GILPIN Les | Canadian Animation, Cartooning and Illustration

GILPIN Edwin Leslie “Les”

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE OF GROUP\Angol-American employees L-R, Les Gilpin, Ed Furness.jpg$ Les Gilpin left, Ed Furness Right. Photo from Ed Furness.

Born 3 May 1906, in Holywood, Ireland and migrated with his family to Canada in December 1923. At the time he married 14 November 1927, he gave his occupation as salesman.

Very little is known about Les Gilpin and almost nothing about his development as a cartoonist. We know that in 1927 when he married his occupation was salesman.

From his cartoons in the late 1940 and early 1941 issues of Air Force Review magazine we see that he was an accomplished cartoonist before he arrived at Anglo-American. According to Ed Furness, he was already working there when Ed arrived.

He created “Commander Steel”, and “The Crusaders” He illustrated “Sooper Dooper” which Jack Calder wrote but it is evident from the strip “Joe” shown below in an Air Force Review issue that he had created the character before he came to Anglo-American.

According to Ed Furness, he was apparently an alcoholic and he eventually went or was sent to Fawcett in New York to work with C.C. Beck on “Captain Marvel”. Betty Mercer, however, remembered he was with the company till the end and that it was he who told them that they had all been released from the company. Nothing is known of what happened to him after he went to Fawcett.

WORK:

CARTOONIST:

PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content serial:

Grand Slam Comics…: “The Crusaders…” Anglo-American Publishing Co. Ltd. Black & white.

1-4, March 1942: “… In Libya”: 2-27.

1-5, April 1942: 3-22.

1-6, May 1942: 3-22.

For more about the “Crusaders” see Co-cartoonist below.

ILLUSTRATOR:

PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content serial:

According to Ed Furness, Jack Calder (Jay McKellar) wrote “Sooper Dooper” and Les Gilpin illustrated it. The citations on the stories made no such distinction.

3 Aces Comics…: “Sooper Dooper, Mighty Man Of Yesterday…”, Contributors, Jay McKellar & Les Gilpin. Anglo-American Publishing Co. Ltd. Black & white.

1-2, January/February 1942: “ Pitts His Wits Against Butch The Bat”: 53-63.

1-3, March 1942. No story.

1-5, May 1942. No story.

1-6, June 1942: 38-47.

1-8, September, 1942: 52-61.

1-9, October 1942: “Axes The Axis”: 42-51.

2-1, February 1943: 53-62.

2-2, March 1943: 53-62.

2-3, April 1943: “ The Great McCluskey Shows”: 53-62.

2-4, May 1943: 46-55.

3-3, April 1944: 48-47

3-6, July 1944: “ … and the Insanitary Professor Phoolizh”: 39-46.

3-8, September 1944: 43-47.

Sooper Dooper disappeared from Three Aces.

CO-CARTOONIST:

PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content serial :

Grand Slam Comics… “The Crusaders…” Co-car., Ed Furness. Anglo-American Publishing Co. Ltd. Black & white .

2-3, February 1943: 32-41.

2-4, March 1943: 31-40.

April 1943: 31-40.

2-7, June 1943: 32-41.

2-8, July 1943: “… and the Dream Of Baron Todt!”: 31-40.

3-1, December 1943: No story.

3-2, January 1944: No story.

SOURCE:

We have the research of Ivan Kocmarek author of Heroes of the Home Front, into the genealogical records for the information about Les’ date and place of birth, his immigration to Canada and his marriage. There is some uncertainty about his birth being 3 May, but the 1906 is firm.

The source of the images from the aviation magazines was Jason Vanderhill of Vancouver. He is a graduate of Ryerson University and an avid historian and collector of comics, local and aviation history. He is a member of the Vancouver branch of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society and a member and V.P. of the Fraser Valley Antiques and Collectibles Club. He has curated the online art project Illustrated Vancouver for the past ten years.

Interview:

Ed Furness by Robert MacMillan

Correspondence:

Email 1 May 2016, to Ivan Kocmarek from Billy Neill grandson to Betty Mercer quoting his mother.

Email 28 Sept. 2016, to Robert MacMillan, from Billy Neill grandson to Betty Mercer quoting his

mother.

GALLERY:

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Airforce Review, Dec. 1940.jpg$

Air Force Review, December 1940.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review January 1941, 13.jpg$

Air Force Review, January 1941: 13.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN eslie Air Force Review, January 1941, 20..jpg$

Air Force Review, January 1941: 20.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review Feb., 1941, 5.jpg$

Air Force Review, February1941: 5.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review February 1941, 17.jpg$

Air Force Review, February1941: 17.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Joe Air Force Review February 1941-24.jpg$ $C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Joe Air Force Review February 1941-25.jpg$

“Joe” Air Force Review, February 1941 24-25 or January 1941: 15-16.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review February 1941, 31.jpg$

Air Force Review, February1941: 31.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review February 1941, 33.jpg$

Air Force Review, February1941: 33.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Air Force Review, February 1941, 34.jpg$

Air Force Review, February1941: 34.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie WW2 Aviation magazine (6).jpg$

Magazine unknown probably Air Force Review.

$C:\Users\Robert\Documents\CARTOONING ILLUSTRATION ANIMATION\IMAGE BY CARTOONIST\G\GILPIN Leslie Cartoon 1940-41sa.jpg$

Magazine unknown probably Air Force Review.

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