Robert Bruce Clark b. c.1910

Also known as R. B. Clarke
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
Mid 20th century newspaper cartoonist. Creator of 'Boofhead'.
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Cartoonist, created the comic strip 'Boofhead’, which ran in the Sydney Daily Mirror (published by Ezra Norton from 12th May 1941 until 25th July 1970. Boofhead was also published in other Norton owned print media; the Sunday Mirror, Truth and Sportsman.

When first published the vast majority of cartoon strips in the Mirror were sourced in Australia. After the last 'Boofhead’ strip was published it was replaced by the 'American Tumbleweeds’ and the only Australian strip left in the paper was 'Bluey’ and 'Curley’.

Clark’s graphic style was static and it is often written that he asked management for permission to take drawing lessons to attain more fluidity. These requests were refused as 'Boofhead’ was popular as he was (story quoted in Sun Herald column by Mike Gibson 11th November 1979).

And 'Boofhead’ was popular, at least 30 Best of Boofhead annuals (c.1957-1962) and Boofhead comic books (1945-c.1962) were published by Invincible Press, according to Mick Stone. An original Boofhead strip about cutting off signature on cheque for $100 to put in autograph book is in SLQ. ML has (at least) three originals of 1960, 1964 (both PXD 764) and 1968: “There’s far too many bottlenecks in this factory”, published Sydney Daily Mirror 20 February 1968 (presented ML Feb 1999, SV/78).

Clark’s 'Boofhead’ is the reason Australians use the term boofhead to describe someone who is foolish or dim, and in a more recent extension of meaning, ill-mannered, uncouth and boorish.

Boofhead appears in the works of Australian artist Martin Sharp; in his Eternity Haymarket poster, in his reworking of Hokusai’s Wave, in his reworking of Rodin’s The Thinker and in a series of 'Boofhead’ portraits. Australian artist Peter Kingston has produced several small Boofhead sculptures. Clive Evatt had a 4.5 metre statue of 'Boofhead’ erected at his property in Leura, NSW; it is still there. The old Australian Centre of Cartooning in Ultimo, Sydney used 'Boofhead’ as their symbol and had 2.5 metre tall 'Boofhead’ in their garden. It was stolen in 1985.

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Writers:
Kerr, Joan
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2012

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References [<ExternalResource: John Ryan (1979), 'Panel By Panel'.>, <ExternalResource: Clark, R. B., 'Boofhead', Sydney, NSW : Invincible Press.>, <ExternalResource: Clark, R. B. (c.1940), 'The Comical Capers of Boofhead No 1', Sydney, NSW : Truth & Sportsman.>, <ExternalResource: Hayllar, Tom; and Sadler, Rex (1982), 'Aussie Humour: Classic Australian humour from Henry Lawson and Lennie Lower to Dame Edna Everage', Melbourne, Vic : ill. p.13.>, <ExternalResource: Rafty, Tony; with Mack, Brodie (1964), 'Fifty Years of Australian Cartooning', Sydney, NSW : Blaxland Gallery.>, <ExternalResource: Shiell, Annette (ed.) (1998), 'Bonzer: Australian Comics 1900s - 1990s', Melbourne, Vic : Elgua Media.>, <ExternalResource: Stone, Mick (1998), 'Checklist', in A. Shiell (ed.), Bonzer 1998, p.151.>, <ExternalResource: Walsh, R. (1993), 'Ferretabilia : life and times of Nation review', St Lucia, Qld : University of Queensland Press, (pp 183-84).>, <ExternalResource: Clark, R. B., 'The Best of Boofhead : 250 strips from the Sydney Daily Mirror : 1941-1970', Canberra, ACT : National Library of Australia (UA pamf 45).>, <ExternalResource: Information sourced from Bunbury, Alisa.>, <ExternalResource: Sydney, NSW : Daily Mirror.>, <ExternalResource: 'Best of Boofhead', Sydney, NSW : Invincible Press.>, <ExternalResource: Sydney, NSW : Sunday Mirror.>] [<ExternalResource: John Ryan (1979), 'Panel By Panel'.>]