RIP Tony Hart (1925-2009)

Tony Hart, the television artist whose career spanned almost fifty years and whose work inspired millions of children to take up art, died today at the age of 83. He was most famous for fronting children's art shows including ‘Take Hart’ and ‘Hart Beat’.

I can remember watching ‘Take Hart’ on a black and white TV as a child... and I loved the animated clay character Morph, who lived in a pencil box. Morph's little stories involved him creating artwork, stumbling upon strange artefacts and generally getting himself in a muddle. He never talked to us or Tony, rather he gabbled in some speeded-up goobledygook, but the clarity of the animation and direction of action meant that we could read his body language, so he always made sense.