Jeff Hook: Geoffrey Raynor Hook OAM was born on 27 December 1928, died on 20 July 2018. He, better known as Jeff Hook, was an Australian artist and editorial cartoonist. The hook was married to Pauline from 1961 and had five children.

Geoffrey Raynor Hook
Born	27 December 1928[2] Australia
Died	20 July 2018[3] Australia
Nationality	Australian
Spouse	Pauline (married 1961)
Children	5
Occupation	Artist Editorial Cartoonist
Education	St Virgil’s College, Hobart Hobart Technical College (now Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania)
Notable Work	“The Three Wiser Men” (1967) Humorous Illustration Award (1987) Best Political Cartoon Award (1987, 1991) Silver Stanley Award (1998) Order of Australia Medal (2012)
Affiliations	Australian Cartoonists’ Association Melbourne Press Club Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (Life Governor) Amputees Association of Victoria (Patron) Australian Guild of Realist Artists Peninsula Arts Society

 

Jeff Hook’s Career

After attending St Virgil’s College, Hobart, Hook started as a cadet press artist on the Hobart Mercury and completed a course in graphic arts at the Hobart Technical College (now Tasmanian School of Art, a faculty of the University of Tasmania) which included tuition in fine arts under Jack Carrington Smith, Margaret Chandler, Harry Buckey, and Edith Holmes.

He started his career as a press artist and part-time cartoonist on The Mercury, drawing under the name “Jeff”. He moved to Melbourne and started at The Sun News-Pictorial in 1964. Hook became the full-time cartoonist for The Sun News-Pictorial (later to be merged with the afternoon newspaper The Herald to become the Herald Sun) soon after. It was shortly after that Hook started hiding in his cartoons what became his “trademark”—a fish hook—and looking for the hidden fish hook became a widespread morning pastime amongst readers of The Sun News-Pictorial.

The Three Wiser Men by Jeff Hook. Depicts the end of the 1967 “Six-Day War” with caricatures of Gamal Abdel Nasser (President of United Arab Republic), Faisal (King of Saudi Arabia), and Hussein (King of Jordan). The cartoon includes the artist’s trademark fish hook. The cartoon provided Hook with international recognition when it was re-published in The Times. Hook first gained international recognition in 1967 for his cartoon about the end of the Six-Day War, “The three wiser men”, which was republished widely outside of Australia, including in The Times.

Awards

In 1987, Hook won the award for Humorous Illustration in the Australian Black and White Artists Club’s Bulletin Awards. Also in 1987, Geoff won the award for the Best Political Cartoon at The International Cartoon Festival at Knokke-Heist, Belgium, and in 1991 he won the award for Best Press Cartoon at the same Festival.

After retiring from full-time cartooning, Hook was awarded the Australian Black and White Artists Club’s Silver Stanley Award for lifetime achievement in 1998, and on 20 March 2009, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Melbourne Press Club. In January 2012, he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for “service to the print media as a political and social commentator, and as a cartoonist”.

Others Achievements

Hook retired from the daily Herald Sun in early 1993 but continued to freelance doing a regular editorial cartoon for the Sunday Herald Sun while devoting his time primarily to painting. This continued until the year 2000 when he largely stopped cartooning after holding his first exhibition at the Australian Guild of Realist Artists (AGRA) gallery and pursued his love of painting full-time. Since then, Hook widely exhibited at regional art shows and galleries in Australia, and held a second exhibition at the AGRA Gallery in 2005.

Throughout his career, Hook did numerous cartoons and illustrations for papers, magazines and 46 books, including two children’s books Harry the Honkerzoid and Planet of the Honkerzoids written by one of his sons, Brendan, and a children’s book of his own, Jamie the Jumbo Jet, which was first published in the mid-1970s, and revised and reprinted in 1998.

Affiliations

The hook was a Life Member of the Australian Black and White Artists Club (now Australian Cartoonists’ Association), Life Member of The Melbourne Press Club, Life member of The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Life Governor of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, and a Patron of the Amputees Association of Victoria. He was also a member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists and the Peninsula Arts Society.

FAQ about Geoffrey Raynor Hook, aka Jeff Hook

1. Who was Geoffrey Raynor Hook?

Geoffrey Raynor Hook, often known as Geoff Hook, was a renowned Australian artist and editorial cartoonist. He was born on December 27, 1928, and died on July 20, 2018.

2. What was Geoff Hook’s early career like?

Geoff Hook began his career as a cadet press artist at the Hobart Mercury. He later pursued a course in graphic arts at the Hobart Technical College, where he received tuition in fine arts from notable instructors such as Jack Carrington Smith, Margaret Chandler, Harry Buckey, and Edith Holmes.

3. What were some highlights of Geoff Hook’s career as a cartoonist?

Geoff Hook started his cartooning career under the pseudonym “Jeff” at The Mercury, and later moved to The Sun News-Pictorial in Melbourne in 1964. He became known for incorporating a hidden fish hook into his cartoons, which became his distinctive “trademark.” Readers of The Sun News-Pictorial enjoyed searching for the hidden fish hook in his cartoons.

4. What was one of Geoff Hook’s most famous cartoons?

One of Geoff Hook’s most famous cartoons was “The Three Wiser Men,” created in 1967. This cartoon depicted the end of the Six-Day War and included caricatures of figures like Gamal Abdel Nasser, Faisal, and Hussein. It gained international recognition when it was republished in The London Times.

5. Did Geoff Hook receive any awards for his work?

Yes, Geoff Hook received several awards during his career. In 1987, he won the award for Humorous Illustration in the Australian Black and White Artists Club’s Bulletin Awards. He also won the Best Political Cartoon award at The International Cartoon Festival at Knokke-Heist, Belgium, in 1987 and 1991.

6. When did Geoff Hook retire from cartooning, and what did he do afterward?

Geoff Hook retired from full-time cartooning in early 1993 but continued to freelance, contributing a regular editorial cartoon for the Sunday Herald Sun. He devoted more time to painting, holding exhibitions, and pursuing his love for art.

7. What affiliations and honors did Geoff Hook have?

Geoff Hook was a Life Member of the Australian Black and White Artists Club (now the Australian Cartoonists’ Association) and The Melbourne Press Club. He was also a Life Member of The Media, Entertainment, and Arts Alliance and a life governor of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind. Additionally, he was a patron of the Amputees Association of Victoria and a member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists and the Peninsula Arts Society.

8. Did Geoff Hook receive any significant awards for his contributions?

Geoff Hook was awarded the Australian Black and White Artists Club’s Silver Stanley Award for lifetime achievement in 1998. He was also honored with an Order of Australia Medal in January 2012 for his services to the print media as a political and social commentator and cartoonist.