Walt Disney’s Music Cavalcade: A Documentary on Records
In honor of Walt’s birthday this Dec. 5, here is the story behind Bob Thomas’ book, Disneyland Records’ first compilation album and a key player in both, Jimmy Johnson.
Beyond Famous: Paramount’s Animated Films 1968 Onward
This week a post-script to the series I’d been placing in this space since June – an attempt to list what animated films Paramount Pictures released since closing their in-house studio in 1967.
Pinocchio in Animation – Part 1
The earliest movie that I can remember seeing was Walt Disney’s Pinocchio, in its October 1945 re-release when I was 4 years old. So I have always had an interest…
Carl Laemmle Opens Universal City, 1915
When the day was over, a pall had been cast over the studio. Perhaps the karmic fate of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit had been foreshadowed too.
Animation Anecdotes #239
June Foray’s earliest cartoons; Hawley Pratt; Jeffery Katzenberg; Bob Clampett; Hayao Miyazaki and more – in today’s collection of anecdotes.
The Third Annual Thunderbean Thanksgiving
I got an email from Jerry earlier today, asking if I’d be doing a third annual Thunderbean Thanksgiving. To be honest, I hadn’t given it a lot of thought until…
Walter Lantz “Barber Of Seville” (1944)
Today’s Thanksgiving feature is Shamus Culhane’s first Woody Woodpecker! “Seville” marked the first appearance of a polished incarnation of Woody, designed by animator Emery Hawkins and layout artist Art Heinemann.
Bugs Bunny’s High-Fructose Christmas Record
Mel Blanc as the “nice Bugs” of the 1970’s and a star-studded Looney Tunes cast celebrate Christmas in stereo for the first and only time on this Peter Pan LP.
Paramount Cartoons 1966-67
The 1966-67 season marked the end of an era. But before the doors closed, Shamus Culhane and Ralph Bakshi tried to bring a fresh sense of innovation to the studio with Merry Makers, Fractured Fables and Go-Go Toons.
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]
