Teresa Cheng, the recently appointed Chair of the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts (Hench-DADA) at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, will be installed as the first chairholder of the John C. Hench Endowed Division Chair at a dedication scheduled for Wednesday, April 25, 2018, it was announced by Dean Elizabeth […]
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USC’s Teresa Cheng installed as First chairholder of Hench Endowed Division Chair
April 19th, 2018 
Jerry Beck 
Fred Crippen (1928-2018)
March 27th, 2018 Jerry Beck We are very sad to report (via USC’s Tom Sito) of the passing of animator Fred Crippen at age 90. Fred created the legendary TV cartoon series Roger Ramjet, and the very funny “Shorty and Cheap Chicken” commercials for National Lumber. He animated spots for Sesame Street, shorts for UPA and contributed to many classic […]
Silent Cartoon Restorations highlight “Animatus Eventus”
January 20th, 2018 Jerry Beck On Saturday, February 10th, 2018 at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 11th, 2018 at 2:00pm the Riverside Philharmonic Presents “Animatus Eventus” – an all animation program with live musical accompaniment by the Riverside Philharmonic. It will feature the premiere of Mark Watters’ original score for a newly restored Walt Disney’s silent short, Alice’s Little Parade (1926). […]
TRAILER: “Have A Nice Day”
December 6th, 2017 Jerry Beck The first US theatrical release for 2018 may well be the Chinese indie, Have A Nice Day. Strand Releasing will release animator Liu Jian’s neo-noir in New York (at the Village East Cinemas) on Friday January 26th, with LA right behind it on February 2nd at the Ahrya Fine Arts Cinema in Beverly Hills. The […]
TRAILER: “Hedgehogs”
December 6th, 2017 Jerry Beck Lest you think you’ve seen every 2017 theatrical animated release, along comes Lionsgate with its limited release next week of Hedgehogs. Directed by Jianming Huang, with a voice cast that includes Chevy Chase and Jon Hader, the Chinese import (originally announced as “Bobby The Hedgehog”) will be both in theaters and available On Demand (VOD […]
TRAILER: “Monster Family”
November 30th, 2017 Jerry Beck It’s already getting crowded next year in the world of animated features. Let’s now add the German-made Monster Family to the list of first quarter releases in 2018. Directed and produced by Holger Tappe, the man behind several knock-off animated films (Animals United, an ersatz Madagascar; The Snurks, a wannabe Shrek; and so on), comes […]
OPEN LETTER: Animation Insiders Demand a Change from Sexism and Harassment in the Animation Industry
October 19th, 2017 Leslie Combemale A letter was sent today by 217 women and non-gender conforming folk to over a dozen studios demanding change and an end to sexual harassment and sexism in the animation industry. Included on the list of recipients are executives at Disney, Sony Pictures Animation, Cartoon Network, DreamWorks Animation, and Warner Bros. Signatures are from people […]
Classic Cartoonists Illustrate New Popeye Energy Drink
October 13th, 2017 Fred Grandinetti Popeye the Sailor has been associated with food and beverage products since the 1930’s. His latest endeavor is an energy drink. The artwork on the cans are by veteran Thimble Theatre cartoonists, Doc Winner, Bela Zaboly and Bud Sagendorf. I spoke with the C.E.O. of Popeye Energy Drink, Popeye-fan Jeremy Todd. Fred Grandinetti: What is […]
George Pal and Puppetoons this week on TCM
October 6th, 2017 Jerry Beck Producer-Director Arnold Leibovit guest hosts on Turner Classic Movies with Ben Mankiewicz next Wednesday and Thursday Oct. 11th and Oct. 12th, 2017 introducing his films The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal and The Puppetoon Movie, both produced and directed by Leibovit, plus 8 George Pal features for this Special 2 Day Tribute. Pal was […]
Warner Archive Announces “Porky Pig 101” DVD Collection
August 16th, 2017 Jerry Beck Warner Archives has announced today the September 19th release for Porky Pig 101 – a unique 5-disc DVD set that collects 99 black-and-white Looney Tunes (and two Technicolor Merrie Melodies) starring Warner Bros. first cartoon superstar. The set includes cartoons dating from 1935 (with Porky’s first appearance in Friz Freleng’s I Haven’t Got A Hat) […]
Remembering June Foray
July 27th, 2017 Jim Korkis The world is much too quiet today with the passing of June Foray. Fortunately, she got a chance to catch a small glimpse of how much people loved her when she was the victim on December 30, 2016 of a fake news story that she had passed away. The instant flood of sincere appreciation for […]
WIA Partners with Schools to Give Students Early Access to Support
June 7th, 2017 Jerry Beck Women in Animation (WIA) has announced a first round of academic partnerships to encourage student participation in the WIA network of support. The School of Visual Arts (SVA) has aligned as both a corporate sponsor as well as a membership sponsor, and California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has agreed to be a membership sponsor […]
William Joyce to Direct Cirrina’s Debut Animated Feature “The Extincts”
May 24th, 2017 Jerry Beck Cirrina Studios, the recently launched entertainment finance, development and production company has announced its first animated feature film, The Extincts. Based on British writer Veronica Cossanteli’s popular middle grade novel of the same name, and adapted by David Lipman (producer, “Shrek 2”), the film will be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker and celebrated author/illustrator William “Bill” […]
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Tags: Cirrina Studios, Dwarf Animation Studios, William Joyce 
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Asifa-Hollywood To Give $160K To Animation-Based Programs & Events
May 10th, 2017 Jerry Beck This year, ASIFA-Hollywood, the world’s foremost professional, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the art of animation and celebrating the people who create it, has earmarked $160,000 for animation-based programs and events, including but not limited to ASIFA’s Animation Aid Foundation, $12,000; ASIFA Animation Educators Forum and its scholarship and faculty grants programs, $65,500; the Animated […]
TEASER POSTER: Wes Anderson’s “Isle Of Dogs”
April 25th, 2017 Jerry Beck Fox Searchlight has announced the release date and teaser poster for the upcoming stop motion film Isle Of Dogs, directed by Wes Anderson. Isle Of Dogs hits theaters everywhere on April 20th, 2018. Here’s the intriguing poster:
