Cartoon Parade: Chesty Bond and the people who needed him

They created one of the biggest newspaper comics, ever. By and large, it was one of the best-read “comics” of the period.

Chesty Bond is 84-years young! But he still carries the weight of the universe on his back!   

To gaze at him you would swear blind he doesn’t look a day over 30. The square-jawed icon, with his thatch of blond hair, rippling muscles and chiselled chin, had the enterprise of Atlas who had just lifted the world and carried it on his massive shoulders.

The two men responsible for this human dynamo were Ted Maloney, who worked at the ad agency J. Walter Thompson, and Syd Miller, who was one of Australia’s finest commercial artists.

Maloney achieved a lot of success in the advertising business. In his spare time, he was one of Australia’s best-known cooking experts. He received his share of fame as co-author of the cookery book Oh For A French Wife which was published in 1952. The book became a classic.

He wrote several other cookery books as well as regular columns on wine and food for newspapers. The other half of the combination was Syd Miller, contributor to some of the leading publications in Australia.

Miller knew of Maloney from way back. Both were acquainted with each other when they worked in the advertising department of Smith’s Weekly. In 1938, when Miller was freelancing he met Maloney, who was now employed at J. Walter Thompson.

To his surprise, Maloney was working on the million pound Bonds account and, after much palaver, Maloney and Miller “were together again.”

Chesty Bond was created by Miller and Maloney and made his debut in the comic section of the Sun newspaper on August 10, 1938. This was Maloney’s dream, to have the newly charged image character up against the best.

Chesty appeared five times a week. It was the first advertising strip of its kind in the world.
But let’s go back to when it all started.

“Popeye had inspired the idea for Chesty,” recalled Maloney. “Popeye had his spinach so Chesty got his strength from Bond’s singlets.”

Miller had to forego the history adventures series where Bond’s athletic singlets were being used in ‘historical’ situations. The ‘comic strip’ idea seems to hit the nail on the head. He started scribbling immediately to create a strip that would be successful.

“My historical kick-point was Sir Walter Raleigh spreading his Bond athletic over the puddle so Elizabeth 1 tripped over the mud without wetting a slipper or splashing her overdressed courtier’s raiment.

Chesty Bond to the rescue …

“The true Chesty Bond was a strong man, not your lumpy weight-lifting type,” Miller said. “He was kind, likeable and good-looking; but he was not a male model. He was definitely Australian but acceptable everywhere. He was the heroic straight man.”

Chesty would be an Australian strong man. Better still, he was made to feel transcendingly powerful whenever he wore his Bonds singlet. Miller scribbled a few heads and then one with a jaw of Jack Lang, a politician, and eyes changed to slits when he was facing danger.

Hench, the official Chesty Bond was born.

“During the war, Chesty battled with Hitler, Hirohito, enemy submarines, planes, spies and ships,” Miller said. “He also gave Bonds cotton cut-offs to ambulances, hospitals and volunteer defence forces.”

A prominent retail executive said “Chesty has widespread appeal right across the community. He is well loved. He represents more than just the blond bronzed Aussie. I think he appeals to all Australians, no matter what race or creed.”

Over the years, he went from tabloid cartoon to a real-life TV star.

That’s Chesty Bond.

Cartoon Parade: Miller used a variety of styles 

He was part of a group to produce the first commercially made animated films in Australia.

We’ve all got style! What has style got to do with art cartooning? Many cartoonists, largely those who draw political statements for the day’s edition, have one style they use all the time. If you’re a few feet away, you can tell the difference.

Miller used a variety of styles for his role as a newspaper artist. Miller was well-known for his strip Rod Craig, which reflected post-war concerns about the world in general.

For one thing, he used a dry brush technique and the fine line appearance of the character came about by the reduction of the originals. For other work, he adopted a different style all together.

When he left school in 1916, Miller worked as an apprentice in the process engraving department at the Bulletin; but later on, he was inspired to attend classes at the Royal Art Society.

Miller changes ‘style’.

In 1917, he joined Harry Julius’ company Filmads. It was here he and the group produced the first commercially made animated films in Australia.

As a freelancer he contributed to many periodicals – notably The Bulletin, Aussie and Smith’s Weekly. Smith’s employed Miller to draw political, sports and generals cartoons; and to write/illustrate film and stage critiques.

During the 1930s, Miller continued to mastermind newspaper strips, one of which was Chesty Bond, done in collaboration with Ted Moloney, in 1938. From 1943 to 1945, went on to publish many comic books and his strip, Animal Angus, which was published overseas and in Australia.
Miller was born in Strathfield, a suburb on Sydney, in 1901 and died in 1983.

<< Frank Morris; Background from ACE Biographical Portraits: The Artists behind the Comic book Characters, 1995/1996.