Tributes as MoS Gambols cartoonist Mahoney dies
TRIBUTES have been paid to The Mail on Sunday’s cartoonist Roger Mahoney, who has died aged 89.
His weekly cartoon strip The Gambols entertained readers with a comical look into life in suburbia.
Roger inherited the title from cartoonist Barry Appleby, who came up with the idea with his wife in 1950.
Born in Portsmouth in 1933, Roger attended the art college between 1947 and 1951. In 1954, he sent some of his early cartoons to Mr Appleby, who encouraged him to continue his craft.
His talent was soon spotted by other newspapers and when Mr Appleby died in 1996, he took up The Gambols strip, then published by the Express.
In November 1999 the Express discontinued the cartoon, but The Mail on Sunday resurrected the strip again and The Gambols was first published in this newspaper a month later.
Last night Mail on Sunday Editor David Dillon said: ‘Roger’s work brought joy – and a chuckle – to millions of our readers.’ The cartoonist’s daughter Sandra Mahoney, 57, said: ‘He was still drawing right up to ten days before he died.’
Roger died at home on November 5. He is survived by his daughter, three sons and his wife. Readers can enjoy classic instalments of The Gambols in the Mail on Sunday from next week.