Big Changes For Merrie Melodies 1934-35
During the 1934-35 season, Warner found a new way of introducing their movies. They began throwing their shield at the audience out of a bank of clouds.
Gene Deitch on NUDNIK (Part 2)
The original Paramount release was for just 12 Nudnik films, which had the bad luck of coming out just at the time when U.S. movie theaters stopped showing cartoon shorts.
In His Own Words: Herb Sorrell and the 1941 Disney Strike
One of the most colorful and controversial figures of the legendary Disney Strike of 1941 was Herb Sorrell. For your enlightenment, here is a first hand account of the Disney strike while it was happening.
“The Dog Ate My Homework” Rambles— and “The Snowman” (1931/33)
I was especially excited to have a chance to scan the preservation negs that the Library of Congress had made for the Ted Eshbaugh short.
Countdown to 2020: Dance of the Cuckoos
We resume our timely survey of how animators “killed time” during the Golden era of the late 30’s and 40’s – in other words: More coo-coo clock cartoons.
Rainbow Brite and Friends Go for a Disney Holiday Spin!
A perfect storm of talent at Disney’s Buena Vista label turned Hallmark’s contribution to adorable ’80s character franchises into some of the most outstanding records of the era.
Gene Deitch on NUDNIK (Part 1)
Nudnik as a film series had the same bad luck as Nudnik the cartoon character. Nudnik was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so were his films.
Dumbo’s Mother: Adrienne Tytla
Adrienne le Clerc met her husband Bill Tytla in 1936 when she was a 22-year-old actress and fashion model from Seattle, earning extra money by posing for Disney Studio art classes.
New “Old” Animation
Several new TV spots are done in retro style. I have to wonder how inspired these are from Cuphead — and I wonder what the future holds in terms of further stylistic influence.
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]
