Cartoons by Hiscocks

From the collection of

London’s Screen Archives is a network of over 50 organisations with a collective vision – to preserve and share London’s history on film. The network is managed by Film London and we work with our partners to digitise, preserve, and offer access to their moving image collections.

Cartoons by Hiscocks

London’s Screen Archives
Oval, The
1926
Mute
3m

Short animation of a comic duel between English batsman Patsy Hendren and Australian bowler Arthur Mailey at the Kennington Oval.

The language of cricket. Patsy Hendren, a prominent figure from Hounslow, was one of the most prolific English batsmen in the interwar period, and this animation sees him taking on the Australian googly master, Arthur Afred Mailey, in a duel of delightful hyperbole. England won the 1926 Ashes series by taking only one of the five tests - the very match depicted here at the Oval - while the other four tests were draws.

ANIMATION. Comic duel between English batsman Patsy Hendren and Australian
bowler Arthur Mailey at the Kennington Oval.

Hendren takes guard at the wicket and calls on Mailey to roll up his sleeves.
Mailey's first ball is tossed high. Hendren lights a cigarette, takes a snooze
and puts on lipstick while awaiting its arrival. Finally its spin defeats him,
but after chasing the ball over the sightscreen and gasometer, he succeeds in
striking it through the umpire, screen and into the Palace of Westminster.

Early Animation

The dawn of a new celluloid art: Britain's animation pioneers at peace and war

When you're creating a new art form, everything is experimental. The pioneers of animation in Britain cast a range of subjects as the stars of their films - the toys of an Edwardian child; insects and animals; Kaiser Bill and John Bull. But even the richest of fantasies on display here offer a window into the turbulent era in which they were made. When the nation went to war, animation was conscripted to meet its propaganda needs. In peacetime, the industry sought success as an entertainer, but found a career in sales.