Plot
Follows the life of Moira Kent an aspiring ballerina. Her grandfather who starts off disapproving turns into one of her biggest supporters and she has many adventures on her way to stardom.
Notes
- Artist: Ron Smith
- Artist Bunty Annual 1967 – Peter Kay
Appeared
- The Dancing Life Of Moira Kent– Bunty: #01 (18 Jan 1958) – #137 (27 August 27 1960)
- Episodes #1-57, reprinted – Bunty: #347 (5 September 5 1964) – #400 (11 September 1965)
- Episodes #58-89, reprinted – Bunty: #485 (29 April 1967) – ?
- Episodes #90-137, reprinted – Bunty: #876 (26 October 1974) – #923 (20 September 1975)
- Partially reprinted – Lucky Charm #23
- No More Dancing for Moira Kent – Bunty: circa #244 (15 Sep 1962) – #270 (16 March 1963)
- Moria Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas – Bunty: #504 (9 September 1967) – #507 (30 September 1967)
- Reprinted with different artist in Bunty Picture Story Library #01
- Moira Kent’s Dancing Double – Bunty: circa #523 (20 January 1968) – #536 (20 April 1968)
Other Appearances:
Annual Appearances
- The Dancing Life of Moira Kent – Bunty Annual 1960
- The Dancing Life of Moira Kent – Bunty Annual 1961
- Moira Kent and the Circus Ballerina – Bunty Annual 1963
- Moira Kent in The Island of Dancers – Bunty Annual 1967
Summer Specials
- No Mates for Maureen (a Moira Kent Story) – Bunty-Judy Summer Special 1975
Picture Story Library
- Moira Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas – Bunty Picture Story Library #01
- Moira Kent and The Missing Star – Bunty Picture Story Library #07
- The Mystery of the Green Shoes – Bunty Picture Story Library #07
- Please Find My Father! – Bunty Picture Story Library #14
- The Secret Ballet – Bunty Picture Story Library #54
- Moira Kent and the Silent One – Bunty Picture Story Library #61
I so remember this story when I first started to read Bunty in the 1950’s. I seem to remember that Moira’s grandfather was killed and being devastated by this.
I remember the 1st bunty with a ladybird ring
I wonder how collectible those ladybird rings are now?
“The Dancing Life Of Moira Kent” ends in Bunty #137 (August 27, 1960). This was reprinted in three separate parts. Parts #1-57 were reprinted in Bunty #347 (September 5, 1964) – Bunty #400 (September 11, 1965). Parts #58-89 were reprinted in Bunty #485 (April 29,1967) – ?. Parts #90-137 were reprinted in Bunty #876 (October 26, 1974) – Bunty #923 (September 20, 1975).
“No More Dancing for Moira Kent” ends in Bunty #270 (March 16, 1963).
“Moira Kent’s Dancing Double” ends in Bunty #536 (April 20, 1968). It is running in issue #524 (January 27, 1968) but this is not the beginning. It starts in either #521, 522 or 523.
There is also a short serial “Moria Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas”, that starts in Bunty #504 (September 9, 1967) and ends in Bunty #507 (September 30, 1967).
Thanks Ronnie, such a long running character! I wonder is the short serial “Moria Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas” is the same as the picture story library of the same name, adapted for the weekly issues.
I noticed that the first 10 issues of Bunty Picture Library for sale on eBay. I looked at the first page of “Moria Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas” and can confirm that the serial is the same story with a different artist. The only difference is the name of the newspaper on the page. I wonder if several serials were printed again as Picture Story Library’s.
Thanks for the update Ronnie.
I know there have been short series printed as picture story library (such as “Captain Shirley”). Not sure if there are more weekly Moira stories that were also made into picture story library but it is possible!
I haven’t noticed another serial that lasted two and a half years. In “Moria Kent and the Disappearing Ballerinas” Moria Kent has the leading role in a ballet and there have been eight ballerinas disappear. On opening night, she is kidnapped after the show and taken to an isolated mansion. There are a lot of swans there and a ballerina there who had disappeared five years earlier. She had been in an accident and was scarred. They were brought there to dance with her. I don’t have the last episode, so I don’t know how it ends. I don’t know if the plot is the same as the picture story library or not. It was replaced in Bunty #508 with “Ruby of the River”, so I know it ends in #507.
Ruby of the River? I don’t think we’ve got an entry for that one. Can you give some story details, please, and when it ended? Many thanks for any help, and also thanks for bringing it to our attention.
I wish I could read all Moria Kent stories again
“Ruby of the River” begins in Bunty #508 (October 7, 1967) and ends in Bunty #514 (November 18, 1967). The plot is Ruby Morrow’s father Professor Morrow leads an expedition into the African jungle to find the mysterious Ghost Tribe who appear out of nowhere and vanish. He disappears and everyone thinks he is dead. Ruby believes he is alive, and with the help of a man called Big Fella takes a motorboat on the river to find and rescue him. They catch an English-speaking girl (Mosa) in their camp, and she has items of her father. They get caught by the Ghost people and taken prisoner. They escape before they are killed and find her father who was being kept prisoner to sacrifice to their idol. They rescue her father and escape. It ends with her father taking an armed party in helicopters to capture them.
Thank you so much, Ronnie. The entry has now been created.
Oh, I forgot. Would you like to be credited in the entry?
You can, but it is not necessary.