“Betty Boop at 16” Fleischer Promo Art #21
Continuing my postings of these rare Fleischer Studio promotional illustrations – this time from the November and December 1937 issues of in-house trade publication Paramount Sales News. As the panels…
My Top Ten Anime Features – In Conclusion
For the last six columns, I have listed what I admit are my 15 favorite Japanese anime features, as distinct from trying to figure out what the 15 “Best” might…
American Cartoon Stars in Japanese Commercials
Editor’s Note: Mike Kazaleh is taking a well-earned break this week, traveling back to his home town in Detroit. In his place today our colleague Charles Brubaker steps in with…
Animation Anecdotes #184
Designing Penelope Pitstop. The female Wacky Racer Penelope Pitstop was a last minute addition to the cast. “I remember sitting in my office while Joe (Barbera) was in a meeting…
Castle Films and Kiko The Kangaroo
This week I’ve uploaded a neat curio: A Castle Films promotional film from 1943, featuring Eugene Castle himself and radio-and-movie star Lew Lehr. It’s an odd little promotional film, but…
DePatie Freleng’s “The Dogfather”
DePatie-Freleng was an oddity in the 1970s animation industry. They were the last to produce short films for theaters. Indeed, after Walter Lantz shut down his studio in 1972, they…
Harvey Comics on Records
Find out what Casper the Friendly Ghost has in common with Elizabeth Taylor, Sandra Dee and Ajax Detergent — and celebrate the only Harvey/Famous cartoon soundtrack album ever released! THE…
“Tha’s A Fack!” Fleischer Promo Art #20
This week we look at the seven pieces of Fleischer promotional art that appeared in Paramount Sales News from May through Oct. 1937. Only seven? For the first time since…
My Top Ten Anime Features – Continued (Part 6)
My “Top Ten” anime choices have become a “Top 15” (ten, plus five runner-ups). Here are two more I have to add to the list: 14. Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ At…
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 Cal Arts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [Click Here]
