Vampires at Universal, 1930
After he took over the Oswald series, Walter Lantz sometimes worked nights at Universal, putting him in among the same late shift hours as the cast and crew of the classic movie, Drácula. Plus, a tribute to Lupita Tovar.
Animation Anecdotes #290
“David Hand remains an giant American who stepped down from his cloud and gave away the secrets of the biggest magic of all: animation.”
The Thanksgiving Playlist
However you celebrate Thanksgiving as a big cartoon fan, it’s always good to have a basic play list of Thanksgiving toons at your fingertips. Here’s mine.
Disney’s “The Grasshopper And The Ants” (1934)
Oh, the world owes us a livin’ in this week’s animation breakdown! Based on the Aesop’s fable, The Grasshopper and the Ants has become a Disney classic. Click here for more information.
Disney’s Original “Pete’s Dragon” (1977) on Records
Hopes were high for Disney’s third animated/live-action musical fantasy and the wide variety of recordings released were a big part of the pre-release excitement.
Disney’s “Servants’ Entrance” Sequence
The Disney studio produced another animated insert, for a Fox feature titled Servants’ Entrance. A thoroughly charming little picture—but quickly fell into obscurity after its initial release.
Forgotten Anime #44: “Cosmos Pink Shock” (1986)
Cosmos Pink Shock was a sci-fi comedy satirizing then-current anime – the kind of thing Project A-Ko did much better. I don’t think it was ever released in the United States.
Cereal Commercials from Japan
I’ve written about Japanese anime commercials in the past, but I never really looked into their cereal commercials. Here are some various advertising spots selling cereal sold in that country.
Animation Anecdotes #289
“No one will be exactly like Walt,” says Ward Kimball. “He came along with the right mind, at the right time, and he had the talent at just the right point in history. You can’t duplicate it.”
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]
