Cartoonist Reginald "Reg" Smythe (1917–1998) created the Andy Capp comic strip.
Born in Hartlepool as Reginald Smyth (without the "e"). The men of the area and his parents, Andy and Florrie, were his inspitration for Andy and Flo.
He published over 100 books and was awarded the National Cartoonist Society Award for Humour Comic Strip for 1974 for Andy Capp.
In June 2007 a 5ft 8in tall Bronze statue of Andy Capp, designed by Shrewsbury sculptor Jane Robbins was erected on the Hartlepool headland, close to the Harbour of Refuge Pub.
The cartoon Andy Capp appeared in The Daily Mirror and The Sunday Mirror newspapers in 1957.
Andy Capp is a working class figure, his hobbies include pigeon racing, snooker, football, betting on horses, getting drunk, fishing, lying on the sofa, womanising and fighting with his wife!!!
