British Animation History

B&W image of Koalas 'Billy and Tilly'

Lorna Judge

(1913–1987)

B&W image of Koalas 'Billy and Tilly'

Lorna Marguerita Judge was born 19 December 1913, in Kingston, Surrey, the eldest of the three daughters of aeronautical engineer Arthur Judge and his wife Daisy.

She was one of the many young women recruited straight from art school by animation studio Dennis Connelly Ltd in the early 1930s to make cartoons featuring Koala Bears Billy and Tilly. In an article on the studio, Ernest Betts noted:

    Nearly all the "Billy and Tilly" "draughtsmen" are girls trained at schools of art in various parts of the country.
    One of them, Lorna Judge, aged twenty, is in charge of the bear department.

"She's Boss"
THEY call her "chief of the bears." If any one has a problem connected with bears they say: "Take it to Miss Judge. She's the bears' boss, she'll know what to do."
    And, unfailingly, Miss Judge knows.

[Sunday Express 9 December 1934]

Billy and Tilly were not a success, and Dennis Connelly, Ltd went into receivership on the 3 January 1936 and the staff was disbanded.

Lorna continued to work as a commercial artist, but does not seemed to have had any further involvement with animation.

In 1953 she married Eric R Pearcy.

Lorna Pearcy, née Judge, died on 6 November 1987 in Horndean, Hampshire.


Filmography

Billy and Tilly (Dennis Connelly, not released, 1934)
Dick Whittington (Billy and Tilly) (Dennis Connelly, 1935)
Robin Hood (Billy and Tilly) (Dennis Connelly, 1935)

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Peter Hale
Last updated 2025