Sydney Leon Miller b. 1901

Also known as Sydney Miller, Syd Miller, Noel, Muller
  • Artist (Screen Artist),
  • Designer (Graphic Designer),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
Mid 20th century Sydney and Melbourne cartoonist, animator and caricaturist. Creator of logo/comic strip character Chesty Bond

cartoonist and caricaturist, was born in Strathfield, Sydney, son of a newsagent. He left Fort Street High in 1916 and became an apprentice process engraver on the Bulletin . Like many of his Bulletin colleagues, he attended classes at the Royal Art Society and graduated to doing cartoons for the paper. In 1917 he joined Smith and Julius 's commercial art studios where Australia’s first commercially made animated films were produced through Julius’s 'Filmads’ company.

Miller drew cartoons for various periodicals as a freelance, including the Bulletin (including one particularly good 1930s Bulletin cartoon) and Aussie . Two undated original Bulletin cartoons, “I thought you said your new gown was backless” and The Monkey Glands , are in AGWA. He was a founding member of the Black and White Artists’ Club in 1924. In 1920 (acc. Shiell & Unger, 'Fifty Years’ & Rainbow), 1922 (acc. Blaikie) or 1919 (acc. Lindesay), he joined Smith’s Weekly , when Frank Marien was editor-in-chief, and remained for 12 years (until 1939 acc. Rafty & Mack and Rainbow). He drew caricatures of artists, eg An Unexpected Response (Streeton, Lambert, Gruner & J.S. Watkins), published 2 April 1923, 15; Dictators of “Art in Australia”, (left to right) Harry Julius, Sydney Ure Smith, Charles Lloyd Jones [q.v.] , and Ernest Watt savour a new Lindsay etching 14 May 1927, 13 and Sydney’s “Royal” Artists discuss a hanging matter. Left to right (back row): Henry Fullwood, Oxnard Smith, Will Ashton, Syd. Long, Charlie Bryant, Lister Lister; (front row): Dattilo Rubbo and J. S Watkins , 20 August 1927, 13. Also (prophetic shades of Lyndon Johnson and Robin Askin in 1966?) 'Mr Jock Lenin Garden: “What’s holding us up here, chauffeur?”/ Chauffeur: “One of these unemployed processions, Sir.”/ Mr Jock Lenin Garden: “Aw, toot and drive through 'em!”’ Smith’s 11 October 1930, 10.

Miller was said to have specialised in drawing elephants and monkeys at Smith’s (monkeys as an angry father and smooching daughter, plus dogs, a leopardess, lions and monkey dresser and 2 gags about chooks are illustrated in Rainbow, pp.43-45). He also did many political and sporting cartoons and wrote and illustrated film and theatre critiques. He was one of the first cartoonists to use the scraperboard technique (in the 1930s). After being dismissed then re-instated during the Depression, he insisted on signing all his work 'Noel’ – the name he had been using for the outside work that led to his dismissal. Later cartoons include [maid peering through hotel room keyhole], “I thought so; none for number 8 and two cups for number 7!” 21 September 1940.

During the 1930s Miller continued to create newspaper comic strips, including his best-known character Chesty Bond (from 1938) and A little Bear will fix it . He published numerous comic books in 1943-45 and his strip Animal Angus was syndicated overseas as well as throughout Australia. He worked on the Melbourne Herald in 1945-56. In 1957 he resigned from his job of producing the daily strip Us Girls and became involved in making TV animation and sound-slide films.

Writers:
Kerr, Joan
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2007