UPA’s Mr. Magoo in “Grizzley Golfer” (1951)
What’s that? A UPA draft, featuring Mister Magoo? This draft for Grizzly Golfer was sourced from the papers of Pete Burness; however, the document has only partial animator credits.
Top Ten Cartoon Single Records (Part 1)
This week, we look at the first five out of my personal ten best cartoon-related 78 and 45 RPM singles of all time. Feel free to differ with the subjective musings of your humble Animation Spinner.
Chatting with Curt Perkins and Lee Halpern
Today’s Golden Awards interviews are with two animation veterans who have been largely lost to animation history, Curtiss D. Perkins and Lee Halpern.
“Forgotten” OAVs #16: “Ultimate Teacher” (1988)
Anime fandom didn’t really know what to make of this gonzo comedy, but it was generally dismissed as too far-out, too in-your-face and quite adult (or at least, raunchy adolescent).
The Birth of a Toothpick, 1939
Burt Gillett made a lost classic that very few are aware of, being the oddball entry within a short-lived animated series, but here’s betting you enjoy watching his delusional hero voiced by Mel Blanc.
Animation Anecdotes #260
Mort Drucker on animation: “A good commercial depends wholly on the animators. They can ruin it or make it successful. It’s very important that a cartoon flows well.”
Cel Animated Phillips Ads: “The Magic Music” and “Dreamland”
This week’s films are for the animation fan who has seen everything – but not these! Here are some interesting little ads produced in Holland by Marten Toonder’s animation studio.
Walt Disney’s “Don Donald” (1937)
This week’s breakdown profiles Donald Duck’s first official solo cartoon. As you will see, the story for Don Donald was originally conceived as a Silly Symphony cartoon.
Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh & The Honey Tree” on Records
The first installment of Walt Disney’s Pooh short trilogy was released 50 years ago, so let’s take a Spin with Pooh and his friends on his first Disneyland vinyl releases.
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]
