Tony Hart, artist and inspiration for children, dies at 83 | From 2009

• This article was published in 2009
• Thousands encouraged into art in 50-year career
• Rolf Harris leads tributes to 'gentle, talented guy'
Reports of Tony Hart's second death are greatly exaggerated

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

Contributor

Alexandra Topping

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Obituary: Tony Hart

Obituary: Television presenter who showed countless children that making art could be fun

Dennis Barker

19, Jan, 2009 @12:01 AM

Article image
Children's TV artist Tony Hart dies

Beloved illustrator entertained generations of young BBC viewers with help of Plasticine character Morph

Alexandra Topping

18, Jan, 2009 @12:54 PM

Article image
Tony Hart: Vision On, Morph, Hartbeat and more

Following the death of children's artist Tony Hart, we look back at his 50-year television career, including Vision On, Take Hart and Hartbeat

19, Jan, 2009 @2:36 PM

Tony Hart, thanks for the macaroni montages
He believed every child loved to draw, and wanted every one of them to try

Alexandra Topping

18, Jan, 2009 @4:39 PM

Article image
Organ Grinder: A YouTube tribute to children's TV presenter Tony Hart

Steve Busfield: Clips celebrating the much-loved presenter's work, from Vision On to Hartbeat

Steve Busfield

19, Jan, 2009 @12:43 PM

Article image
Nosheen Iqbal: The agony and the ecstasy of Tony Hart's Gallery
Nosheen Iqbal: Submitting your finest childhood artworks to the mystifying quality control of the Hartbeat Gallery was a painful process. But nothing could compete with the joy of finally making the cut

Nosheen Iqbal

19, Jan, 2009 @1:25 PM

Article image
Michael Landy: How Tony Hart gave me my big break

Michael Landy: I was 15 when the BBC told me they had chosen one of my pictures for the Take Hart gallery

Michael Landy

20, Jan, 2009 @12:01 AM

Article image
Rolf Harris, convicted sex offender and entertainer, dies aged 93
Artist, musician and TV personality, who was jailed for sexual assaults against girls and young women, died on 10 May

Alexandra Topping and Jim Waterson

23, May, 2023 @4:35 PM

Article image
Voice of Zippy and the Daleks Roy Skelton dies
Voice actor found fame on Rainbow as well as Doctor Who. By Tara Conlan

Tara Conlan

08, Jun, 2011 @12:59 PM

Tony Hart turns DJ for Banzai

8.30am: The Christmas edition of E4's Banzai will feature the children's TV veteran mixing tunes at an OAPs' disco, reports Jessica Hodgson.

Jessica Hodgson

18, Dec, 2001 @7:36 AM