Hart Amos b. 1916

  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
Trained in painting and drawing at the East Sydney Technical College, Amos is better known for his extensive body of illustrating and cartooning work. A camoflager with the AIF, after World War 2 Amos worked on a freelance basis for K.G. Murray publishing where one of his first assignments was to produce the comic book 'The Lost Patrol' about Australian soldiers fighting the Japanese in New Guinea
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cartoonist and painter, was born in Lindfield NSW, attended North Sydney Boys High then worked as a clerk in Tooth’s Brewery advertising department. Studied Life Drawing and oil painting at East Sydney Technical College (ESTC) in 1933-37 and sold cartoons to Rydges and Quiz . Enlisted as a gunner in the army, but served as his unit’s camouflager. He was promoted to lieutenant after serving in 1938‑45 in New Guinea and Borneo. After the war, he worked freelance for K.G. Murray publishing, one of his first assignments being to produce the comic book The Lost Patrol about Australian soldiers fighting the Japanese in New Guinea. He also drew The Moon Mirror , Stark the Stoneage Man and Devil Doone (289 issues August 1946 to mid‑1969 with scripts by Ron Carson Gold plus contributions by Amos) and various strips for Climax Comics (see Shiell 1999, 112).

After leaving Murray, Amos worked (uncredited) on Air Hawk for John Dixon from March 1970 until he retired on Anzac Day 1977 (there is some speculation that the last artist before the strip died was Kelmsley, though his father wrote for it and the two may have been confused). His style of 'clean and accurate drawings’ was influenced by Low , Rigby , Syd Miller , Stan Drake, J. Cullen Murphy, Alex Raymond and Jack Waugh , a half‑tone illustrator. He also admired the style of Ainslie Roberts, creator of the Aboriginal Legends pictures for Rigby Press. Still alive in 1999, Amos was drawing single panel gags in his personal correspondence and had also returned to oil painting.

Writers:
Kerr, Joan
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2007

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References [<ExternalResource: Shiell, Annette (ed.) (1998), 'Bonzer: Australian Comics 1900s-1990s', Melbourne, Vic : Elgua Media/ Binara Publishing.>, <ExternalResource: Rae (1983), pp 10-14.>, <ExternalResource: Information sourced from Ryan.>, <ExternalResource: Information sourced from Amos, Hart.>, <ExternalResource: Shiell, Annette & Unger, Ingrid (1994), 'Ace Biographical Portraits... 1930s-1990s', Clayton, Vic : National Centre for Australian Studies.>, <ExternalResource: Rydges.>, <ExternalResource: Quiz.>, <ExternalResource: Amos, Hart, 'The Lost Patrol', Sydney, NSW.>, <ExternalResource: Amos, Hart, 'The Moon Mirror', Sydney, NSW.>, <ExternalResource: Amos, Hart, 'Stark the Stoneage Man', Sydney, NSW.>, <ExternalResource: Amos, Hart / Gold, Ron Carson, 'Devil Doone', Sydney, NSW.>]