SKUCE Lou

Photo circa 1915, reprinted in Taddle Creek, 37, Summer 2016: 23.

Photo circa 1930’s, reprinted in Taddle Creek, X-1, Christmas 2006: 36.

“Three of them are rising geniuses: Lou Skuce – an ideal name for a man of skits:… the youthful prophet Skuce is on the Toronto World ‘The High Cost of Living’ and Baseball Burlesques’ are his best pointers….”                                          John E. Staley. Maclean’s, March 1914

A sports cartoonist, athlete, playwright and actor. “His symbol a goose with a hat perched on its head at a rakish angle was as well known as its originator.” Evening Citizen.

Born 1886 in Britannia Heights Ottawa to James Skuce and Margaret Boulger.

He was educated in Ottawa schools.

He was married twice, first to Dorothy Edis who died in the 1930’s. With her he had a son John Lewis and a daughter Mrs. Patricia Hurd. He then married Kipling Fraser and with her had two daughters, Nancy and Sandra.

As an athlete he won world and Canadian honours for paddling while a member of the Britannia Boating Club in Ottawa. He later paddled for the Parkdale Canoe Club, winning numerous cups. He also played rugby and hockey.

During World War 1 he was with the Psychological Warfare Branch of the National Defense Department.

He spent time in New York and while there he entered theatre, both acting and writing. One of his best known plays was Bill of 13. From his associations there he became involved with the American Guild of Variety Artists. After returning to Canada he continued to perform giving public talks with a machine of his own invention called a Cartoonograph. With it, he flashed on a screen at high speed cartoons that he had previously drawn on small glass sheets.. He performed various times at London England’s Adelphi Theatre, in the U.S. at New York City’s Roxy Theatre and in many Canadian movie houses. Including a May 1944 political meeting in Regina which was addressed by the then Agricultural Minister J. G. Gardiner. Only a few months before he died, he performed his act at the Casino Theatre in downtown Toronto.

He began his cartooning career with the Journal [Ottawa] then moved to Toronto and worked for the World, Star, and the Mail and Empire. He was Art Editor of Sunday World for 14 years after which he freelanced.

He was illustrating articles in Maclean’s Magazine at least as early as the end of World War 1. In the 1920’s he illustrated the columns of J.K. Munro, a popular Ottawa columnist which appeared in Maclean’s.

He was a contributor to the wildly popular (the first edition sold out an hour and a half after it reached the newsstands) University of Toronto undergraduate magazine Goblin launched in 1921.

During World War 2, he produced government posters and helped promote the sale of Victory Bonds through onstage performances using his cartoonagraph. A number of his cartoons appeared in the cartoon magazines of Bell Features and Publishing Company Ltd. Some were likely published in other periodicals and reprinted in Bell magazines. Others appear to have been original to Bell.

He drew the murals for the lounge of the Toronto Men’s Press Club. They illustrated club scenes and humorously traced the evolution of the printed word from the stone age to today’s giant printing presses. These were all completed in his living room of his home. According to Ben Vicarri Manager of the Toronto Press Club in 1996, Skuce, until the time of his death, drew a coloured portrait of each president when they stepped down.

In his later years he painted landscapes and portraits.

He died November 20,1951at his at his Chestnut Park Road home in Toronto while at his drawing board working on a cartoon for Bell Syndicate of New York, U.S.A. He was buried in Ottawa.. At the time of his death, he was chairman of the Toronto chapter of the American Guild of Variety Artists.

WORK:

CARTOONIST:

PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content:

Advertisement:

Active Comics,… no date: “Smith Brothers cough drops.” inside back cover. Black & white
26	27	28	29

Panel joke:

Active Comics, 1, Feb. 1942:                                                                                                        “Every Dog Has His Day!”: 47. (black &white).                                                                    “He won’t hurt you mister.” inside front cover. (colour).                                                      “Start of Youthful Romance”: 17. (black &white).                                                                “This hurts me more than it does you”: 15. (black &white).                                                “T’was Ever Thus”: inside back cover. (colour).

Active Comics, 2, Mar. 1942: “The Throw of the Dice.” inside front cover. (Is this a Skuce cartoon?)

Active Comics, 11, no date: “Mr Fan”: 12 & 14. (A sports cartoon black &white).) Triumph Comics, no issue no date: “Things to worry about” . Reprinted in Now and Then Times,1-1, Summer 1972: inside front cover, black &white)..

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Content :

Advertising:

Goblin, 1-1, Feb. 1921: Hugh C. MacLean Publications: 2.

Goblin, IV-9, March 1924: Chevrolet: 29 (full page).

Panel joke:

Goblin, 1-1, Feb. 1921: “Sorry I Can’t Oblige”: 6.

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Content panel sport :

Taddle Creek, X-1, Christmas 2006: “The Art Of Sport.” Writ., Conan Tobias: 36-41.

SOURCE:

Article book:

The Hecklers. Writ. & Ed.., Peter Desbarates & Terry Mosher. McClelland and Stewart Ltd., 1979: 250. A Treasury of Canadian Humour. Writ., R.T. Allen. Canadian Illustrated Library/McClelland & Stewart Ltd. 1967. 56, 89.

Article periodical:

Maclean’s, March 1914: “The Cartoonmen of Canada.” Writ., John Edgecumbe Staley.

Taddle Creek, X-1, Christmas 2006: “The Art Of Sport.” Writ., Conan Tobias: 36-41.

Taddle Creek, 37, Summer 2016: “Canada’s Greatest Cartoonist.” Writ., Conan Tobias: 14-31.

Article newspaper:

Globe & Mail 14 May 2016: “The Greatest Cartoonist You’ve Never Heard Of.” Writ., Conan Tobias. R1, R8. Complete account in Taddle Creek, 37, Summer 2016: 14-30.

Obituary:

Evening Citizen [Ottawa], 21 Nov. 1951. A Canadian Press release.

Globe and Mail, 21 Nov. 1951. Based on C.P. release.

Leader Post [Regina], 21 Nov. 1951. Based on C.P. release

Interview:

Telephone with Ben Viccari, Manager of the Toronto Press Club. 18 Oct. 1996.

GALLERY:

Maclean’s, Sept. 1918:17.

A Self Portrait. Goblin, 1-1, Feb. 1921: 6

Taddle Creek, X-1, Christmas 2006: 39, Taken from Corcoran’s Wrestling Guide 1935.

Taddle Creek, X-1, Christmas 2006: 40, Taken from Corcoran’s Wrestling Guide 1935.

Active Comics, 1, Feb. 1942: Inside front cover.

Now and Then Times,1-1, Summer 1972: Inside front cover. A reprint.

 Lou’s goose and Tingley’s worm meet: a tribute to Tingley by Lou Skuce, 1951 (The year Skuce died.) Found by Ivan Kocmarek at the National Library and Archives, Ottawa.

SKETCHES FROM THE CANADIAN FRONT

See FRISE James

 

SINNOTT NEWS CO. LTD. 

Sinnott News Co. Ltd., owner of Anglo-American Publishing Co. was a southern Ontario periodical distribution company.

In 1905 Thomas Sinnott with his family including Harold Sinnott migrated to Toronto from London England. Here Tomas was employed by Imperial News UK Ltd, an English company wanting to grow its business in Canada. In 1909, Tom Sinnott was given a 20% interest in the company and under his leadership it became Toronto’s first periodical distributer. .

In 1912, Harold Sinnott at 15 years joined the business as Curtis Distribution Co. transferred its Toronto magazine franchise to Imperial News UK. In 1933 at the age of 36 years Harold Sinnott took over the business from Tom Sinnott. In 1937, he reorganized Imperial News UK Ltd. And renamed it Sinnott News Co. By 1946, Sinnott News was also distributing pocketbooks

In 1962 Harold Sinnott retired. Following Sinnott’s retirement, the company was involved in a series of takeovers and mergers that ultimately became today’s (2015) Metro News.

SINGH Shevon & Renuka

Sisters from Kitimat British Columbia

WORK:

WRITER:

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content story:

Epic Canadiana, v.2. Ed., Bevan Thomas. Cloudscape Comics Society, Oct. 2015: “Feast of Ghosts” Illus., Manoj Kumar A & Tesni Edathill: 207-219.

SOURCE:

Article book:

Epic Canadiana, v.2. Ed., Bevan Thomas. Cloudscape Comics Society, Oct. 2015: “The Creators”:  237.

SINCLAIR Niigaanwewidam James

He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba. He has written graphic novels for Graphic Classics. He is a regular commentator on indigenous issues on APTN, CBC and CTV, and internationally for The Guardian and Al-Jazeera America. He has contributed to The Exile Edition of Native Canadian Fiction and Drama, and written for The Globe and Mail and The Winnipeg Free Press. He co-edited Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings From The Land of Water, Anishinaabeg Studies: Understanding the World Through Stories and The Winter We Danced: The Past, The Future and the Idle No More Movement.

WORK:

WRITER:

BOOK GRAPHIC:

Content essay text & illustration:

The Loxleys and Confederation. Renegade Arts, Apr. 2012: “Afterword: Looking For Kanata.” Illus., C. St-Aubin: 100-102.

CO-WRITER:

BOOK GRAPHIC:

Content novel:

The Loxleys and Confederation. Co-writ., Mark Zuehlke, & Alex Finbow Illus., Claude St Aubin. Col., Christopher Chuckry. Let., Todd Klein. Ed., A. Finbow. Renegade Arts, Apr. 2012.

SOURCE:

Article book:

The Loxleys and Confederation. Renegade Arts Entertainment, Apr. 2012: 103.

SIMPSON Michelle

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR:

PERIODICAL TEXT & GRAPHIC:

Cover front:

Kayak, 62, December 2017.

Content story:

Kayak, 59, February 2017: “Shattered City.” Writ., Allyson Gulliver: 20-22.

Kayak, 64, April 2018: “A Time For Change.” Writ., Allyson Gulliver. 20-23.

SIMPKINS James Nathaniel

                                                      Beastly Ballads, Dust jacket.

James Nathaniel Simpkins, born 26 November 1910 in Winnipeg. was the creator of “Jasper The Bear,” a regular cartoon feature of Maclean’s magazine for about 24 years and the mascot of the Jasper National Park community in Alberta.

James studied at the Winnipeg School of Art and his first job was as a commercial illustrator for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Beaver Magazine. During World War II, he joined the army medical corps as an illustrator and after the war in 1945 he joined the National Film Board as a staff artist where he worked for sixteen years. After becoming a freelancer, he continued to be a regular contributor. Although he drew strip films “.. which are like cartoon strips you can project on a screen …” he never put Jasper on film.

His endearing “Jasper” character first appeared in Maclean’s magazine as an unnamed character on 1 December 1948. At least partly because of the doctor’s bills piling up James had “headed for Toronto in the fall of 1948 to show Maclean’s editors a group of his cartoons. As he recounts, “The art editor asked if I would try to develop an animal character that would be distinctively Canadian (‘but no Bertie-the-Beavers, please’) and suggested I rough out thirty-five samples as a start. We agreed it should be a bear and I went home to my sketch pad until I had thirty-five bear jokes, of which the magazine accepted only six.” From that beginning the character became a magazine fixture.

In addition to Jasper, Simpkins did monthly cartoons for The Medical Post which were collected and published as When’s The Last Time You Cleaned Your Navel? He also freelanced with clients including the Toronto Star, magazines in Canada and the U.S., book publishers, and add agencies. He did the series “Simpkins’ Montreal” a cartoon feature three times a week for the Montreal Gazette beginning 6 August 1962, and he was commissioned to do a Canadian postage stamp commemorating Canada’s world champion hockey players.

James has described his work place and home as: “ a ten by twelve room up under the gingerbread eaves of a rambling Victorian house originally built eighty-five years ago as a summer home overlooking the St. Lawrence [River] at Beaconsfield near Montreal.”

In 1994 he was the recipient of the first Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Toronto Cartoonists Society. On 14 May 2016, he was inducted into the “Giants of the North” hall of fame operated by the Doug Wright Awards committee.

He died 1 February 2004 in Dundas Ontario.

WORK:

CARTOONIST:

BOOK GRAPHIC:

Content story & Cover book front:

Jasper and the Cubs. Copp Clark Publishing Co., 1970.

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content serial:

Potlatch presents The 1980 Comics Annual. Ed., Ian Carr. Potlatch Publications, 1979:            “Cave-in”: 68 .                                                                                                                      “Cave-in.”: 92.

BOOK GRAPHIC COLLECTION:

Content panel & Cover book front:

When’s the last time you cleaned your navel?” Potlatch Publications, 1976.

Content panel & Cover book front & back:

Jasper. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., 1972.

Content panel & Cover book wrap around:

Jasper. Burns & MacEachern Ltd.& Rinehart & Co., Inc., 1960.

Content panel & Cover dust jacket front & back:

Jasper. Ryerson Press, Oct. 1954.

BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content story:

Canadian Children’s Annual, 1978. Ed., R. F. Neilson. Art Dir., M. Tach. Potlatch Publications, 1977: “Jasper’s Cubs”: 140.                                                                                                         “Vikings arrive in Newfoundland”:173.

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Content panel cartoon:

Maclean’s, 11 October 1958: A gag cartoon: 98.

Maclean’s, 16 Apr. 1965: “Jasper: Boy do I need a shave”: 32.

Montrealer Expo 67, 41-5, May 1967: “Man In His Worldiness”: 26. A page of humorous panels connected with Expo 67.

ILLUSTRATOR:

BOOK TEXT COLLECTION:

Content essay humour & Cover book front:

In Darkest Domestica. Writ., Eric Nicole. PaperJacks, 1972.

Shall We Join The Ladies. Writ., Eric Nicole. PaperJacks 1972.

Content essay humour & Cover dust jacket front:

Girdle Me A Globe. Writ., Eric Nicole. Ryerson Press, 1957.

In Darkest Domestica. Writ., Eric Nicole. Ryerson Press, 1959.

Content information & Cover book front:

Canada’s Monsters. Writ., Betty Sanders Garner. Potlatch Publications, 1976.

Content Poetry & Cover dust jacket front:

Beastly Ballads. Writ., Stuart Hemsley. Toronto: Burns & MacEachern Ltd. 1954.

BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:                                                                          Published by Potlatch Publications. Editor Robert F. Neilson. Art Director Mary Tach.

Content various & Cover book back :

Canadian Children’s Annual, 1977, 1976:                                                                                    “Hi! Welcome To Jasper’s Game Forest.” Writ., William Ettridge: 36-39. (Activity).            “Chopper’s Challenging Conundrums: Weights & Measures.” Writ., W. Ettridge,                J. Hunt & N. Charles. 95-99. Activity).                                                                              “The Summer Of The Moon Goddess.” Writ., Barbara Hendershot: 80-84. (Story)

Canadian Children’s Annual, 1978,1977:                                                                                     “Introducing Sir Issacs Newton.” Writ., William Ettridge: 99-101. (Biography)                     “Do You Read Me Over.” Writ., William Ettridge: 97-98. (Information)

Content memoir:

Canadian Children’s Annual, 1979, 1978: “Ring-Tailed Clown.” Writ., Jo Ellen Bogart: 88-90.

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Content essay:

Maclean’s, 1 Dec. 1950: “Never Get Friendly With A Friendly Bear.” Writ., Fred Bodsworth. 23.

Star Weekly Magazine, July 5, 1958: “Canada 100 Years From Now.” Writ., Emile Schumacher: 24-26.

Content story:

Family Herald Canada’s National Farm Magazine, 11 April 1963: “The Crisis in Hive Five”. Writ., Jenny Seed: 75.

Cover:

Maclean’s 18 February 1956.

Maclean’s 27 April 1957 “With Jasper’s apologies to Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven.”

Maclean’s 6 July 1963.

WRITER & ILLUSTRATOR:

PERIODICAL TEXT ANTHOLOGY:

Content memoir:

Maclean’s, 6 July 1963: “How I was trapped by Jasper the bear for Maclean’s …”: 15-17.

MERCHANDISE:

Colouring Book:

Jasper’s Journey Across Canada/Le Voyage de Jasper à traverse Le Canada. Irwin Specialties/Irwin Toy Ltd., no date.

Poster:

“Jasper: ‘Seasons Greetings/Meilleurs voeux’.” no date. 1155 mm h X 860 mm w.

SOURCE:

Article periodical:

Maclean’s, 6 July 1963:

“How I was trapped by Jasper the bear for Maclean’s ….” Writ., J. Simpkins: 15-17.

“Jasper 1948 … Jasper 1963”: 51.

Maclean’s, 21 March 1994: “Grin and bear it”: 55

Taddle Creek, 41, Summer 2018: “Distinctly Canadian.” Writ., Conan Tobias. 33.

GALLERY:

Family Herald Canada’s National Farm Magazine, 11 April 1963: “75.

In Darkest Domestica, Paperjack, 1972: Front cover.                                                      Shall We Join The Ladies, Paperjack, 1972: Front cover.

When Was The Last Time You Cleaned Your Navel, 1976: Front cover.

Canada’s Monsters.1976: Front cover.

SIMON Dan

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR & LETTERER:

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content story:

 Monstrosity, vol. 1, 2013.  “It Came From Within.” Writ., A.G. Pasqualla.

 

SIMMS Genevieve 

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR:

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Cover front:

Walrus, 11-2, March 2014.

 

SIMARD Yves

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR:

PERIODICAL TEXT:

Content poem:

Weekend Magazine, 25 Dec. 1976: “The Santa Claus Trap.” Writ., Margaret Atwood: 7-9.