Here’s his bio from the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists website:
Virtuoso Cartoonist Len Norris died August 12, 1997 in Langley Memorial Hospital from complications arising from surgery at the age of 83. The only thing more depressing than the ongoing garbage strike was hearing that Len Norris passed on. Len had struggled with complications from heart surgery and never fully recovered. Len's cartoons summed up life's inanities, Ottawa's issuances and British Columbia's idiosyncrasies to a "tee". Each and every cartoon a visual and imaginative delight! He was hugely influential on cartoonists such as Edd Uluschak, Tom Innes, Vance Rodewalt, and Roy Peterson. He will be sadly missed.
In the beginning . . . Len Norris was born in London, England, Dec. 1, 1913. At 13, the family moved to Port Arthur, Ontario. As a young man Len took night classes at the Ontario College of Art. Prior to joining the army in 1940, Len was the Art Director at an Ad agency. In the army Captain Norris produced a technical magazine "CAM". After W.W.11 he was Art Director for various Macleans Magazines in Toronto. Pierre Berton recommended Len to the Vancouver Sun in 1950.
At the Vancouver Sun.... for about 6 months Len was tucked away in a cubby hole drawing routine illustrations and accident diagrams. According to Pierre Berton, Hal Straight, The Sun's managing editor, came across Len and asked what exactly he was doing for the paper. Len replied "I am supposed to be doing political cartoons".
Straight replied “Well for Christ's sake, draw a couple!" His first effort ended up on the front page and in about 2 years Len had perfected a kind of Canadian Giles style. In 1951 Len won the National Newspaper Award (chosen by the Toronto Press Club at the centre of the Universe). Norris never entered again since he "hated to lose".
Len continued to draw 'a few cartoons' full-time until 1978, when he took semi-retirement, drawing 2 cartoons a week. Roy Peterson took on a wider role at the Sun. Some thirty Norris annuals, always popular, were released and leave us a rich legacy of Len's work.
The National Archives staged a joint exhibit of Robert LaPalme and Len Norris in the 80's. A bilingual companion book was issued.
When Len finally did retire the Sun still ran two relevant reprints per week of Len's work until Ingrid Rice became 'off days' cartoonist in 1992. Len had been honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Windsor and an exhibit of local work by the Van Municipal Association a few years ago.
Norris retired at age 75 with his last original cartoon in the Dec. 24/88 issue of the Vancouver Sun. He moved to a townhouse in Langley about 7 years ago. Len was also a skilled model ship builder, an avid golfer and enjoyed playing snooker with friends. Len is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marguerite, and two sons, Stephen and John, as well as his brother, Stan, 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Check out his cartoons on the web - I dare you not to smile! Once you’re hooked, you’ll find yourself scouring used book stores to get your hands on one or more of those annuals. Here’s another timeless sample:
... d'you sometimes get the feeling we're being governed by dedicated
well-meaning, sincere, professional incompetents?
This cache is a small L&L with the usual log book, pencil, and a few trinkets. Please exercise stealth as muggles can really sneak up on you - from any direction! (that's why I upped the difficulty by an extra star), and make use of the abundant camo to conceal the container when you put it back.
In case you were curious, the bridge near this cache has a name - the Diarmid Guinness Bridge. Diarmid Edward Guinness (1938 - 1977) was a grandson of Walter Edward Guinness, the 1st Baron Moyne, who established British Pacific Properties and commissioned the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge.