Warner Club News (1959) – Part 1
1959 may not have been a banner year for Looney Tunes, but a question emerges: Was “Beep Beep” the studio’s actual ‘character name’ for The Road Runner?
Songs of the South
Not since Pinocchio had the Disney music department seen such interest in songs from one of their films. Even the smallest record companies got into the act.
Animated ‘Happy Hooligan’ Endured the Perfect Storms
The biggest surprise in my investigation of the animated adventures of Happy Hooligan, was that the character wasn’t just famous – he was incredibly popular.
Animation Anecdotes #367
Space Jam’s producer Ivan Reitman said, “We estimate that we had about 500 animators who worked on the movie. We had a year less than normal for an animated film like this.”
Thunderbean Update: ’Stop Motion Marvels’ Blu-ray Pre-order
Here’s one of the curios: A Desert Dilemma (1930), a short commercial produced at Audio Productions for Aetna Insurance, animated by Cy Young.
The Sheet Music Art of Myron “Grim” Natwick, 1914 – 1927
Grim Natwick once claimed he produced 200 pieces of art for sheet music. This should be considered a more significant part of his career, and overall development as an artist.
ABC’s News-Making “Hot Wheels” Cartoon on Records
The first toy-driven Saturday morning series inspired more than just negative pushback—it created an historic start-up opportunity and a groovy soundtrack LP.
Warner Club News (1958) – Part 2
I’m afraid the Bugs Bunny Lari-Loop Larriette was no hula-hoop or coon-skin cap… but nice try!
That First Step… Is a “Lulu”!
At Paramount Pictures offices in New York, the “Little Lulu” series of cartoons must have seemed a dream come true. And, of course, a theme song was in order.
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]
