist Bill Leak confessed he’s rather enjoying being able to claim brain damage as an excuse for any offensive cartoons.
Additionally, the ACA announced an inaugural round of inductees to the Australian Cartooning Hall of Fame. The inductees were: Ginger Meggs creator Jim Bancks, the aforementioned Stan Cross, Will Dyson, Bulletin artists Percy Leason and Norman Lindsay and “living legend” Pat Oliphant. Oliphant was present for the celebration, having traveled from the US with his wife for the big night.
MC Jean Kittson, who is married to cartoonist Patrick Cook, knows better than most the punishing regime of snacks,
THE 2009 STAN CROSS AWARDS NOMINEES - Who Was Awarded What (recipients marked with *) ILLUSTRATOR
COMIC STRIP ARTIST
CARICATURIST
CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Viscopy
Sponsored by The Daily Telegraph
Sponsored by The Australian
Sponsored by The Herald-Sun
Anton Emdin* George Haddon Alan Moir Simon Schneider John Tiedemann
Jason Chatfield Gary Clark* David Follett Alex Hallatt Allan Salisbury
Matt Adams Peter Broelman Judy Nadin David Rowe John Spooner*
Peter Broelman* Rod Emmerson Alan Moir David Pope David Rowe
GRAPHIC MEDIA ARTIST
SINGLE GAG CARTOONIST
EDITORIAL/POLITICAL CARTOONIST
JIM RUSSELL AWARD
Sponsored by newmatilda.com
Sponsored by The Courier Mail
Sponsored by The Sydney Morning Herald
David Allen David Follett* Chris Kelly Simon Kneebone Brett Lethbridge
Matt Golding* Jon Kudelka Reg Lynch Neil Matterson Andrew Weldon
Peter Broelman Rod Emmerson* Alan Moir David Pope David Rowe
for outstanding contribution to Australian cartooning
Norman Hetherington
www.cartoonists.org.au