Norman Mitchell b. 1920

Also known as Norm Mitchell
  • Artist (Screen Artist),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
Mid 20th century Sydney and Adelaide cartoonist and animator. Having won art competitions at school and at local Shows as a child, Mitchell joined Smith's Weekly as a copy boy in 1935 with the idea of moving onto the art staff.
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cartoonist, was born in Ballina on North Coast NSW. At the age of ten he moved to Sydney with his family. Having won art competitions at school and at local Shows as a child, he joined Smith’s Weekly as a copy boy in 1935 with the idea of moving onto the art staff. His first cartoon, however, was published in the Bulletin . Some months later he became a cadet artist on Smith’s , where he worked under Stan Cross and Jim Russell . He drew regular gags and later political cartoons and was the star athlete on the art staff.

In 1950 he left to become political cartoonist on Keith Murdoch’s Adelaide News , where he was still working in the early 1970s, eg Sydney Police To Use TV For Traffic Control. '“Stand by, headquarters! If you can stick out the next two commercials [two trucks with advertising on the sides], the main feature will follow immediately…one slashin’ redhead in a bikini”’ 1961 (ill. Lindesay 1979, 297). Later he worked for the Sun-Herald . The AGWA has “Where were you when the 'Rock n Roll’ session hit the joint?” presented by the Sun-Herald proprietors. Mitchell also produced animated films for television.

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

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References [<ExternalResource: Gooding, Janda (June 1997), 'Art Gallery of Western Australia cartoon printout', Perth, WA : Art Gallery of Western Australia [Information from], .>, <ExternalResource: Blaikie, George (1966), 'Remember Smith's weekly? : a biography of an uninhibited national Australian newspaper, born: 1 March 1919, died: 28 October 1950', Adelaide, SA : Rigby, p 95.>, <ExternalResource: Lindesay, Vane (1979), 'The inked-in image : a social and historical survey of Australian comic art', Richmond, Vic : Hutchinson of Australia (new edition).>, <ExternalResource: Rafty, Tony; with Mack, Brodie (1964), 'Fifty Years of Australian Cartooning', Sydney, NSW : Blaxland Gallery.>, <ExternalResource: Stone, Walter (1973), '50 years of the newspaper cartoon in Australia', Adelaide, SA : The News, Adelaide in association with the Art Gallery of South Australia, p 80.>] [<ExternalResource: Gooding, Janda (June 1997), 'Art Gallery of Western Australia cartoon printout', Perth, WA : Art Gallery of Western Australia [Information from], .>]