CANADIAN CARTOONISTS ASSOCIATION
The Canadian Cartoonists Association was organized circa 1947. It emerged from an organization called the Cartoonists Forum, which had been organized about a year earlier by Vic Runtz. That organization had so grown in membership and workload that Vic could no longer handle it and so several members volunteered to share the workload. An election of officers followed, and the Canadian Cartoonists Association was born. It was nonprofit. Its goals were to promote cartooning in North America and particularly Canada, provide advice and instruction, market data, and create social bonds between members. Membership was open to anyone interested in cartooning for an annual fee of $1.75. The Association policy stated: “Members were invited to submit their opinions as to rules and regulating of their society.” The first executive was composed of :
President: Will Anderson, 126 Stinson Street, Hamilton Ontario. Secretary: Joe Cranswick, 1949 West Third Avenue, Vancouver B.C. Editor-Treasurer: Vic Runtz, c/o Sir George William School of Art, 1441 Drummond Street Montréal. Librarian: Ellen Fennell, Chu Chut, British Columbia.
Vic Runtz continued to be central, handling all correspondence. By the end of its first year, membership had doubled.
The Canadian Cartoonist was their house organ. It was a newsletter: a set of mimeographed 7.5”X14” sheets. The first issue appeared, April 1947. It was announced that the publication schedule would be six issues, April 1st, May 15th, July 1st, September 15th, November 15th and January 1st. Through various issues it provided information about the Canadian and American markets. In the Canadian market the top payer was the Toronto Star Weekly which paid $25 for an accepted cartoon. Maclean’s and Saturday Night paid $10, The Canadian Home Journal paid $8 to $10 and the Standard of Montréal paid $4 to $7. The cartoon editors of the magazines were quite specific about what they wanted, including cartoon and caption size, cartoons that related to the audience the magazine catered to, and certainly no off colour or risqué cartoons. The Canadian Cartoonist continued a running commentary on this market. In addition, it provided motivational articles, advise, instruction and a “Social Corner”.
The last The Canadian Cartoonist in the Gordon Johnston papers was II-4, March 1949. Either Gordon discontinued his subscription or the organization was dissolved. The newsletter recorded new members joining which seemed to be significant, but it not known what the retention was. It is interesting to note that at this later date the executive remained the same: President, Will Anderson; Secretary and Membership, Joe Cranswick, [now] 1842 Vine Street, Vancouver B.C.; Editor-Treasurer, Vic Runtz, [now] 14 Upper Hillsboro Street, Charlottetown, P.E.I.; Library and Social News, Ellen Fennell. An addition was Printing and Publicity, John E. Lewis, 16 Lancaster Blvd., Woodroffe, Ontario. The fact the executive hadn’t changed suggests the Association had stalled.
Finally, a full-fledged magazine Canadian Cartoonist emerged out of New Westminster B.C. in 1989. Although the name is nearly the same there is no relationship between the two.
NEWSLETTER:
| The Canadian Cartoonist …. | |||
| I-1, April 1947.
I-3, 15 August 1947. |
I-4, 1 November 1947.
I-6, 15 February 1948. |
II-1, 1 April 1948.
II-2, 1 July 1948. |
II-3, November 1948.
II-4, March 1949. |
SOURCE:
The Canadian Cartoonist is archived with the Gordon Johnston Papers Western University.