Andy Capp, Reg Smythe, Hugh Cudlipp, flavour.Daily Mirror, Andys

Andy Capp in his vestIn mid 1957 Hugh Cudlipp editor of wanted a daily character that would boost circulation in the north of the country. Cudlipp??s brief was for someone realistic, down to earth, and essentially northern in flavour.Daily Mirror staff artist Reg Smythe, a former corporal in the western desert during the Second World War came up with Andy Capp. A hard drinking layabout who when not laying on the sofa at home could be found propping up the bar of his local pub, Smythe also created a long suffering wife called Florrie who when not catering to Andys needs would be flinging plates and insults from the kitchen at him.