Rupert Bear

[Tony Summerfield]

Today is Rupert's 100th birthday, he first appeared in the Daily Express on 8th November 1920. My mum who was also born in 1920 was an early fan. Happy Birthday Rupert and many happy returns.

The Sunday Express has got a pullout section in the middle with a new story specially written by John Harrold to mark the occasion.

[Courtenay]

There's a lovely article about him on the BBC's website too: Rupert Bear turns 100

[Anita Bensoussane]

Happy 100th Birthday, Rupert!

[Barnard]

Does anyone know the title of a Rupert story where he is wearing water wings and is blown to the Castle of the Four Winds and another story in which he visits a Pierrot show.These are probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s.

[Boatbuilder]

I used to love Rupert books when I was a child. Some years ago, I bought a commemorative limited edition of the 1952 Rupert Annual - More Rupert Adventures. I think this was probably in 2002. It was supplied in a storage sleeve and came with a numbered certificate. Here are a few pictures of the cover and sleeve, the index page and the certificate.

Happy 100th Birthday Rupert.

[Katharine]

By coincidence, I was reading the article about Alfred Bestall in the EBS Journal One last night.

My memory of Rupert stories were 3 books I bought as a child from Woolworths. They had yellow covers and were all in rhyme. I loved them so much that I've slowly been completing my collection in recent years. I also had a Rupert book as a child, by Purnell, but I can't remember which one, as I've collected several more in recent years.

I seem to recall my father had a Rupert annual from his childhood, but I don't think I ever read it, and no idea what became of it.

[Stephen]

Reading back through this thread, I was interested to see Anita mention a story in which Rupert was locked for a night in a big department store - yes - that was one of my favourite Rupert stories. It was quite frightening! I also remember a story where Rupert was carried away by an eagle because they thought his rugby ball was a bird's egg!

I fished out my Rupert annuals at the weekend and re-read the story with the rugby ball. That scene is rather reminiscent of One Million Years BC! These stories bring back lots of warm, nostalgic feelings, and I would say these fantasy fairy tales are even on a par with the likes of Grimm or Andersen. The initial cosy set up of Rupert in his idyllic world is quickly replaced by adventure, danger and sinister goings-on. In the 1980s, I got a reprint of Mary Tourtel's 'Rupert and the Magic Hat' (in their Rupert Little Bear Library range), and although I can't remember everything that happened, I know I found it oddly creepy in places.