Ian Dickson

The Swift Annual, and others published by Hulton, often ran three- or four-frame strips as fillers. One of the most prolific contributor of these was Ian Dickson who also contributed to Eagle Annual and Girl Annual.

Ian Oscar Dickson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 15 January 1905. He grew up in Melbourne and was self-tought as an artist. Dickson was something of a world traveller, seeking out work as a cartoonist and illustrator wherever he was. His work appeared in the Adelaide Register News Pictorial, the Brisbane Telegraph and tourist brochures for the Queensland government.

Emigrating to England, he produced illustrations for film companies and work for Razzle before moving to Ceylon, working for the Times of Ceylon and Ceylon Observer. Back in Britain, his work appeared in Punch, London Opinion, Men Only and Blighty. For 15 years he drew 'Mum' each week for the Sunday Graphic. He was also well known for his drawings of glamour girls.

During the War he served with the R.A.F.

He died on 21 July 1987.

(* Illustrations are from Swift Annual 6 (1959) and are © Look and Learn Magazine Ltd. Most of the biographical information above is derived from Dictionary of British Cartoonists and Caricaturists 1730-1980 compiled by Mark Bryant and Simon Heneage.)