Halloween is Better with Casper: “The Friendly Ghost” (1945)
It’s nearly Halloween, and I’d be careless if we didn’t show at least *one* sort of Halloween cartoon. Here is one of my favorites.
Reign of the Supertoons (Part 4)
Everyone wanted to be their superhero idol back in the 1960s – and this craze spilled over drastically into animated cartoons of the day.
Snafu Special: For the Boys
Leon Schlesinger’s studio contribution to the war-effort, contained in the monthly “Army-Navy Screen Magazine”, was Private Snafu -the quintessential Army screw-up.
The Haunted Duck
The Donald Duck cartoon “Trick or Treat” (1952) was designed specifically as a Halloween attraction, and in succeeding years it has become a cult favorite among cartoon fans.
The Spooky Story of “The Skeleton Dance”
While not specifically stated to be Halloween, merely a supernatural frolic during the midnight hour, this innovative short cartoon certainly encapsulates the spirit of the spooky holiday.
UPA’s “The Ragtime Bear”
A little tribute to one of my favorite UPA cartoons, the first Mr. Magoo – The Ragtime Bear.
Reign of the Supertoons (Part 3)
Into the late 1950’s and early ‘60’s Warner Brothers and its proteges continue to contribute a healthy sampling of super-powered product
Animation-ette! (Part One)
Part one of a love letter to the beloved and unpretentious pop culture icon to recognize her unsung role in animation, sound recordings, musical films and theme park entertainment.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Puppet Fabrication— Part 1
As a movie fan, I am often fascinated as much by how something is made or how an effect is achieved on screen as I am about the finished film itself.
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]
