Animation Anecdotes #303
Animator Dave Spafford created three versions of Woody Woodpecker – one for each nominee – to announce the winner of the 1991 Academy Award for Best Cartoon Short.
A Little Late for ‘Fat Tuesday’: Tom & Jerry in “Doughnuts” (1933)
For many years now, I always think of the Van Beuren Tom & Jerry cartoon Doughnuts around Fat Tuesday. That’s because many local bakeries have Pączkis.
Jam Handy’s “Down The Gasoline Trail” (1936)
Often discussed by many fans of the Jam Handy Organization is one particular film, largely overlooked, a unique 1936 cartoon named “Down The Gasoline Trail”.
Garfield’s TV Specials on Disney Records
When Disney’s Buena Vista Records produced the first three Garfield animated specials as read-along album sets, a unique approach was used for the adaptations.
A Chat with Karen Storr and Mercedes Hoffman
Next up for our all too brief series of Martha Sigall’s interviews is a chat between ink and paint artists Karen Storr and Mercedes Hoffman.
Forgotten Anime #58: “Taiman Blues” (1987)
Taiman Blues was a motorcycle-gang manga by Yū Furusawa that was divided into two short OAV series: one about the boys’ gangs, and one about a girls’ gang.
Those Warner Bros. ‘Gremlin’ Cartoons
Two Warner Bros. animated shorts were already too far into production when Roy Disney made a request to Leon Schlesinger not produce any gremlins shorts.
Animation Anecdotes #302
When voice artist Mel Blanc passed away, Warner Brothers bought trade ads of characters Bugs, Porky and Daffy, their heads bowed near a microphone and the word “Speechless”.
Animation In Universal Trailers
This week let’s look at some Universal animated sequences in trailers (and a title you’ve likely seen). Dave Fleischer likely had a hand in these various Universal sequences.
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]
