RIP WEG :-(

[HarveysDeciple]

Legendary cartoonist William Ellis Green - WEG - dies
Sarah Wotherspoon
December 29, 2008 12:10pm
Herald Sun

LEGENDARY cartoonist William Ellis Green died this morning, aged 85.

Known to most by his initials - WEG - his iconic footy premiership posters were a Grand Final tradition for more than 50 years.

The posters began in 1954 when Footscray won their first and only premiership.

Since then the famous posters, originally sold for two shillings by The Herald and later the Herald Sun, have raised more than $2 million for the Royal Children's Hospital.

WEG joined The Herald in 1946, filling in for political cartoonist Sammy Wells who was on six weeks leave, and spent 40 years at the paper.

But when he retired from the paper in 1986, he continued working as a caricaturist and illustrator with his work appearing in cricket books by Max Walker, on stamps and in children's books.

And of course the famous premiership posters continued.

So coveted is the memorabilia that one collector paid up to $5000 for Collingwood's 1958 premiership poster.

WEG passed away this morning at his Heathmont home with his wife of 63 years, Joan, beside him.

The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal executive director Christine Unsworth said WEG's posters raised more than $2 million for the appeal.

"He was a wonderful supporter of the Good Friday Appeal for decades.

"His contribution has been magnificent."

Herald & Weekly Times managing director Peter Blunden paid tribute to WEG, saying the company was proud of its long association with the artist.

"Nothing is more synonymous with Melbourne and football than a WEG poster,'' said Mr Blunden.

"But WEG will be fondly remembered not only as an iconic artist but as a great Australian, generous and loyal."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...0-2862,00.html


very sad news indeed.


have put this on the main board for a while, it was on general discussion but I think it's worthy of greater attention as this bloke made a huge contribution to the game.

[St Fidelius]

Yeah, very sad HD, I read about it "on line" early this afternoon.

A great man that did not profit from his GF WEG Posters and gave it all the the Royal Children's Hospital.

We have all lost a great person and he will be sadly missed.

[sainteronline]

Condolences to his family

the grand final posters will never be the same imho

[saint66au]

RIP..a great Melbourne tradition gone.

And relevant to St Kilda..as he did draw..ahem..one for us

[Eastern]

RIP WEG and condolences to his family & friends. I gave him a thought when I drove past the WEG shop in Kilsyth earlier today !!

[saintspremiers]

So who is going to do the WEG posters now he's gone?

Can his son draw?

WEG is an AFL tradition just like the Fable Singers - the same blokes who recorded all the traditional VFL club anthems!

[golden hawk]

So who is going to do the WEG posters now he's gone?

Can his son draw?

WEG is an AFL tradition just like the Fable Singers - the same blokes who recorded all the traditional VFL club anthems!

sen were going to talk about that tonight something about the son ?

R.I.P

[Eastern]

So who is going to do the WEG posters now he's gone?
Can his son draw?

WEG is an AFL tradition just like the Fable Singers - the same blokes who recorded all the traditional VFL club anthems!

There will NEVER be another WEG.

The current cartoonist at the Herald Sun, Mark Knight is pretty good, and charitable to boot. His calendar comes out with the HS around New Years Eve.

Let's hope HE can build a tradition (and help the Royal Childrens Hospital) that could one day rival the great WEG !!

[n1ck]

Not to mention, as far as I know, an authentic original WEG poster from the 1966 GF win is worth the most of any WEG print.

I might be wrong, but I dont think so.

RIP WEG.

[saint66au]

Gee nice work Herald-Sun website..

The guy drew cartoons in your paper every day for decades...its now past 10.30pm and theres no mention of his passing on the site (that I cansee, unless its buried deep somewhere)

Got the work experience kids on over Xmas eh??

[St Fidelius]

Gee nice work Herald-Sun website..

The guy drew cartoons in your paper every day for decades...its now past 10.30pm and theres no mention of his passing on the site (that I cansee, unless its buried deep somewhere)

Got the work experience kids on over Xmas eh??

Mate I saw the mention of his passing away at about 1pm from that herald sun site.

It was the first site to report it

[St Fidelius]

Here it is...

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 14,00.html

[mcadam05]

RIP..a great Melbourne tradition gone.

And relevant to St Kilda..as he did draw..ahem..one for us

he did 4 For us and the 1971 is by far the best(pity we didnt win the game )

[redemption]

So who is going to do the WEG posters now he's gone?

Can his son draw?

WEG is an AFL tradition just like the Fable Singers - the same blokes who recorded all the traditional VFL club anthems!

sen were going to talk about that tonight something about the son ?

R.I.P

Bill Green ran Wegs World along with another business partner. His son in law runs WegArt - WegArt began trying to get into AFL about two years ago in the form of the 'new' version' posters. Wegs World and the AFL did not approve of them at all and has since stopped their supply into AFL. ....at least thats as I remember.....so in answer to the question, not sure what will happen for 2009.

[saintspremiers]

So who is going to do the WEG posters now he's gone?
Can his son draw?

WEG is an AFL tradition just like the Fable Singers - the same blokes who recorded all the traditional VFL club anthems!

There will NEVER be another WEG.

The current cartoonist at the Herald Sun, Mark Knight is pretty good, and charitable to boot. His calendar comes out with the HS around New Years Eve.

Let's hope HE can build a tradition (and help the Royal Childrens Hospital) that could one day rival the great WEG !!

Not a bad idea.

In all honesty, I never thought the WEG posters were that fantastic, more so I loved the tradition...and his unique style.

THAT can't be replaced by anyone else of course.

I don't care who does it now, as long as they keep the RCH donation thingy going (piss off AFL trying to get any money from it!!!), and the person is young enough to do it for at least 20 years.

To find another WEG, who did for 50 years, including over 20 since retirement AND his final one in September this year, after checking himself out EARLY from hospital after a heart attack, is rare.

What a special man he must have been.

[TriColourDisciple]

The prospect of picking up a 1997 Premiers WEG poster outside the G after the GF was part of the thrill of the big day, as his footy images are so iconic to the game itself, aswell as Melbourne's culture & heritage.
Unfortunatly, I witnessed bundles of posters, what would've been cherished keepsakes, being carted away for pulping instead.
In later years, I saw an image on the net of what could,ve been..sob!
RIP WEG

[ozrulestrace]

I noticed in the story on Channel 10 yesterday, Weg's last piece of work before he died was a draft sketch of Nick Riewoldt.
Sadly it won't be finished now, but I'm seeing it as a sign for 2009 and that from the draft sketch of Rooey a poster will be created for the 2009 Premiers.
On a personal note, as any child of a Herald & Weekly Times employee will tell you, the social event of Christmas was the PKIU Xmas picnic at the Trott Oval next to Macrobertson Girls High.
Father Christmas always arrived on the back of a Herald Truck and the programme for the day always had a WEG drawing in red on the front

[esaint66]

Not to mention, as far as I know, an authentic original WEG poster from the 1966 GF win is worth the most of any WEG print.

I might be wrong, but I dont think so.

RIP WEG.

Nah it would probably be the first one he did the 1954 Doggies premiership.

RIP WEG.

[Spinner]

RIP WEG.

[Go Sainters Go]

Does anyone have a copy of the 66 WEG poster - and if so, can you produce a copy on site as I would love to see what it's like.

[saintbrat]

here's the link to the saints posters on Weg's world
http://wegsworld.ezywiz.biz/default.asp ... 28&Search=

Does anyone have a copy of the 66 WEG poster - and if so, can you produce a copy on site as I would love to see what it's like.

you got $5,000?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/WEG-POSTER-ST-KI ... 3001r14732



this ones only $295
http://memorabiliamagic.com.au/index.ph ... cts_id=785

[Go Sainters Go]

Thanks Brat, had a feeling post no 17,161 would give me the answer - and no, I don't have a spare 5 grand.