Bluey and Curley
Encyclopedia
Bluey and Curley is an Australia
n newspaper comic strip written by the Australian artist, caricaturist, and cartoonist Alex Gurney
.
Few original Bluey and Curley strips are held in public collections, because, throughout his lifetime, Alex Gurney was renowned for his generous habit of giving the original art work of his caricatures, cartoons, and comic strips to anyone who asked.
By the end of the war, they had served in every Australian campaign — in North Africa, in the Middle East, in New Guinea, in Northern Australia, and in the Pacific Islands — and, once the war was over, they even went to London and took part in the 1946 Victory Parade.
In late 1939, following the outbreak of World War II, he created his most famous characters, Bluey and Curley, which first appeared in the "Picture-News" magazine.
He applied for the copyright registration of "Bluey and Curley" on 16 October 1939; and his application was granted on 9 November 1939 (Australian Copyright No.6921).
in 1940, from whence it was syndicated
throughout Australia, New Zealand
and Canada
.
who had re-enlisted in the second A.I.F., and Curley (named for his extremely curly hair), the new recruit to the A.I.F.
The strip was widely appreciated for the good-humoured way it depicted the Australian "diggers" and their "mateship
", as well as for its realistic use of Australian idiom of the day.
to ensure authenticity. While in New Guinea he contracted malaria
and was incapacitated for some time.
Gurney's visit to London, and his version of events, as seen through his Bluey and Curley comic strip, was also historically significant for another reason: it was the first time that a newspaper comic strip had ever been transmitted from England to Australia by radio.
Although Bluey and Curley were popular with Australians because they related to the slang, attitude, and the lack of respect towards authority exhibited by the main characters,the strip lost some of its appeal and readership when the pair returned to "civvy street".
from 1957 until 1975.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n newspaper comic strip written by the Australian artist, caricaturist, and cartoonist Alex Gurney
Alexander George Gurney
Alexander George "Alex" Gurney was an Australian artist, caricaturist, and cartoonist born at Pasley House, Stoke, Devonport , England.-Family:...
.
Few original Bluey and Curley strips are held in public collections, because, throughout his lifetime, Alex Gurney was renowned for his generous habit of giving the original art work of his caricatures, cartoons, and comic strips to anyone who asked.
The characters
The first strip Bluey and Curley strip appeared soon after the start of World War II. It featured two Australian soldiers, Bluey (who had served in the First AIF), and Curley, a new recruit.By the end of the war, they had served in every Australian campaign — in North Africa, in the Middle East, in New Guinea, in Northern Australia, and in the Pacific Islands — and, once the war was over, they even went to London and took part in the 1946 Victory Parade.
Creation
By 1939 Alex Gurney was already well established as a caricaturist, cartoonist, and comic strip artist.In late 1939, following the outbreak of World War II, he created his most famous characters, Bluey and Curley, which first appeared in the "Picture-News" magazine.
He applied for the copyright registration of "Bluey and Curley" on 16 October 1939; and his application was granted on 9 November 1939 (Australian Copyright No.6921).
Syndication
It was transferred to The Sun News-PictorialThe Sun News-Pictorial
The Sun News-Pictorial, commonly known as The Sun, was a morning daily tabloid newspaper in Melbourne, Australia established in 1922 and closed in 1990.It was part of The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd stable of Melbourne newspapers...
in 1940, from whence it was syndicated
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
throughout Australia, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Cultural impact
The strip featured a pair of soldiers, "Bluey" (named for his red hair), the Great War veteranAustralian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
who had re-enlisted in the second A.I.F., and Curley (named for his extremely curly hair), the new recruit to the A.I.F.
The strip was widely appreciated for the good-humoured way it depicted the Australian "diggers" and their "mateship
Mateship
Mateship is an Australian cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship. There are two types of mateship, the inclusive and the exclusive; the inclusive is in relation to a shared situation , whereas the exclusive type is toward a third party...
", as well as for its realistic use of Australian idiom of the day.
Service life
Gurney visited army camps throughout Australia and New GuineaNew Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
to ensure authenticity. While in New Guinea he contracted malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and was incapacitated for some time.
Post-war life
Gurney was in England in June 1946, as part of an Australian Press Syndicate sent specifically to view the Victory Parade. As well as sending caricatures of various eminent people involved in that parade back to Australia for distribution through the press, he also used the opportunity to have Bluey and Curley attend the parade, and a number of his Bluey and Curley comic strips reflected that event.Gurney's visit to London, and his version of events, as seen through his Bluey and Curley comic strip, was also historically significant for another reason: it was the first time that a newspaper comic strip had ever been transmitted from England to Australia by radio.
Although Bluey and Curley were popular with Australians because they related to the slang, attitude, and the lack of respect towards authority exhibited by the main characters,the strip lost some of its appeal and readership when the pair returned to "civvy street".
Gurney's death
Gurney died suddenly, of heart disease, on 4 December 1955. He had collapsed in his motor car parked outside his home. He was cremated with Anglican rites.Post-Gurney
The strip was later drawn by Norman Howard Rice (1911-1956). Rice died as the result of a car accident on 31 December 1956 (New Years Eve). The strip was then drawn by Les DixonLes Dixon
Leslie "Les" Dixon , was an Australian cartoonist and commercial artist.Dixon was born Leslie Charles Brailey in Sydney, New South Wales on 25 July 1910 and adopted by Charles and Lillian Dixon when he was only six months old...
from 1957 until 1975.