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Original Bill Hooper 'Prune' cartoon

SOLD

Code: P26940



An original 'Prune' sketch by Bill Hooper.  Pilot Officer Percy Prune was the brainchild of William John 'Bill' Hooper who was born in Lichfield, Staffs. on 21st August 1916.  After schooling in Kent, he enlisted early in the war and served as an airgunner with 54 Squadron before being transferred to ground staff.  During this time Bill found time to work on cartoon doodles and created the characters AC2 Plonk and Pilot Officer Percy Prune.  These became increasingly popular and resulted in him being asked to provide the illustrations for an instructional pamphlet for his Group HQ entitled ‘Forget-Me-Nots for Fighters’, providing life-saving advice for novice aircrew.
At this point he met Anthony Armstrong, editor of the Air Ministry training memoranda magazine 'Tee Emm'.  P/O Prune was duly introduced to illustrate safety instructions for aircrew with the character always doing entirely the 'wrong thing'.  The magazine first appeared in 1941 with Prune's exposure increasing throughout its run to 1946. The success of these humorous instructional messages led to Armstrong and Hooper publishing spin-off books (Hooper under the pen-name RAFF), taking humorous looks at the ‘nice types’ found on the average RAF station. 

After the war Hooper worked as a cartoonist for the Sunday Chronicle and the Star and wrote columns for the Sunday Pictorial.  He died on 14th October 1996.  
This original pen and ink sketch was probably done for a publication, it measures approximately 30.5 x 35cm and features a 'Mechanically Bent Prune' looking smart in his plus fours, jacket, long motoring coat, cap and goggles.  The wreckage of his car is wrapped around a tree behind him.  Marked with the name of the print but unsigned.  Came with the other P/O Prune cartoon currently listed.  The thin card is a bit yellowed and creased with some damage at the edges.  This would look great mounted and framed.  Stock code P26940.