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Reg Parlett
Reg Parlett
Reg Parlett
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Reginald Edward Parlett (2 August 1904 – 18 November 1991) was an artist from England who had a career of drawing for comic books that lasted for 66 years.

Key Information

Early career

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Born in London, his father Harry Parlett (1881–1971) was also a prolific artist whose work appeared in many publications, often anonymously, as well as on many picture postcards, which he signed as 'Comicus'. Reg Parlett's older brother George (1902–1981) also later became an artist. On leaving school Parlett became a clerk at Thomas Cook.[1]

Realising that he was ill-suited to working for a travel agent, he was encouraged to draw by his father, who submitted his son's cartoons to Amalgamated Press (AP); such was his success that he left Thomas Cook and in 1923 became a permanent member of staff for AP.[1] His work appeared in the Merry and Bright comic in 1926, and he would later go on to do comic strips for magazines such as Funny Wonder, Radio Fun, Film Fun, Knockout, Buster, Whizzer and Chips, Cor!!, Whoopee!, Jackpot and Wow!. He became one of the top artists for Amalgamated Press in the second half of the 1930s, and stayed with the company until his death in 1991.

Wartime service and work in animation

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Parlett served in the R.A.F. during World War II drawing maps, and in the late 1940s he became a writer and artist for J. Arthur Rank's GB Animation 'Animaland' cartoons.[2] He contributed to the 1954 animated film Animal Farm.[3] In the 1960s Parlett worked on his first newspaper strip, when he took over Just Jake in the Daily Mirror.

Artist for the Billy Bunter strip

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On the death of Frank Minnitt in 1958 he became one of the artists who took over the drawing of the Billy Bunter comic strip in Knockout.[2] Such was his popularity that the 2 August 1984 issue of Buster celebrated his 80th birthday, and a 1989 issue of Big Comic Fortnightly celebrated his 85th.

Marriage and children

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Parlett married in 1928, and with his wife Mary (née Carter), whom he had first met at a dance in 1921, had two sons, Malcolm and Graham Parlett.

Book about his art

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A book titled The Comic Art of Reg Parlett (ISBN 0-9511214-0-5) written by Alan Clark was released on 10 November 1986.

References

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Reg Parlett

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Reg Parlett is a British comic strip artist known for his prolific 66-year career in British comics, during which he produced countless humorous strips and covers primarily for Amalgamated Press, IPC, and Fleetway. He is especially recognized for his long association with the comic Buster, where he illustrated the title strip featuring the mischievous Buster starting in 1974, along with other popular series such as Rent-a-Ghost, Kid Gloves, and Fright School. Born Reginald Edward Parlett on 2 August 1904 in Camberwell, London, into a family of cartoonists—his father Harry Parlett and brother George Parlett were also artists—he began his professional career in 1923 and continued drawing full comic pages into his eighties. Parlett's early work included filler cartoons and strips such as Danny and Domino and Charlie Chaplin adaptations for Amalgamated Press titles in the 1920s and 1930s. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and afterward worked briefly in animation, scripting for Gaumont British Animation's Animaland series and contributing to the 1954 animated feature Animal Farm. Returning to comics in 1950, he became one of the most active artists in British humor weeklies, drawing series like Billy Bunter, Ivor Lott and Tony Broke, Mustapha Million, and Fit Fred and Sick Sid across numerous publications including Knockout, Cor!!, Whoopee!, and Whizzer and Chips. His consistent, clear, and funny style made him a cornerstone of post-war British comic entertainment, with his work appearing in dozens of titles and earning special tributes on milestones such as his 80th and 85th birthdays in comic publications. Parlett remained active until late in life, passing away on 18 November 1991.

Early life

Family background and birth

Reginald Edward Parlett was born on 2 August 1904 in Camberwell, London, England. He was the younger son of Henry Albert "Harry" Parlett (1881–1971), a prolific artist known for his anonymous contributions to various publications and for illustrating humorous postcards under the pseudonym "Comicus." Parlett's older brother, George Parlett (1902–1981), also pursued a career as an artist in the same field. This artistic family environment marked the early background of Reg Parlett, who grew up in a household where cartooning and illustration were established professions.

Early employment and entry into art

After leaving school, Reg Parlett took a job as a clerk at the Thomas Cook travel agency. Coming from a family with a strong artistic tradition—his father was the comics artist Harry Parlett—he received encouragement to develop his cartooning talents. His father submitted examples of his work to the Amalgamated Press, which resulted in Parlett securing a permanent full-time staff position as an artist with the publisher in 1923. Parlett began his published career contributing one-off cartoons to the Amalgamated Press comic Merry and Bright, with his first work appearing in 1926. By the late 1920s, he had progressed to drawing covers for the publication. This early success laid the foundation for his long career in British comics.

Comics career

Work at Amalgamated Press (1923–1939)

Reg Parlett joined Amalgamated Press as a full-time staff artist in 1923, beginning his long association with the publisher by contributing one-off cartoons, jokes, and filler strips to Merry and Bright. By the late 1920s, his role had expanded to include drawing covers for the paper. In 1927, he created his first ongoing comic strip, "Danny and Domino," for Funny Wonder, marking his transition to serialized work. During the 1930s, Parlett became a prolific contributor across multiple Amalgamated Press humor titles, including Funny Wonder, Radio Fun, and others such as The Wonder, Jester, Larks, Tip Top, Crackers, and Jingles. For Funny Wonder, he drew the "Charlie Chaplin" strip starting in 1932, alongside earlier features like "Robin Hood" and "The Sheriff of Sherbet City." His work for Radio Fun included "Bighearted Arthur," while he also produced "Vernon the Villain" for Jester and "Jerry, Jenny and Joe" for Tip Top. Additional notable strips from the period were "Lizzie and her Comical Courtiers" for The Wonder (beginning in 1928), "Larry the Larky Legionnaire" for The Wonder (1932–1939), and "Our Screen Screams" for The Wonder (1935–1937). In the second half of the 1930s, Parlett rose to become one of Amalgamated Press's top artists, known for his versatile and humorous contributions to the company's juvenile comic lineup. This early period established him as a reliable and creative force within the publisher.

Post-war comics and major strips (1940s–1960s)

After World War II, Reg Parlett returned to his comic illustration career, resuming contributions to various British comic titles during the late 1940s and into the 1950s. He became particularly prominent in the late 1950s when he took over the long-running Billy Bunter strip in Knockout comic following the death of previous artist Frank Minnitt in 1958. Parlett's version of the famous Greyfriars schoolboy character continued the series' popularity, with his distinctive style bringing fresh energy to the humorous boarding school adventures. In 1960, Parlett began a long and significant association with Buster comic upon its launch by Fleetway Publications, where he illustrated numerous strips and became one of the title's key artists throughout the decade. His work on Buster included various supporting features, helping establish the comic's reputation for slapstick and adventure stories aimed at young readers. During the 1960s, Parlett expanded into newspaper comics for the first time when he took over the long-running Just Jake strip in the Daily Mirror, a notable shift from his magazine and comic book work. Parlett also contributed to other major Fleetway titles during this period, including ongoing work in Knockout and Buster as well as early contributions to Whizzer and Chips (launched in 1969) and Cor!! (launched in 1970, though his involvement began in the late 1960s). His prolific output across these publications solidified his status as one of the most reliable and versatile artists in British comics during the post-war boom.

Later comics work and final contributions (1970s–1991)

In the 1970s and 1980s, Reg Parlett remained a prolific contributor to IPC (later Fleetway) humour comics, producing work for numerous titles aimed at younger readers. He drew strips for Whoopee! including 'Evil Eye', 'Teacher's Pet', and 'Creepy Car', as well as contributions to Jackpot such as 'It's a Nice Life' and 'Kid King', and to Wow! with 'Goddies and Baddies'. His work also appeared in other IPC publications like Cor!!, Shiver & Shake, Whizzer & Chips, and Krazy during this period. Parlett's most sustained role in his later career was with Buster, where he took over the lead 'Buster' strip in 1974 and illustrated it for many years. He created and drew several long-running serials in Buster, including 'Bonehead' (1971–1974), 'Kid Gloves' (1975–1980), 'Disappearing Trix' (1979–1982), 'It's a Nice Life' (1982–1988), 'Fright School' (1985–1988), and 'Beastenders' (1987–1990, in cooperation with Anthony Hutchings). These series often featured slapstick humour and supernatural elements typical of the era's British children's comics. Parlett demonstrated exceptional longevity and consistency, remaining one of the most active artists in British humour comics into his eighties. In 1989, after 66 years of cartooning, he was still producing a couple of full pages a week for IPC titles. His contributions continued through the late 1980s and into 1990, bringing his career—which began in 1923—to a remarkable span of 66 years as he stayed active until near his death in 1991.

Animation and film work

Animaland cartoon series (late 1940s)

After his service in the Royal Air Force during World War II, Reg Parlett returned to creative work by joining Gaumont British Animation (G.B.A.), part of the J. Arthur Rank organization, in the late 1940s. Under director David Hand, he served as a writer in the story department. In this capacity, Parlett scripted cartoons for the Animaland series, a collection of animated shorts produced by G.B.A. during this period. His contributions focused on story scripting for the series. The G.B.A. offices closed in 1950, ending Parlett's involvement with the Animaland series and his time in animation.

Contribution to Animal Farm (1954)

Reg Parlett contributed to the 1954 animated film Animal Farm as an animator for Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films. This British production, the first feature-length animated film made in the United Kingdom, adapted George Orwell's novella into a full-color cartoon that used traditional hand-drawn animation techniques. His role formed part of a large animation team assembled for the project, which required extensive character animation to depict the farm animals' rebellion and subsequent political allegory. The film received attention for its political content and production circumstances, including CIA backing to promote anti-Soviet messaging, though Parlett's contribution remained within the artistic and technical animation process. No evidence indicates he held a writing or directing role on the project.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Reg Parlett married Mary Carter. They had two sons, Malcolm Parlett and Graham Parlett. Limited public information is available about their family life.

Military service in World War II

Reg Parlett served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, where he produced detailed maps. This wartime role made use of his artistic abilities in a technical capacity supporting RAF operations. Following the end of the war, he returned to civilian life and resumed his work in animation and comics.

Legacy and recognition

Tributes and celebrations during lifetime

Reg Parlett's contributions to British comics were acknowledged with several special tributes during his later years. On 2 August 1984, the comic magazine Buster published an issue celebrating his 80th birthday. This edition featured highlights of his long association with the title and his iconic characters. In 1986, Alan Clark's book The Comic Art of Reg Parlett: 60 Years of Comics was published in November 1986, serving as a comprehensive tribute to his artistic career and distinctive style. His 85th birthday was marked in 1989 by a special issue of Big Comic Fortnightly. These celebrations reflected the ongoing appreciation for his work among publishers and fans while he was still active.

Death and posthumous appreciation

Reg Parlett died on 18 November 1991 in the United Kingdom at the age of 87. He had remained active as a cartoonist until the end of his life, maintaining his long-standing collaboration with Amalgamated Press (later IPC and Fleetway) right up to his death. In 1989, after 66 years of cartooning, he was still producing several full pages per week for various comic publications. This extraordinary longevity and consistent output have contributed to the enduring appreciation of his work in British comics history.
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