Background
Ronald Charles Vivian was born on 19 February 1914 in Sydney, New South Wales, to Charles Cecil Vivian and Vida Francis.
Ronald Charles Vivian was born on 19 February 1914 in Sydney, New South Wales, to Charles Cecil Vivian and Vida Francis.
Vivian enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (Royal Australian Air Force) in January 1942 and served in Australia and New Guinea during the Second World War. Upon his return he was appointed to the Victorian Air Board where he illustrated many Royal Australian Air Force magazines before returning to civilian life. He worked as an artist for Sir Frank Packer"s Australian Consolidated Press (American College of Physicians), drawing political cartoons for the The Daily Telegraph, illustrations for The Australian Women"s Weekly and other Consolidated Press publications.
When Jim Bancks died suddenly of a heart attack in 1952, Packer held a competition among several artists to select a suitable person to continue to draw Ginger Meggs.
He then drew the comic for American College of Physicians"s Sunday Telegraph from April 1953 for the next twenty one years, until his death in early 1973. Vivian remained true to the Bancks style and concept and the only difference was the signature, with the strip carrying the identification "Created by Bancks", as he was not permitted to put his name to the drawings.
Vivian was married with two daughters, Belinda Jillian (who married Doctor Philip Norrie – the inventor of Resveratrol (anti-oxidant) Enhanced Wine) and Valerie.