Errol Le Cain
Encyclopedia
Errol Le Cain was a British animator and children's book illustrator. He won the Kate Greenaway Medal
in 1985.
on 5 March 1941, Errol Le Cain was evacuated with his family the year following the Japanese invasion. He lived in India for several years before eventually settling in the UK after WWII.
With no formal art education, his noted talent was nevertheless evident from an early age. Fascinated by cinema, he made his first animated film, The Enchanted Mouse, with a friend's 8 mm camera at age 11. His next work, The Little Goatherd, was created on a 16 mm camera at the age of 15, and came to the attention of British film distributor Pearl & Dean
Limited. In 1956, he moved to London to pursue a career in animation. Married with two children, he died after a long illness on 3 January 1989, aged 47.
and Casino Royale
. His most important work with Richard Williams is the unfinished animated film The Thief and the Cobbler
.
Le Cain turned freelance in 1969, working on sets for BBC
productions as well as continuing with animation projects and developing his career as a children's book illustrator.
His animation work for the BBC began with a production of Hans Christian Andersen
's The Snow Queen, first broadcast on BBC2 on Christmas Day 1976, using live actors over backdrops designed by Le Cain. A picture-book version of the story with his illustrations was published by Viking Kestrel in 1979. This production was followed by The Light Princess (broadcast 24 December 1978 BBC2), The Mystery of the Disappearing Schoolgirls (28 December 1980) and Leon Garfield
's The Ghost Downstairs (broadcast 26 December 1982 on BBC2).
twice, for The Cabbage Princess in 1969 and Thorn Rose in 1976, and eventually received the first prize in the Award for Hiawatha's Childhood in 1985. Particularly notable titles included (but are not limited to):
Kate Greenaway Medal
The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
in 1985.
Biography
Born in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 5 March 1941, Errol Le Cain was evacuated with his family the year following the Japanese invasion. He lived in India for several years before eventually settling in the UK after WWII.
With no formal art education, his noted talent was nevertheless evident from an early age. Fascinated by cinema, he made his first animated film, The Enchanted Mouse, with a friend's 8 mm camera at age 11. His next work, The Little Goatherd, was created on a 16 mm camera at the age of 15, and came to the attention of British film distributor Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean is primarily known as a British cinema advertising company. It was founded in 1953 by brothers Ernie and Charles Pearl, and Bob Dean....
Limited. In 1956, he moved to London to pursue a career in animation. Married with two children, he died after a long illness on 3 January 1989, aged 47.
Animation & TV work
In 1965, Le Cain joined Richard Williams's animation studio and worked on a wide range of animation projects, including film titles for The Charge of the Light Brigade, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart....
and Casino Royale
Casino Royale (1967 film)
Casino Royale is a 1967 comedy spy film originally produced by Columbia Pictures starring an ensemble cast of directors and actors. It is set as a satire of the James Bond film series and the spy genre, and is loosely based on Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel.The film stars David Niven as the...
. His most important work with Richard Williams is the unfinished animated film The Thief and the Cobbler
The Thief and the Cobbler
The Thief and the Cobbler is an animated feature film, famous for its animation and its long, troubled history. The film was conceived by Canadian animator Richard Williams, who worked 28 years on the project. Beginning production in 1964, Williams intended The Thief and the Cobbler to be his...
.
Le Cain turned freelance in 1969, working on sets for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
productions as well as continuing with animation projects and developing his career as a children's book illustrator.
His animation work for the BBC began with a production of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
's The Snow Queen, first broadcast on BBC2 on Christmas Day 1976, using live actors over backdrops designed by Le Cain. A picture-book version of the story with his illustrations was published by Viking Kestrel in 1979. This production was followed by The Light Princess (broadcast 24 December 1978 BBC2), The Mystery of the Disappearing Schoolgirls (28 December 1980) and Leon Garfield
Leon Garfield
Leon Garfield was a British writer of fiction. He is best known for his historical novels for children, though he also wrote for adults...
's The Ghost Downstairs (broadcast 26 December 1982 on BBC2).
Children's book illustration
In 1968, Le Cain's first children's illustrations were published for King Arthur's Sword (Faber & Faber), which began a long association with this publisher that continued up to his death. Le Cain illustrated 48 children's books during his lifetime, most noted for their richly decorative watercolours and masterful command of design and colour. He was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway MedalKate Greenaway Medal
The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
twice, for The Cabbage Princess in 1969 and Thorn Rose in 1976, and eventually received the first prize in the Award for Hiawatha's Childhood in 1985. Particularly notable titles included (but are not limited to):
- The Cabbage Princess (Faber & Faber) 1969
- Sir Orfeo (Faber & Faber) 1970
- The Child in the Bamboo Grove (Faber & Faber) 1971
- Cinderella (Faber & Faber) 1972
- The King's White Elephant (Faber & Faber) 1973
- King Orville and the Bullfrogs (Faber & Faber) 1974
- Thorn Rose (Faber & Faber) 1975
- The Flying Ship (Faber & Faber) 1975
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faber & Faber) 1978
- Beauty and The Beast (Faber & Faber) 1979
- The Snow Queen (Viking Kestrel) 1979
- Mrs Fox's Wedding (Faber & Faber) 1980
- Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (Faber & Faber) 1981
- Molly Whuppie (Faber & Faber) 1983
- Hiawatha's Childhood (Faber & Faber) 1984
- Growltiger's Last Stand and Other Poems (Faber & Faber) 1986
- Christmas 1993 or Santa's Last Ride (Faber & Faber) 1987
- The Enchanter's Daughter (Jonathan Cape) 1986
- Alfi and the Dark (Hodder & Stoughton) 1988
- The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Faber & Faber) 1988
- Mr Mistoffelees with Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer (Faber & Faber) 1990