This issue of Fleischer’s Animated News (#5, April 1935) is a little sillier than usual – it’s an April Fools issue. That said, the final two pages are quite serious, concerning the union – and the passing of employee Dan Glass.
A usual, click the thumbnails below to enlarge and enjoy.
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 CalArts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [Click Here]
It’s sort of eerie to see references to feature length animated features and Mr. “Bisney” (was Snow White even a twinkle in Walt’s eye at this point?) and pointed references to a brand new studio in Miami. Amazing.
Larry Lippman wasn’t quite 16 when this was published. He was actually 17, born July 1, 1917. He was a cameraman. He later married Tillie Player, a Macon girl who was a cartoonist at the studio in Miami. He died at the age of 57.
Where did he die? There was a “Larry Lipman” working as a Cameraman in the Animation Department at Jam Handy in 1967. This would have been before he passed away. This man that I remember was a bit overweight and wore plaid short-sleeved shirts. He wore glasses and had thinning hair. He was rather stand-offish and unfriendly. The other Cameraman was Frank Simon, who was very nice, and let me work with him, sometimes letting me shoot scenes on one of the other cameras. They had four Oxberry Masters.
Ray, he died in 1974. I haven’t been able to determine from on-line genaeological sources where in the U.S. it happened.
Reminds me of the IAD April Fools threads, especially the Fleischer-“Bisney” merger gag!
It was Dan Glass’ illness (TB), which some of his co-workers blamed on crowded working conditions, that led to the the publication of Fleischer’s Animated News in the first place. This and his subsequent death were key factors leading up to the Fleischer strike in 1937.
Tom Johnson’s letter shows how loyal he was to Max Fleischer.