Bob Godfrey 1921 -2013

Bob Godfrey, drawn by Simon Bor 1977

I chose to study Graphic Design at St Martins School of Art in 1975 mainly because it was claimed that Bob Godfrey was a lecturer there. Unfortunately, it turned out that he no longer visited the art school. As things worked out, I was to be taught by Bob for the final two years of college life, when I transferred to Farnham's Animation course.

It was Bob's maverick approach to animation that had attracted me to the subject. Roobarb and Custard being the bravest children's series on BBC at the time and his Do it yourself Animation Show making it all seem so assessable.

His guidance on the animation course was invaluable. After leaving college I made a children's film and set out to look for work. Bob was one of the first people to see this. The same day he had watched a film by another Farnham student. Bob told me how easy that person would find work in the animation industry, a student that could walk into any studio as an animator. He told me that I would find it a lot more difficult. He wouldn't be able to give me any work because I was looking for HIS job. He thought I should use the film to get my own series off the ground.

I never did work for Bob, other than helping out a freelance animator who was doing a small job for him, but I did go on to set up a studio with my wife and produce over twenty animated series.

It was so sad to hear that Bob had passed away. Only two weeks younger than my own father, Bob Godfrey out lived him by just over a month.