In August 1932, Graham Laidler had his first acceptance from Punch which in 1937 gave him an almost unprecedented exclusive contract. Under the name ‘Pont’, Laidler became one of the most original talents in the history of Punch. He is perhaps most famous for his series on the ‘British Character’. This was published as a book in 1938. Another book The British Carry On (1940) portrayed the atmosphere of the Phoney War. Pont died of poliomyelitis on 23 November 1940. He completed 400 cartoons in his brief career, enough to furnish the material for five books. Bernard Hollowood, fellow cartoonist and later editor of Punch wrote the only biographical account of his life and work in his book Pont (1969).
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