Ffolkes, Michael (1925 - 1988)

Michael Ffolkes original cartoon artwork.

Born as Brian Davis in London, he studied art at Saint Martins and in 1942 sold his first drawing to Punch, signing it "brian". He went on to study painting at the Chelse School of Art and later adopted "Michael ffolkes" as his artistic name, becoming a professional cartoonist in 1949. In 1955, ffolkes began to illustrate the "Way of the World" column in the Daily Telegraph. In 1961, he began illustrating Punch film reviews, and later its covers. Ffolkes contributed to such newspapers and magazines as Strand, Lilliput, the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator, Playboy, Private Eye, the New Yorker and Esquire Magazine. He was a prolific illustrator of children's books, in particular those of Rald Dahl and published his autobiography, ffundamental ffolkes, in 1985. According to Ken Pyne, the cartoonist Martin Honeysett "achieved almost legendary status when he threw a huge wobbly cake baked for Private Eye's 21st birthday party over the head of the notoriously pompous cartoonist Michael Ffolkes. His name will live forever just for that."