We’re sorry to report the passing of Pat Kelleher, co-owner of the legendary Temple Art Agency, who, over several decades, gained many British comic artists their early breaks into the world of professional comics, including Oliver Frey, Tony O’Donnell, Keith Page, Mike Perkins, Geoff Senior and Chris Weston.
They also represented many of the British “comic greats”, such as Ron Embleton, Harry Farrugia, Peter Jackson, Don Lawrence, Reg Parlett and Harry Winslade, illustrators such as Vivienne Sharman-Lewis, and many European artists, including Fernando Fusco and Carlos Pino.
We understand Pat had been ill for some time.
As the late Roger Perry recounted in 2015, that the Temple Art Agency, run by Pat Kelleher, aka Patrick Kelleher, and his father, Dan – and then, later on Pat’s son, too – operated out of an office in Breams Buildings in Chancery Lane, London, for many years, sharing space and office costs with a second artists’ agency, Rogers & Co – run by brothers, Jack and Dick Wall.
(The Temple Art Agency was originally on the other side of the road from Breams, in Chichester Rents. Pat and Jo Kelleher also ran a florist shop in the same building).
The company operated out of two old fashioned, small office rooms in the rabbit warren of a building, with a connecting door between them. Thanks to Pat, Roger became Art Editor for Century 21 Publishing (Books).
“I was taken on by Temple at the time when he was representing Don Lawrence, Ron Embleton and a number of other well-known artists including Peter Jackson, who of course worked on the original Eagle,” recalls Keith Page. “An energetic, friendly man who always dealt fairly with his artists. I can say that without Pat I wouldn’t have got work on Thunderbirds, Commando or, indeed, ‘Dan Dare’.”
“I have many happy memories of Pat,” editor and author Barrie Tomlinson, who edited New Eagle, Tiger and Roy of the Rovers, tells downthetubes. “An excellent agent, who always represented his artists extremely well. I met him and his Dad, Danny Kelleher, when I first joined the comics in 1961. Later, Pat’s son joined the business.
“In later years, when I was editor and group editor, I enjoyed lots of leisurely lunches with Pat and we became good friends. I last spoke to him, over the phone, a couple of years ago. It was a short call as he was having breathing difficulties at that time.
“His agency, Temple Art Agency, at one time represented the great John Gillatt. Pat was a regular visitor to our offices and we always enjoyed a good chat. A lovely man.”
Writing on his own website, Geoff Senior recalls how his comics career all started back in the early 1980s, through the Temple Art Agency. “At that time, I was still living in Cumbria, which meant work was posted down to the capital, as opposed to emailing these days. Pat and Tony Kelleher were great guys to work for and they got me my early work. One of my first notable commissions was illustrating the Fighting Fantasy book, Space Assassin. Pat and Tony continued to get me bits and pieces of work, including “Dracula” for Scream, plus a few ‘Future Shocks’ and a chunk of ‘Harlem’s Heroes’ for 2000AD.
“I first met Pat Kelleher when I was trying to break into the comics industry having picked his agency out of an edition of the Writers and Artists Handbook,” artist Mike Perkins recalls. “We met in a pub in Covent Garden and, after looking through my portfolio, he told me I was about six months away from picking up professional work and gave me constructive pointers and how to apply them to my work. He suggested meeting up again once those six months had passed.
“We did – in a different pub, as the previous one had gotten a bit grubby to Pat’s sensibilities. First off, he was surprised I’d actually listened to him! He would arrange meetings with a fair few young artists and, invariably, they would get annoyed and indignant and proceed to ignore his advice as they knew full well that they were ready to storm the comics and illustration world. Again, he perused my portfolio and suggested he let me take the folio over night and to meet up with him, in the same pub this time, the next day. Not a problem. Pat, prompt as ever, turned up with my portfolio and presented me with my first professional script – a ‘Future Shock’ for 2000AD. I was thrilled and excited … and did a terrible job …but it continued on to further work.
“We never had a contract between us,” Mike continues. “Just an understanding and a gentleman’s agreement over a pub sandwich and a few pints. If I got work on my own he wouldn’t insist on any percentage.
“He could have easily become a father figure, but we became friends instead.
“Pat always looked out for me. Forging ahead through problems, protecting me from adversity he would often encounter in the illustrative fields – especially in those oganisations where every junior editor had to justify their own positions. He’d been in the industry a long while at that time – having started with his Dad and representing artists such as Ron Embleton, Don Lawrence, Mike McMahon, Chris Weston, Ron Smith, John Hicklenton, Keith Page, Carlos Pino, Jon Haward, Kim Raymond, Mike White and many, many more – so he knew how to wade through the headwinds and do so politely. Probably something he learned in his service in the Navy.
“When I started picking up Amercian work he was good to his word and allowed me to soar on my own. We kept in touch and I visited his house numerous times, always admiring his wife’s rare orchid collection. Jo was also wonderful and they were both smart, knowledgeable and kind.
“I hadn’t seen him recently – with me having only just returned to the UK two years ago after having lived in Florida for 20 years – but we kept in touch through Christmas cards and letters within.
“I’ll miss him.”
Our sympathies to Pat’s family and friends at this time.
Further Reading…
• Roger Perry: Eagle Daze: On Artists’ Agents (and may God bless their cotton socks!)
• Bear Alley: Pauline Flynn recalls the work of artist Harry Winslade, and working for the Kellehers in the 1960s as an office junior
• Artist Tony O’Donnell, who drew Starblazer and more, recalls his early days in comics
• Guillermito y su voraz apetito – Reg Parlett’s connection with Temple Art (in Spanish)
• An interview with Carlos Pino (in Spanish, PDF)
• Fernando Fusco and his Temple Art Agency connections
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Obituaries, Other Worlds
In Memoriam: Chris Reynolds, creator of Mauretania Comics… tributes planned for an indie comics legend