William Ellis Green
Encyclopedia
William Ellis Green, OAM
, (12 August 192329 December 2008) who signed his cartoons WEG, was an Australia
n editorial cartoonist
and illustrator
who drew the Australian Football League
premiers posters from 1954 until his death.
. Torn between becoming an architect or a cartoonist after leaving Essendon High School, he studied architecture because his mother warned: "You'll starve if you're a cartoonist."
He went to New Guinea
with the 15th Brigade in World War II
. He drew cartoons that were published in the Army's newspaper. Green completed a painting course after the war and joined The Herald
in 1946. Political cartoonist Sammy Wells went on holiday for six weeks and Green filled in. He continued to be a political cartoonist for The Herald until he retired in 1986 after 40 years in that role.
, Green began drawing premiership posters of the winning teams of the Victorian Football League
(VFL) Grand Final for the Weekend Herald. but by 1966 Green's posters had become so popular that The Herald started producing and selling them after the Grand Final.
The premiership posters continued to sell around 100,000 copies each year. Although the series started in 1954, Green produced posters for all the Grand Finals back to 1897 to satisfy collectors.
. After confronting the man, Green called the police then proceeded to take pen to paper and produce a caricature. His art was immediately recognisable to the local police. The offender was soon apprehended at a local shop, and the cartoon clearly showed the man.
Green died on 29 December 2008 at the Maroondah Hospital. His wife Joan and daughter Lynette with son in law John Enright arrived at the hospital too late to farewell him.
, "for service to art as a cartoonist and illustrator, and to the community, particularly through the Good Friday Appeal of the Royal Children's Hospital."
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, (12 August 192329 December 2008) who signed his cartoons WEG, was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n editorial cartoonist
Editorial cartoonist
An editorial cartoonist, also known as a political cartoonist, is an artist who draws editorial cartoons that contain some level of political or social commentary....
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
who drew the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
premiers posters from 1954 until his death.
Early life
Born in 1923, Green grew up in EssendonEssendon, Victoria
Essendon is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley...
. Torn between becoming an architect or a cartoonist after leaving Essendon High School, he studied architecture because his mother warned: "You'll starve if you're a cartoonist."
He went to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
with the 15th Brigade in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He drew cartoons that were published in the Army's newspaper. Green completed a painting course after the war and joined The Herald
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
in 1946. Political cartoonist Sammy Wells went on holiday for six weeks and Green filled in. He continued to be a political cartoonist for The Herald until he retired in 1986 after 40 years in that role.
Premiership posters
In the 1954 VFL season1954 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1954.-Premiership season:In 1954, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
, Green began drawing premiership posters of the winning teams of the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) Grand Final for the Weekend Herald. but by 1966 Green's posters had become so popular that The Herald started producing and selling them after the Grand Final.
The premiership posters continued to sell around 100,000 copies each year. Although the series started in 1954, Green produced posters for all the Grand Finals back to 1897 to satisfy collectors.
Later life and death
On 14 January 2005, the 82 year old Green confronted a burglar running through his back yard in Heathmont, VictoriaHeathmont, Victoria
Heathmont is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Heathmont had a population of 8449.-History:...
. After confronting the man, Green called the police then proceeded to take pen to paper and produce a caricature. His art was immediately recognisable to the local police. The offender was soon apprehended at a local shop, and the cartoon clearly showed the man.
Green died on 29 December 2008 at the Maroondah Hospital. His wife Joan and daughter Lynette with son in law John Enright arrived at the hospital too late to farewell him.
Honours
In 2001 Green received the Medal of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, "for service to art as a cartoonist and illustrator, and to the community, particularly through the Good Friday Appeal of the Royal Children's Hospital."