Molly Blake Explained

Molly Blake
Birthname:Molly Suzanne McClenaghan
Birth Date:14 August 1917
Birth Place:St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
Occupation:Illustrator, television presenter, author
Children:Susie Blake
Parents:Henry McClenaghan
Annette Mills
Relatives:Sir John Mills (uncle)

Molly Suzanne Blake (McClenaghan;[1] 14 August 1917  - 9 June 2011)[2] was a British illustrator, BBC children's television presenter and children's author.

Career

Blake studied at the Central School of Art and Design in London.[3]

Her parents were the actress, dancer and broadcaster Annette Mills,[4] best remembered for being the partner of the puppet "Muffin", in the successful BBC Television children's series Muffin the Mule between 1946 and 1955, and her first husband, Henry McClenaghan.[5] Molly produced many of the illustrations in the popular series of children's books of Muffin the Mule stories. One of her drawings of Muffin was used in Radio Times in 1951.[6]

Mills also appeared on television with the glove puppet "Prudence Kitten".[7] After Mills' death in January 1955, Blake took over the role.[8] Her earliest such appearance was on 27 July 1955.[9] She also wrote Prudence Kitten books, but these were illustrated by others.

A 1947 portrait photograph of Blake, by John Gay, is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. She was photographed by Gay for, and featured in, an article in The Strand Magazine, "Eight Young Artists in Search of an Editor",[10] in which she was said to be married, and living in Marylebone. Her husband was David H. Blake.

She died in 2011, aged 93.[2]

Family

Her uncle, her mother's younger brother, was the actor John Mills, meaning she was a cousin to his daughters, Juliet Mills and Hayley Mills. Blake illustrated Far Morning by Mary Hayley Bell, John Mills' second wife.

Blake's daughter is the actor Susie Blake.[11]

Publications

Books by Blake

Books illustrated by Blake

Contributions to other books

Notes and References

  1. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-65429 ODNB
  2. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetimes-uk/obituary.aspx?n=molly-suzanne-blake&pid=151960920 "Molly Suzanne Blake", funeral notice copied from The Times at Legacy.com
  3. Eight Young Artists in Search of an Editor . . July 1947 . 76 . 113 . 679 . Anon..
  4. Web site: Molly Blake . . 2020-01-23 .
  5. Mills, Annette [real name Edith Mabel Mills] (1894–1955), entertainer. 978-0-19-861412-8. 10.1093/ref:odnb/65429. 2004. Baker. Anne Pimlott.
  6. For the Children: Muffin the Mule . . 8 June 1951 . 1439 . 41.
  7. Web site: Children's TV show puppet auctioned . BBC News . 23 January 2020 . 28 November 2013.
  8. The Return of Prudence Kitten . . 1654 . 21 . 22 July 1955 .
  9. Children's Television . Radio Times . 22 July 1955 . 1654 . 32 .
  10. Web site: Checklist of John Gay photographs . National Portrait Gallery . 24 December 2019.
  11. Web site: Actress Susie Blake, accompanied by her mother Molly, arrive at... . . 23 January 2020 .

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