Michael Leunig

Michael Leunig
Leunig in May 2012
Born	(1945-06-02) 2 June 1945 (age 71) East Melbourne
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	Swinburne Film and Television School
Occupation	Cartoonist
Spouse(s)	Pamela Munro (????—????) Helga Salwe (1992—present)
Children	Gus, Sunny, Minna, Felix
Website	leunig.com.au

Michael Leunig (born 2 June 1945), typically referred to as Leunig (his signature on his cartoons), is an Australian cartoonist, poet and cultural commentator. His best known works include The Adventures of Vasco Pyjama and the Curly Flats series. He was declared an Australian Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia in 1999.

Leunig, a fifth generation Australian, was born in East Melbourne, grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray where he went to Footscray North Primary School. He then went to Maribyrnong High School but as the school hadn't been finished being built yet, he first had to attend classes held at the nearby Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. He failed his final year examinations, twice.

After working as a labourer in an abattoir, Leunig enrolled at the Swinburne Film and Television School, where he was at first interested in making documentaries. He was conscripted in the Vietnam War call-up, but he registered as a conscientious objector; in the event, he was rejected on health grounds when it was revealed that he was deaf in one ear.

He began his cartoon career while at Swinburne in 1965 when his cartoons appeared in the Monash University student newspaper Lot's Wife. In the early 1970s his work appeared in the radical/satirical magazines Nation Review, The Digger, and London's Oz magazine as well as mainstream publications including Newsday, and Woman's Day.