Sunday, July 31, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Sunday July 21st. 2011

1995- The Walt Disney Company bought the ABC Network, the Discovery Channel and ESPN. New competitor Dreamworks had been negotiating with ABC for a string of animated TV series. Now by this one move, they were outmaneuvered by Disney.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Saturday July 30th

Lawrence Fishburne born. He did the voice of Thrax in the animated film Osmosis Jones.


1932-Walt Disney’s “Flowers and Trees” the first Technicolor Cartoon. Disney had worked out a deal with Technicolor creator Herbert Kalmus to use his technique exclusively for two years to show larger Hollywood studios its quality.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Weds July 27th, 2011

David Swift born. Former Disney assistant animator, turned director of the Haley Mills Disney films like The Parent Trap

1940- HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUGS BUNNY. Warners short-"A Wild Hare”-There were several earlier prototypes of the famous rabbit, white with a different voice, but this is the short that launched his career. Bugs says “Whats Up Doc?” for the first time, co-opting a line uttered by Clark Gable while chewing a carrot in the Frank Capra film “It Happened One Night”.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Sunday July 24th

1948-HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARVIN THE MARTIAN- Warner's "Haredevil Hare" featuring the first Marvin the Martian.

1980- In London’s Dorchester Hotel, comedian and actor Peter Sellers died of a heart attack. He was 46.

1985-Walt Disney's "The Black Cauldron" premiered.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Weds July 20th

Harrison Ellenshaw born- Effects artist and Art Director.

1946-Bob Clampett's Looney Tune short The Great Piggybank Robbery premiered.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Sunday July 17th

Phyllis Diller is 94! She did a voice in Pixars A Bugs Life.

1841 - British humor and cartoon magazine "Punch" 1st published.

1955 DISNEYLAND OPENED- Walt Disney's dream of a perfect family amusement park, called 'The Happiest Place on Earth" was declared open with movie celebrities like Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter and the Mouseketeers in attendance. Walt Disney expected to get 10,000 visitors that first day. They got 100,000. Facilities broke down from the huge crowds and the haste with which the park was built. Concrete pavement which was poured the night before was still soft under people's feet, there were no working water fountains and the car parking was a nightmare. To the Disneyland workers opening day was nicknamed 'Black Sunday". Despite all, Disneyland became a huge success.

1968- The Beatles musical cartoon feature The Yellow Submarine premiered in London’s Piccadilly Circus. Look Out ! It’s the Blue Meanies!!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Saturday July 16th

Andrea Del Sarto, Sir Joshua Reynolds born.


1954- Groundbreaking for the construction of Disneyland."I first saw the site for Disneyland back in 1953, In those days it was all flat land - no rivers, no mountains, no castles or rocket ships - just orange groves, and a few acres of walnut trees." -Walt Disney


1964 Warner Brothers "A False Hare", the last Bugs Bunny theatrical short until 1985.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Birthdays: Rembrandt van Rijn, Inigo Jones


1938- Popeye cartoon "With the Jeep" introduced Eugene the Jeep. The funny little character later gave it’s name to the army’s new General Purpose Vehicle, the G.P. or Jeep.

1941- President Franklin Roosevelt sent federal mediator Stanley White to try and solve the labor strike between Walt Disney and his cartoonists.

1971- Producer Steve Krantz, husband of novelist Judith Krantz, announced the production of the first X-rated cartoon, Fritz the Cat, to be directed by newcomer Ralph Bakshi.

1982-Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke. Coke officials are proud of the fact that within a year it's sales top that of Tab, but Tab was owned by Coke as well. ( duh..?)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Thurs July 14th

Actor Terry Thomas born, who did voices in several Disney films like Robin Hood

Joel Silver, who produced Animatrix for the Matrix series, and did a voice on the WB film Osmosis Jones


1933- "Well Blow Me Down"- Max Fleischer's first "Popeye the Sailor" cartoon debuted. Vaudvillian Red Pepper Sam provided his salty mumbles throughout the post-sync track. When Sam asked for more money than Max Fleischer thought he was worth, he replaced him with assistant animator Jack Mercer, who was the voice ever after.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Weds July 13th

Cheech Marin born.He did voices on The Lion King, Cars and Cars 2 and Oliver and Company.

Film special effects artist Jim Danforth.

Dr. Erno Rubik inventor of the Rubik’s Cube.

Patrick Stewart is 70,who has done voices in Dreamworks The Prince of Egypt

Tom Kenny the voice of Spongebob Squarepants is 49
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1925- Walt Disney and Lillian Bounds marry. Lillian was one of the first female animation ink & paint artists.

1953- Chuck Jones began a four month stint working at Walt Disney Studios. Walt showed him around the studio and asked him what job he'd like. Chuck replied:" Honestly Walt, the only job I'd want here is yours!"

Monday, July 11, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Monday July 11th

1991- Disney announced it would enter into a distribution deal with a Bay area digital offshoot of Lucasfilm named PIXAR. Hit films including Toy Story, Monsters Inc. Finding Nemo and UP! are the result.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Saturday July 9th

Tom Hanks is 55, the voice of Woody in Toy Story.


1981 - Walt Disney's the "Fox & The Hound," released. The first film Walt Disney had no influence on. Although the film has brief screen credits, it marks the torch being passed from the Nine Old Men golden age generation to the modern generation of animators. A complete personnel roster would include Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston,Woolie Reitherman, Tim Burton, John Lasseter, Bill Kroyer, Don Bluth, Lorna Cook, Henry Sellick, Brad, Bird, Steve Hulett, John Musker, Jerry Reese, Glen Keane and many more.

1993- Industrial Light & Magic completes it’s transition to digital technology by shutting down it’s Anderson Optical Printer. The Optical Printer system of mattes had been the way Motion Picture visual effects had been done since Melies in 1909, but the Digital Revolution had changed everything.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Weds. July 6th

Sebastian Cabot born- the voice of Bageera in Junhgle Book

Sylvester Stallone is born, who did a voice in Dreamworks ANTZ.

Ned Beatty was born, who did the voice of the evil bear in Toy Story III.


1957-Chuck Jones short "What’s Opera, Doc?" debuts. “Kill da wa-bitt, kill da wa-bitt..."

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Animation Fun Facts for Saturday July 2nd

UPA animator Abe Levitow. Director of Mr Magoo's Xmas Carol (1961)

1935- Nine Old Man John Lounseberry's first day at the Walt Disney Studio.

1986- Walt Disney's The Great Mouse Detective premiered in theaters.