'Much loved' former Harrow art teacher and illustrator dies (From Harrow Times)

'Much loved' former Harrow art teacher and illustrator dies

9:00am Monday 27th July 2009 in

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The creator of the Captain Pugwash television series has died in hospital.

Cartoonist John Ryan, 88, died in Rye, on Wednesday, July 22.

He was art teacher at Harrow School in 1950 when he came up with the character of Pugwash and his arch-nemesis Cut Throat Jake.

He was reportedly short of money at the time, and later said his invention of the character for comic book Eagle was "done out of necessity".

The BBC commissioned the first series in 1957 after spotting potential in Ryan's books.

The show ran for ten years, filmed in black and white, and was revived in the 1970s in colour.

Jane Gregory, his agent, said there was 'a huge amount of love' for the childish pirate and his shipmates, who included Tom the Cabin Boy and Willy.

Mr Ryan is survived by his wife and three children.