“Crayon Shin Chan” (1992)
Standards on what is acceptable and what is not in children’s entertainment is always a headache, at least in America. In Japan, standards tend to be far looser than out…
Terrytoons on Records
Two vintage RCA albums span nearly 30 years of Terrytoon shorts, capturing the transition of the studio from a traditional to modern approach. TV TERRYTOON CARTOON TIME A Junior Original…
Paramount Sales News #38: “Pest Pilot”
The hawking of Popeye’s Navy pictures is now in full-swing. At this point, the sales department gave up on putting a positive spin on the Fleischers’ original characters and concepts….
French Animated Features – Part 15: 2013
This is the 15th installment of my survey of French animated features – this week a look at the features released in 2013, with films by new breed of diverse…
In His Own Words: Dave Bennett on Disney’s “Orange Bird”
The little Florida Orange Bird was developed as part of a commercial sponsorship agreement between the Disney Company and the Florida Orange Growers in 1967. The bird was to be…
Animation Anecdotes #199
Chuck Down Under. On November 13 1992, animation producer and director Chuck Jones went to Sydney, Australia as a special guest speaker at The Bulletin Black and White Artists’ Awards…
Billy Bletcher and “The Fresh Lobster” (1928)
I’ve always wondered who animated the sequences in The Fresh Lobster (1928). This odd short stars a sadly silent Billy Bletcher, who has a surreal nightmare after snacking too late….
A Lesson In Love: “Cupid Gets His Man” (1936)
It’s almost that time again…Valentine’s Day. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a wondrous holiday filled with cards, candies and dates, or a miserable day to stew in your…
101 Dalmatians on Records
A look at how the 1961 feature sent Disney’s animation studio—and its record company—careening into the 1960’s with fresh techniques and lower budgets. Walt Disney Presents 101 DALMATIANS in Story…
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]
