“Cartoon Modern” takes a witty & informed look back at animation’s not-so-distant past

Jim Hill

17 years ago

This past Friday, Amid Amidi (Who — along with noted animation historian Jerry Beck — rides herd on the always-entertaining-and-informative Cartoon Brew) was singled out for a pretty amazing honor.

You see, the Theatre Library Association declared that Amid’s latest book — “Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation” (Chronicles Book, August 2006) — to be 2006’s Best Book about Film, Television and Radio.

And as I read this handsome 200-page hardcover yesterday, I could understand why the TLA would single “Cartoon Modern” out for recognition. For not only is this book beautifully designed, but it also tells a compelling story about a crucial though often ignored era in animation history.

Though — truth be told — the seeds for the explosion of stylized animation in the 1950s were actually sewn back in 1941. Back when hundreds of artists and animators walked in that infamous picket line just outside the gates of Walt Disney Studios.

In the weeks, months and years that followed this bitter strike, dozens of talented employees wandered away from the Mouse Factory. People like animation pioneer John Hubley, who had grown tired of Disney’s rigid house style and longed to try something new.

So — joining together with other Mouse House ex-patriots like Bill Hurtz — Hubley helped form United Productions of America (UPA), an animation studio that was known for its flat, modernistic style. Which would then go on to have a huge impact on Toontown for the next decade or so.

And UPA … It turned out dozens of delightful little films. Including charmers like that studio’s 1953 short, “The Unicorn in the Garden.” Not to mention hundreds of television commercials that are sure to be familiar to all you baby boomers out there. Take — for example — those ads where Marky, that obnoxious little cowboy, cried “I want my Maypo !“

But Hubley … He dreamed bigger than that. John wanted one day to do just what Walt did. Which was create full-length animated features.

Mind you, Hubley came pretty close to achieving this dream. In the mid-1950s, John started work on an animated version of the Broadway hit, “Finian’s Rainbow.” Characters for the film were designed and Hubley even went so far as to hire Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to provide voices for the picture. But then John ran afoul of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). And — as a direct result of this unfortunate event — the financing for “Finian’s Rainbow” fell apart and this ambitious animated feature was never completed.

That’s the beauty of “Cartoon Modern.” Amid’s ability to ferret out great untold stories like this. Or notice something that hadn’t really been noticed before. By that I mean: Check out this concept drawing that Ed Benedict did for Hanna Barbera back in the 1950s. Back when Quick Draw McGraw‘s sidekick’s name wasn’t called Baba Looey. But — rather — Poco.

Mind you, there’s lots of great Disney-related stories to be found in this book as well. One of my favorites deals with how animation designer Tom Oreb basically “borrowed” the look of Samson (I.E. Prince Phillip’s horse in “Sleeping Beauty“) from earlier equines that noted British illustrator Ronald Searle had drawn.

As the story goes, Searle dropped by Disney Studios in 1957 after production of this animated feature had officially gotten underway. And as Ron toured the animation building, he came across the office that Tom was sharing with Victor Haboush, another animation designer at that studio. And then (As Victor tells this tale) …

It was just Tommy and I in this room, and Tommy had all the character drawings on the wall … Ronald Searle came in with an entourage … (Searle) didn’t say a word, he just walked around the room, looking at everything. Everybody had left before him and (Ronald) just lingered at the door, stuck his long finger out, pointed at his horse, said to Tommy ‘My horse,’ and walked out. And Tom fell off his stool. He loved that.

You may also learn some other things about the Mouse House that you never knew before. Like how Walt hated the look of “101 Dalmatians.” So much so that Disney didn’t speak to Ken Anderson (I.E. The art director of that 1961 animated feature) for a year after this film’s release. And the resulting stress caused Ken to suffer two strokes in 1962.

This is the sort of stuff that you’ll learn as you read through “Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation.” Which has page after page of beautiful illustrations that pay tribute to all of the studios and/or individuals who helped make this artistic revolution happen. Not to mention Amid’s informed & often quite witty observations.

So if you’re an animation fan and/or would like to learn about this very under-reported era in animation history, then you have to pick up a copy of the TLA’s choice for the Best Book about Film, Television and Radio for 2006. For “Cartoon Modern” really is this wonderful look back at animation’s not-so-distant past.

Your thoughts ?