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| Pugwash creator Ryan dies aged 88 | Pugwash creator Ryan dies aged 88 |
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| Cartoonist John Ryan, creator of the Captain Pugwash TV series, has died in hospital in Rye, East Sussex, aged 88. | Cartoonist John Ryan, creator of the Captain Pugwash TV series, has died in hospital in Rye, East Sussex, aged 88. |
| The BBC commissioned the first series in 1957 after spotting potential in Ryan's books about the tales of Pugwash and his nemesis Cut Throat Jake. | The BBC commissioned the first series in 1957 after spotting potential in Ryan's books about the tales of Pugwash and his nemesis Cut Throat Jake. |
| His agent, Jane Gregory, said there was "a huge amount of love" for the childish pirate and his shipmates, who included Tom the Cabin Boy and Willy. | His agent, Jane Gregory, said there was "a huge amount of love" for the childish pirate and his shipmates, who included Tom the Cabin Boy and Willy. |
| Mr Ryan is survived by his wife and three children. | Mr Ryan is survived by his wife and three children. |
| Captain Horatio Pugwash was created in 1950 while Ryan was an art teacher at Harrow School, shortly after he got married to fellow artist Priscilla. | |
| It was published, in the same year, in the first edition of the Eagle comic. | |
| A book deal followed, before it was adapted for TV by the BBC in 1957, with black-and-white episodes being made until 1967. | |
| Cardboard characters | |
| Speaking to BBC News in 1998 - when the character was brought back to life for a series of cartoons for ITV - Ryan said Pugwash was born out of necessity. | |
| I had to make some money having got married, being a sort of artist, and I think he represented something which is in all of us, which is cowardice and greed John Ryan in 1998 | |
| "I had to make some money having got married, being a sort of artist, and I think he represented something which is in all of us, which is cowardice and greed." | |
| Simple sets and home-made puppetry gave the original BBC series its distinctive look. | |
| Levers were used to provide movement on flat cardboard characters, they were largely controlled by members of Ryan's family. | |
| The earliest episodes were recorded live without editing, and with all the voices being provided by actor Peter Hawkins. | |
| Ryan's daughter Isabel, also speaking in 1998, said: "We had a lot of fun with pieces of coloured card, Indian ink, Copydex glue, staples, pins, putting things together and cutting things out and sharpening pencils - genuinely feeling as though we were part of the whole process." | |
| Colour episodes were shown on the BBC in a mid-1970s revival. |