January 1958
A final word from Eddie Selzer… Sybil Freleng becomes the studio receptionist… and Lou Scheimer, Owen Fitzgerald and Sam Armstrong join the studio as layout men.
February 1958
Eddie Selzer retires. John Burton takes over. Much ado about the Jack Benny spoof, The Mouse That Jack Built – and you can read more about that cartoon in this new post on Don Yowp’s blog.
Also in the February issue – this additional piece on the new Warner Bros. Commercial and Industrial Films Division, with eight photos of various personnel, including some familiar names. Those last years before closing (1958-1962) were extremely busy – no wonder Dave DePatie saw an opportunity to continue this business with Freleng as a partner afterward…
Chuck Jones design of the Gillette parrot mascot
Chuck Jones, Leo Salkin, Lou Schmeier, Maurice Noble, Owen Crump, Carol Chala, Richard Hobson
March 1958
Chuck Jones presented a (his first?) fine art gallery show at the Cowie Gallery in the Biltmore Hotel. Apparently art critics from the LA Times attended the opening night (as did most of Jones unit – and Mel Blanc!). I wonder if the Jones art show was reviewed in the Times?
April 1958
Chuck Jones and John Burton gave Jack M. Warner – the head of the US Army Signal Corps – a tour of the studio, screening several cartoons, commercials and those Jones Army recruitment films.
May 1958
Celebrating their latest Oscar win, this time for Freleng’s Birds Anonymous; and honoring Jones for his 25 years. Interesting to note Jones is credited as “instrumental in the birth and growth of Porky Pig and Daffy Duck”…
June 1958
This month is John Burton’s 25th year at the studio. Though an overview of his career includes mention of his work with “trick photography, matte shots, glass painting and miniatures, no reference is made of Hector The Pup.
NEXT WEEK: 1958 Part 2
Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and blu-ray compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. Beck is currently on the faculty of Cal Arts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [
Gateways To The Mind (1958) was the first Warners production of the Bell Telephone Science Series.
These articles have presented a warmer, friendlier picture of Edward Selzer than we’ve heard from all the other sources over the years. Who knows what really went down?
Remember, this is a corporate newsletter. It’s not like anyone will trash the boss. And the boss always comes across as reasonable in these kinds of things.
What’s interesting to me is the hiring of three layout artists at the same time. I realise Warners was doing more corporate and commercial work but did someone leave?
I guess Sandy Walker was doing assistant work as he was not credited on any cartoons. It’s quite a comedown from someone with screen credit as an animator 20 years earlier. He died in 1962.
“And now, for Gillette, here’s Henery Hawk!”—-Oh, wait…
These posts are the greatest!
So, Lou Scheimer became a layout artist at Warners in 1958. Well, that pretty much explains why “Porky and Daffy meet The Groovie Ghoulies” was ever made at all!
Also, I’ll bet precious little Cathy Ann McGlauflin grew up to be a “flower child” in the 60’s, if that chain she wore in the featured photo was any indication.
Also want to mention that all of the works featured in that Chuck Jones exhibit can be seen at the official website http://www.chuckjones.com. Jones was extraordinarily talented at displaying colorful environments and evoking moods through effective use of tones and detail in his reality-based works.
According to Chuck Jones, Selzer said farewell this way: “Saroyan!”