Jane (comic strip)
Encyclopedia
Jane was a comic strip
created and drawn by Norman Pett exclusively for the British
tabloid The Daily Mirror
from 5 December 1932 to 10 October 1959.
. The hapless heroine had a habit of frequently (and most often inadvertently) losing her clothes. Her intimate confidant was a pet dachshund
named Fritz. Her full name was Jane Gay, a play on the name Lady Jane Grey
. The name "Gay
" was a reference to her cheerful and fun-loving character, and did not connote the modern homosexual implication.
The original model was Pett's wife Mary, but success came when he began to use Chrystabel Leighton-Porter
as the model. The strip became enormously popular during the Second World War and was seen as morale-boosting, inspiring a similar American version, Milton Caniff
's comic strip Male Call
. Until 1943, Jane rarely stripped to more than her undergarments, but then she made a fully nude appearance when getting out of a bath and clumsily falling into the middle of a crowd of British soldiers. It has been suggested that, as a result of this appearance, the British Army advanced five miles in North Africa.
Norman Pett's assistant Michael Hubbard continued 1948 to take over developing the cartoons' original version storyline until ending in 1959 - with charmer Georgie giving Jane a happy marriage and ending the series. The Mirror tried to revive the character on several occasions. One such strip was Jane - Daughter of Jane, who was apparently the original's grown-up offspring, but she lacked her mother's charm and innocence. Another attempt was made in the 1980s.
attempted to distribute Jane in the United States
. However, the nudity was too much for prudish American audiences, and the attempt ceased in 1946.
Other comics in the tradition of, and possibly inspired by, Jane include Male Call
, Sally the Sleuth and Little Annie Fanny
.
was directed by Terry Marcel.
A television
series was made by the BBC
between 1982 and 1984, starring Glynis Barber
in the title role. The first season was simply titled Jane, while the second was called Jane in the Desert. Despite the early evening scheduling slot, the show was decidedly risque with Jane continuously stripping down to her underwear, including stockings and suspenders. At the end of the second series' closing episode she appeared topless momentarily. Despite considerable publicity in the press at the time of its original screening, the show slipped somewhat into obscurity and has never had a commercial video or DVD release. The show was briefly revived in 1985 as a three-part sequence shown over a single morning on Breakfast Television but without Glynis Barber in the lead role.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
created and drawn by Norman Pett exclusively for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tabloid The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror is a British national daily tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1903. Twice in its history, from 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was changed to read simply The Mirror, which is how the paper is often referred to in popular parlance. It had an...
from 5 December 1932 to 10 October 1959.
Characters and story
Originally entitled Jane's Journal - Or the Diary of a Bright Young Thing, the salacious strip featured the misadventures of the title ingenueIngenue (stock character)
See also Disingenuous, which is not quite the antonym that it may seem!The ingénue is a stock character in literature, film, and a role type in the theatre; generally a girl or a young woman who is endearingly innocent and wholesome. Ingenue may also refer to a new young actress or one typecast in...
. The hapless heroine had a habit of frequently (and most often inadvertently) losing her clothes. Her intimate confidant was a pet dachshund
Dachshund
The dachshund is a short-legged, long-bodied dog breed belonging to the hound family. The standard size dachshund was bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was developed to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits...
named Fritz. Her full name was Jane Gay, a play on the name Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
. The name "Gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
" was a reference to her cheerful and fun-loving character, and did not connote the modern homosexual implication.
The original model was Pett's wife Mary, but success came when he began to use Chrystabel Leighton-Porter
Chrystabel Leighton-Porter
Chrystabel Leighton-Porter was the model for the Second World War Daily Mirror newspaper cartoon heroine Jane which boosted morale during the Blitz. Prime Minister Winston Churchill suggested that Jane was "Britain's secret weapon"...
as the model. The strip became enormously popular during the Second World War and was seen as morale-boosting, inspiring a similar American version, Milton Caniff
Milton Caniff
Milton Arthur Paul Caniff was an American cartoonist famous for the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon comic strips.-Biography:...
's comic strip Male Call
Male Call
Male Call was a comic strip created and drawn by Milton Caniff on a volunteer basis, exclusively for US military publications during World War II. The strip began January 24, 1943...
. Until 1943, Jane rarely stripped to more than her undergarments, but then she made a fully nude appearance when getting out of a bath and clumsily falling into the middle of a crowd of British soldiers. It has been suggested that, as a result of this appearance, the British Army advanced five miles in North Africa.
Norman Pett's assistant Michael Hubbard continued 1948 to take over developing the cartoons' original version storyline until ending in 1959 - with charmer Georgie giving Jane a happy marriage and ending the series. The Mirror tried to revive the character on several occasions. One such strip was Jane - Daughter of Jane, who was apparently the original's grown-up offspring, but she lacked her mother's charm and innocence. Another attempt was made in the 1980s.
Jane visits America
In 1945, King Features SyndicateKing Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
attempted to distribute Jane in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, the nudity was too much for prudish American audiences, and the attempt ceased in 1946.
Other comics in the tradition of, and possibly inspired by, Jane include Male Call
Male Call
Male Call was a comic strip created and drawn by Milton Caniff on a volunteer basis, exclusively for US military publications during World War II. The strip began January 24, 1943...
, Sally the Sleuth and Little Annie Fanny
Little Annie Fanny
Little Annie Fanny was a comic strip created by Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder for Playboy in October 1962. The inspiration for the comic strip was Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie. The comic follows the escapades of Annie Fanny, a tall, blonde, amply breasted, round buttocked, curly-haired young...
.
Adaptations
The strip inspired an eponymous stage play in the 1940s. Chrystabel Leighton-Porter, Pett's original model, starred in a 1949 film, The Adventures of Jane, directed by Edward G. Whiting. A 1987 film Jane and the Lost CityJane and the Lost City
Jane and the Lost City was a 1987 film, based on the British newspaper strip Jane by Norman Pett. An adventure comedy set during World War II, the film was directed by Terry Marcel, and stars Kirsten Hughes in the title role, Sam Jones, Maud Adams, Jasper Carrott and Robin Bailey.- Synopsis...
was directed by Terry Marcel.
A television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series was made by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
between 1982 and 1984, starring Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
in the title role. The first season was simply titled Jane, while the second was called Jane in the Desert. Despite the early evening scheduling slot, the show was decidedly risque with Jane continuously stripping down to her underwear, including stockings and suspenders. At the end of the second series' closing episode she appeared topless momentarily. Despite considerable publicity in the press at the time of its original screening, the show slipped somewhat into obscurity and has never had a commercial video or DVD release. The show was briefly revived in 1985 as a three-part sequence shown over a single morning on Breakfast Television but without Glynis Barber in the lead role.
Further reading
- Jane: A Pin-Up at War by Andy Saunders. Leo Cooper Ltd., Barnsley, 2005. ISBN 1844152928)
- "Jane's Journal" by Norman Pett. Published by Rylee Ltd., London.
- "Another Jane's Journal". By Pett. Published by Thomas's Publications Ltd.,Birmingham.
- "Another Journal" By Pett. Published by Rylee Ltd., London.
- "Jane Souvenir"
- The Misadventures of Jane by Norman Pett and J.H.G. ("Don") Freeman. Titan, 2009. Reprints 531 daily strips from October 1943 to June 1945.