William George Rushton, commonly known as Willie Rushton (18 August 1937 in Chelsea, London – 11 December 1996 Cromwell Hospital, Kensington, London) was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the Private Eye satirical magazine.
Is an old Salopian, i.e. he went to top English public school Shrewsbury, where he founded what is now Private Eye with Richard Ingrams and Paul Foot.
Had diabetes for many years.
He died two days after his last recording of Im Sorry I Havent a Clue, where he had been a panel member since 1974. No permanent panel member was chosen to take his place.
The son of a publisher, he was noted as a humorist, illustrator and cartoonist. His cartoons were featured not only in "Private Eye", but in "The Daily Telegraph" and "Literary Review". He also published several satirical books with titles like "The Filth Amendment" and "Spy Thatcher".
Made his professional debut on the stage in Spike Milligans satire "The Bed-Sitting Room" at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury.
A lifelong member of the Labour Party, he opposed Alec Douglas-Home in a 1963 by-election for the seat of Kinross in 1963, but ended up with only 45 votes.
