Cartoonist and creator of Footrot Flats Murray Ball dies at age 78

New Zealand cartoonist and Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball died on Sunday at the age of 78 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.Mr Ball’s collaborator Tom Scott said he had received word of his friend’s death around 1pm on Sunday.

‘It’s terribly sad, because he was a brilliant man,’ he told Stuff.co.nz.

‘He was a hero of mine when I was growing up in the Manawatu. It was tremendous to think these great cartoons could be created by someone living just up the road, the didn’t need to be things done overseas,’ said Mr Scott, who was born in Mr Ball’s hometown of Feilding.

Mr Scott said Mr Ball gave him his break when he asked his friend to help write the script for Footrot Flat’s feature film.

The cartoon based on characters Wal and Dog ran from 1976 to 1994 in newspapers across the world.

Mr Ball’s wife, Pam, told Radio New Zealand last year her husband has been in poor health for the past six years, according to the NZ Herald.

MORE: New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball dies aged 78 | Daily Mail Online