The veteran children's television show presenter and artist Tony Hart died yesterday, aged 83. He had suffered from ill health, including two strokes in recent years, and died peacefully in the early hours of the morning, according to his agent.
Hart inspired generations of budding artists over his 50-year television career through programmes such as Vision On, Take Hart and Hartbeat, before retiring in 2001 due to ill health. His agent, Roc Renals, said his health had recently been in decline and he had been taken to hospital with a chest infection. He described Hart as a "kind man" who was single-minded in his dedication to his work.
"Tony inspired many thousands of young people to take up art. His ability to inspire was his greatest gift," he said. "He was always ready to communicate with the many people who wrote to him and gave his time very willingly. He loved his work and was totally dedicated to it, and was always able to come up with new ideas and techniques."
Richard Deverell, controller of BBC children's programmes, paid tribute to a "terrific broadcaster". He said: "Tony was a warm man who had a unique ability to communicate with and inspire children. His dedication to making art look simple and his ability to help bring it to life through characters like Morph influenced generations of children to be creative."
Hart got his break in television in 1952, after an encounter with a BBC producer. In a subsequent meeting, the producer asked Hart to draw a fish blowing bubbles. In the time it took to ask his secretary to bring paper, Hart had drawn the illustration on a paper napkin. He was given a contract to appear as an illustrator on Saturday Special. It was the start of a long and fruitful relationship: he appeared in up to three TV series every year for the next 50 years.
Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1925, Hart showed early talent and would draw on the back of envelopes his mother had saved. He completed his education at Clayesmore in Dorset and joined the Indian Army, serving in the 1st Gurkha Rifles. After leaving the army, he signed on at Maidstone College of Art, later getting his first job as a display artist at a London store before becoming a freelance artist.
Hart became a stalwart of children's programming. At its height, Hartbeat attracted 5.4 million viewers, and its picture gallery - where viewers were encouraged to send in their own artistic attempts - received up to 8,000 pieces of artwork a week. From 1977 Hart's programmes featured another television favourite: his ever-enthusiastic Plasticine sidekick, Morph.
Hart, who created the original Blue Peter badge, received two Bafta awards, and won a lifetime achievement award in 1998, in acknowledgement of his unbroken service to children's television.
Fellow artist and presenter Rolf Harris described him as "a very gentle and talented guy". He said: "He enthused and inspired a whole generation of kids into creating their own works of art."
Hart's health deteriorated when he suffered two strokes, which left him unable to use his hands. He described the loss of his ability to draw as the greatest challenge in his life. He said: "Not being able to draw is the greatest cross that I have to bear, for it has been my lifetime passion."
In later years, he took comfort from the fan mail he continued to receive, writing: "My aged heart is warmed by the lovely letters and emails I receive, especially when they tell me that my work on television inspired the writers to become artists, sometimes very successful ones."
Art with a Hart
Vision On (1964-1976) Hart's first BBC outing was unique as it was designed for both hearing and deaf children. During the show he would make pictures of varying sizes and media and encouraged children to submit their own paintings to the gallery. Successful contributions were displayed to the instantly recognisable theme, Left Bank Two by the Lance Gambit Trio
Take Hart (1978-1984) Hart's first solo show won him a Bafta in 1984. The show featured small scale, try-at-home ideas but also saw Hart creating largescale artworks on the studio floor. The gallery continued to be a major feature
Hartbeat (1985-1994) featured Hart transforming everyday materials into art, alongside Morph (left) and the accident-prone caretaker, Mr Bennett. At its height, Hartbeat was one of the BBC's most popular children's shows
1995-2000: Hart continued to feature regularly on television with shows such as Tony Hart's Artbox Bunch, Morph TV with Tony Hart, On Your Marks, and Smart Hart with Kirsten O'Brien