Dennis the Menace first doodle!

[Steve Henderson]

I haven't noticed this up on this forum yet so thought it was worth a airing as its quite interesting.

Alan Digby has revealed the first ever scribble of Dennis the Menace on a packet of players cigarettes from the depths of time! I had heard of this scribble and read about it in the 'History' book but didnt know it was still around!

I wonder how much its worth?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... enace.html

I doubt anyone today would have the courage to design a new character on the back of a cigarette packet without the assistance of focus groups and mood charts and everything else that seems to sap the life out of many of todays bland television characters.

Steve

[Digifiend]

Wow. Sounds like it was only recently found too, else they would've probably actually shown it History instead of only mentioning it in the text. I see the Daily Mail used the article as another excuse to bleat about his PC makeover though. It was an interesting article until they mentioned the new look.

[Jonny Whizz]

I have something to say to all those who insist on bleating on about Dennis's 'PC' revamp.

How many people were complaining about Billy Whizz being given a new tracksuit back in 1992? Yes, Billy isn't as iconic as Dennis, he wasn't given a new TV series and there was no way it could be accused of being given a makeover to him more PC, but when you think about it, it was a much more major change. When Vic Neill changed his hair as well, it meant that only really his head shape was at all recognisable from the Mal Judge original. Dennis and Gnasher might have been revamped quite considerably, but they're still recognisable - Dennis still wears shorts and the striped jumper, and Gnasher's still an Abyssinian Wire Haired Tripe Hound. I might add that the world was not as obsessed with political correctness back in 1992 as it is now.

[Lew Stringer]

I see the Daily Mail used the article as another excuse to bleat about his PC makeover though. It was an interesting article until they mentioned the new look.

Yes, the anti-PC codswallop from the right-of-centre papers has gotten very tiresome, as have the responses by their readers.

Lew

[Old Freddy]

I have something to say to all those who insist on bleating on about Dennis's 'PC' revamp.

How many people were complaining about Billy Whizz being given a new tracksuit back in 1992? Yes, Billy isn't as iconic as Dennis, he wasn't given a new TV series and there was no way it could be accused of being given a makeover to him more PC, but when you think about it, it was a much more major change. When Vic Neill changed his hair as well, it meant that only really his head shape was at all recognisable from the Mal Judge original. Dennis and Gnasher might have been revamped quite considerably, but they're still recognisable - Dennis still wears shorts and the striped jumper, and Gnasher's still an Abyssinian Wire Haired Tripe Hound. I might add that the world was not as obsessed with political correctness back in 1992 as it is now.

Plus, Dennis has went through bigger changes than his current style. The initial artist Davy Law gradually "Stretched" Dennis between 1953 and 1955, and this made him seem somewhat less menacing. Sutherland also made changes, Giving him a "Bulky" look in the 1980's and then a shorter and more childlike Dennis in the 1990s, before making him more or less himself by the end of 1995.

If the first Sketch of Dennis dates from 1950, would that technically mean he came before the American dennis or does the american Dennis have a longer history than his debut on March 12 1951?

[Brendan McGuire]

This is Political Correctness gone mad! I can remember when you could invade Poland, annexe the Alsace and beat your children to within an inch of their lives and no-one would bat an eyelid. Small wonder this country has gone to the dogs!

[Steve Henderson]

Fair play to the character, even his appearence is causing an awful lot of mischief!

My favourite comment on the Mail website is this one,

'Eeeee.That Players packet takes me back to when men were men and smoked fags,women could stay at home and concentrate on bringing up their kids properly,little lads could go out and play in the street without fear of scratching some pillocks 4x4 and little girls werent pressured to look sexy at 13.
- Ritchie, Birkenhead, 06/9/2009 12:45'

I think hes joking, at least I hope he is!

[stevezodiac]

And still the vastly irritating spelling of "DC Thompson". The Mail on Sunday should get a better proofreader.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Great to see that old DENNIS more than likely originated on the back of a fag packet------Davey Law was a smoker, so it's more than likely genuine.....

WALT DISNEY often drew MICKEY on napkins in hotels, and BENNY HILL [whether you like him or not, remains the only UK TV comedian to conquer the US]. wrote much of his material on the backs of used envelopes.

I personally feel liberated sketching out rough cartoon ideas on the backs of 'used' A4 paper [ie the bumff the council often mails out]: 'working out' gags on expensive posh paper somehow seems more intimidating, at least that's how I see it.......

[Steve Henderson]

WALT DISNEY often drew MICKEY on napkins in hotels.

Before making UB IWERKS do all the hard work in the animation studio!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I agree that IWERKS was a much better artist than DISNEY, Steve, but when UB set up his own studio, leaving HYPERION and produced 'FLIP the FROG', for another company, it seemed to prove that he lacked DISNEY'S vision.....WALT'S strength seems to have been in recognizing---and surrounding himself with----top talent.





Disney [left] with IWERKS.





[iabove: IWERK'S 'FLIP the FROG', who sadly never attained the celebrity of MICKEY MOUSE.......this still looks great, however!][/i]

[Steve Henderson]

Proves you need to be a businessman and not just an artist to get that kind of success. I Like the skeleton, its like the SKELETON DANCE which was one of his too.

Iwerks was undoubtedly the talented one although Disney clearly had the vision and the business mind. Its a shame that Iwerks gets overlooked most of the time.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

you're probably aware, Steve, that IWERKS later returned to DISNEY decades later----working on the xerox process used on the 1961 101 dalmations. Like yourself, I also appreciate animation history, it's ace!

[Steve Henderson]

I was yeah, nice techniques although some of the artists didnt gel to it at first, which added to the charm. I used to moan and groan about 3d cars in 2d animated films (still do actually) and when I saw 101 Dalmations again a few months ago I thought 'wow theres a great example of how to animate a car' I was pretty miffed when I found out they were actual black and white model cars filmed in xerox, like stop motion!

Aye animation history is great! if your anywere near Braford get yourself down to the Bradford Animation Festival at the media museum this November. Its a great festival.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

that's right: Cruella's car and a lorry used by Jasper and Horace were built as small models 'disguised' as cartoon vehicles, complete with thick black lines painted around the edges ...

I couldn't work out how they got the animation of the motors so precise-looking when I saw the film as a kid.....sort of cheating in a way, but hand-drawn animated vehicles are very difficult to pull off naturally......they always look rubbery and unrealistic.

BAF sounds well worth a visit.......sorry I'm a bit too far away.