Bob Kuwahara
Encyclopedia
Rokuro "Bob" Kuwahara was a Japan
ese-born American
animator
best known for his work with Walt Disney
and Terrytoons
between the 1930s and 1960s.
Kuwahara was born in Tokyo
on August 12, 1901, and his family moved to the United States
in 1910, where he graduated from Los Angeles Polytechnic High School in 1921. After high school he attended the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles until 1928. In 1929 Kuwahara moved to New York City
to work as a commercial artist, but the stock market crash later that year forced him to return to Los Angeles.
In 1932 Kuwahara began working as an animator and writer for Walt Disney, where he had a hand in shorts like Thru the Mirror
and the Academy Award
-nominated Who Killed Cock Robin?, as well as the feature-length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
. In 1937 Kuwahara went to work for MGM, but later spent three years in the Heart Mountain internment camp during World War II
.
In 1945 Kuwahara and his family moved to Larchmont, New York
where he wrote and drew a comic strip
called Miki
for five years before low circulation forced him to drop the strip. In 1950 Kuwahara returned to animation, signing on with Paul Terry
's Terrytoons
studio, and stayed with the studio following CBS
' purchase of the studio in 1955. In 1959 Kuwahara wrote and directed the first of 14 Hashimoto-san
theatrical shorts, for which he is probably best remembered today. Production of these shorts continued until 1963, after which time they were incorporated into CBS' The Hector Heathcote Show. During the same period Kuwahara was also a director for the popular Deputy Dawg
series. Kuwahara's final TV series was 1965's syndicated The Astronut Show
.
Kuwahara died in 1964. He was survived by a wife, Julia (1904–1996), and two sons, Denis and Michel.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-born American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
best known for his work with Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and 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...
between the 1930s and 1960s.
Kuwahara was born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
on August 12, 1901, and his family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1910, where he graduated from Los Angeles Polytechnic High School in 1921. After high school he attended the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles until 1928. In 1929 Kuwahara moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to work as a commercial artist, but the stock market crash later that year forced him to return to Los Angeles.
In 1932 Kuwahara began working as an animator and writer for Walt Disney, where he had a hand in shorts like Thru the Mirror
Thru the Mirror
Thru the Mirror is a Mickey Mouse cartoon short film produced by Walt Disney Productions, released by United Artists in 1936. In this cartoon short, Mickey has a Through the Looking-Glass-type dream that he travels through his mirror and enter a topsy-turvy world where everything is alive...
and the Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-nominated Who Killed Cock Robin?, as well as the feature-length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
. In 1937 Kuwahara went to work for MGM, but later spent three years in the Heart Mountain internment camp during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1945 Kuwahara and his family moved to Larchmont, New York
Larchmont, New York
Larchmont is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,864 at the 2010 census. It is located within the town of Mamaroneck, on the shore of Long Island Sound, northeast of Midtown Manhattan...
where he wrote and drew a comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
called Miki
Miki
mikiMiki may refer to:-Places:*Myki, Greece, a village in the Xanthi Prefecture, Greece*Miki, Hyogo, a city northwest of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan; location of former Miki Castle, which was conquered in the Siege of Miki 1578–1580...
for five years before low circulation forced him to drop the strip. In 1950 Kuwahara returned to animation, signing on with 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...
's 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...
studio, and stayed with the studio following CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' purchase of the studio in 1955. In 1959 Kuwahara wrote and directed the first of 14 Hashimoto-san
Hashimoto-san
Hashimoto-san was an animated Japanese mouse created by the Japanese-born animator Bob Kuwahara for the Terrytoons animation company.The first cartoon in the series, Hashimoto-san, was a seven-minute short released theatrically on September 6, 1959. The final cartoon, Spooky-Yaki, was released on...
theatrical shorts, for which he is probably best remembered today. Production of these shorts continued until 1963, after which time they were incorporated into CBS' The Hector Heathcote Show. During the same period Kuwahara was also a director for the popular Deputy Dawg
Deputy Dawg
Deputy Dawg is a Terrytoons cartoon character featured on the animated television series of the same name in an original TV weekly run from 8 September 1962 to 25 May 1963, with no episodes on 8 December to 29 December 1962, resuming on 5 January 1963. The cartoons are between four and six minutes...
series. Kuwahara's final TV series was 1965's syndicated The Astronut Show
The Astronut Show
The Astronut Show was a syndicated animated television series produced by the Terrytoons animation studio. It first aired on August 23, 1965. Each episode included an episode of Astronut and Luno The White Stallion, plus another cartoon from the Terrytoons stable.Astronut first appeared on the...
.
Kuwahara died in 1964. He was survived by a wife, Julia (1904–1996), and two sons, Denis and Michel.