Alex Anderson
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Alex" Anderson, Jr. (September 5, 1920 – October 22, 2010) was an American cartoonist
who created the characters of Rocky the Flying Squirrel
, Bullwinkle
, and Dudley Do-Right
, as well as the more obscure Crusader Rabbit
. He was not directly involved in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
however, because he did not want to move from San Francisco to Los Angeles
with business partner and childhood friend Jay Ward
. Ward recruited others in Los Angeles, and Anderson functioned only in a consulting role, thereby missing out on most of the credit for his creations.
since Ward had copyrighted the characters in Ward's name alone. Anderson is now acknowledged as creator of the characters. Ted Key
, creator of the comic strip Hazel, had a similar situation with his characters Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman.
Anderson died due to complications of Alzheimer's disease
at the age of 90 on October 22, 2010, at a nursing home in Carmel, California. He was the nephew of Terrytoons
creator Paul Terry
and had two sons, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
who created the characters of Rocky the Flying Squirrel
Rocky the Flying Squirrel
Rocket J. Squirrel, usually called by the nickname "Rocky", is the name of the flying squirrel protagonist of the 1959-1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show , produced by Jay Ward. Rocky's sidekick is the cartoon moose, Bullwinkle...
, Bullwinkle
Bullwinkle J. Moose
Bullwinkle J. Moose is a fictional character in the 1959–1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, often collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle, produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott...
, and Dudley Do-Right
Dudley Do-Right
Dudley Do-Right, created by Alex Anderson, is the eponymous hero of a segment on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show which parodied early 20th century melodrama and silent film in the form of the Northern genre....
, as well as the more obscure Crusader Rabbit
Crusader Rabbit
Crusader Rabbit is the first animated series produced specifically for television. The concept was test marketed in 1948, while the initial episode - Crusader vs. the State of Texas - aired on KNBH in Los Angeles, California on August 1, 1950....
. He was not directly involved in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959 to June 28, 1964 on the ABC and NBC television networks...
however, because he did not want to move from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with business partner and childhood friend Jay Ward
Jay Ward
J Troplong "Jay" Ward was an American creator and producer of animated television cartoons. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Peabody and Sherman, Hoppity Hooper, George of the Jungle, Tom Slick, and Super Chicken...
. Ward recruited others in Los Angeles, and Anderson functioned only in a consulting role, thereby missing out on most of the credit for his creations.
Biography
In 1996, Anderson settled legal action with Jay Ward ProductionsJay Ward Productions
Jay Ward Productions was an Amercian animated television cartoon series production company, founded in 1949 by American animator Jay Ward. It made extensive use of limited animation techniques....
since Ward had copyrighted the characters in Ward's name alone. Anderson is now acknowledged as creator of the characters. Ted Key
Ted Key
Ted Key, born Theodore Keyser , was an American cartoonist and writer. He is best known as the creator of the cartoon series Hazel.-College to cartoons:...
, creator of the comic strip Hazel, had a similar situation with his characters Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman.
Anderson died due to complications of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
at the age of 90 on October 22, 2010, at a nursing home in Carmel, California. He was the nephew of Terrytoons
Terrytoons
Terrytoons was an animation studio founded by Paul Terry. The studio, located in suburban New Rochelle, New York, operated from 1929 to 1968. Its most popular characters included Mighty Mouse, Gandy Goose, Sourpuss, Dinky Duck, Deputy Dawg, Luno and Heckle and Jeckle; these cartoons and all of its...
creator Paul Terry
Paul Terry (cartoonist)
Paul Houlton Terry was an American cartoonist, screenwriter, film director and one of the most prolific film producers in history...
and had two sons, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
External links
- Interview with Alex Anderson
- Alex Anderson interview at Archive of American TelevisionArchive of American TelevisionThe Archive of American Television is a division of the non-profit Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation that films interviews with notable people from all aspects of the television industry....
- "Alexander Anderson Jr., creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle,' dies at 90" - obituary in The Monterey County HeraldThe Monterey County HeraldThe Monterey County Herald, sometimes referred to as the Monterey Herald, is the major daily newspaper published in Monterey, California, and serving Monterey County. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...