Port Perry in Durham Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
James Llewellyn Frise
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 2, 2024
1. James Llewellyn Frise Marker
One of Canada's leading cartoonists, Jimmy Frise was born near here about 1891 and educated at Scugog, Saintfield and Port Perry. Wounded at Vimy Ridge in the First World War, he went to Toronto to resume his career in illustrations, a field in which he was entirely self-taught. For the Star Weekly Frise collaborated with the noted humorous writer Gregory Clark in a weekly series. In 1921 he created a half-page cartoon, first entitled “Life's Little Comedies” and later “Birdseye Center”. It was featured for a quarter of a century in what was Canada’s biggest weekend newspaper. The popularity of Birdseye Center arose from Frise's gentle and humorous interpretation of the relationship between rural and urban life. He died in 1948.
Erected by Archaeological and Historic Sites Board, Department of Public Records and Archives of Ontario.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.
Location. 44° 6.727′ N, 78° 55.209′ W.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Toronto, specifically on the Golden Horseshoe, in the York, Durham and Headwaters Area, and in the Toronto Metropolitan Area. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Welcome to the Scugog Shores Museum Village (a few steps from this marker); Lake Scugog (approx. 1.8 kilometers away); The Port Whitby and Port Perry Railway (approx. 1.8
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 2, 2024
2. James Llewellyn Frise Marker
Looking north from Portview Road; the Scugog Shores Museum is in the background.
Also see . . .
1. Jimmy Frise (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Born in Scugog Island, Ontario, Frise moved to Toronto at 19 and found illustration work on the Toronto Star's Star Weekly supplement. His left hand was severely injured at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917 during World War I, but his drawing hand was unhurt, and he continued cartooning at the Star upon his return. He moved to the Montreal Standard in 1947, but as the Star kept publication rights to Birdseye Center, Frise continued it as Juniper Junction with strongly similar characters and situations. Doug Wright took over the strip after Frise's sudden death from a heart attack in 1948, and it went on to become the longest-running strip in English-Canadian comics history.(Submitted on August 13, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Scugog Shores Museum in Port Perry holds some samples of Frise's original artwork, and the Province of Ontario erected an Ontario Historical Plaque in front of the museum to commemorate Frise's role in Ontario's heritage. In 2009, Frise was inducted into the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame.
2. James Llewellyn Frise (Canadian Animators, Cartoonists and Illustrators).
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 2, 2024
3. James Llewellyn Frise Marker (north side)
Both sides of this marker have the same English inscription.
Excerpt: Frise is the greatest of our story telling cartoonists that anglophone Canada has produced. His “Birdseye Center” has a diversity and complexity that given the confines of the cartoon strip is remarkable. It was an icon feature in the Star Weekly. As revealed in his illustrations for Gregory Clarke’s columns, his abilities to create an accurate likeness of a person while at the same time revealing character through a deft line showed him to be a superb caricaturist. According to Ross Harkness, Frise became the most famous artist and cartoonist The Star ever had and possibly the most widely known in Canada. As Ed Furness, co-creator of “Freelance” once remarked, any young aspiring cartoonist of the time in Canada attempted to copy Frise’s style.(Submitted on August 13, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Scugog Shores Historical Museum: Frise Comics Collection.
This collection of comics by Mr. Frise was produced during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. The collection consists of selected works from his "Birdseye Center" series, and this museum's private collection.(Submitted on August 13, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 12, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 176 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 12, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3. submitted on August 13, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
