Myron Waldman
Encyclopedia
Myron Waldman was an American
animator
, best known for his work at Fleischer Studio.
Waldman was born in Brooklyn
, New York
. He was a graduate of the Pratt Institute
, where he majored in Art. He started his first career work in 1930 at Fleischer Studio. At Fleischer he worked on Betty Boop
, Raggedy Ann
, Gulliver's Travels
, the animated adaptations of Superman
, and Popeye
. He was head animator on two Academy Award nominated shorts, Educated Fish (1937) and Hunky and Spunky (1939).
Waldman made the transition when Fleischer Studios was foreclosed on by Paramount Pictures
and reorganized as Famous Studios
in 1942. At Famous he worked mostly on the Casper the Friendly Ghost
series. In 1958 he left Famous to become an animation director at Hal Seeger Productions
where he worked on the revival of the Out of the Inkwell
series, as well as Milton the Monster
, until his retirement in 1968.
Outside of animation, Waldman partnered with writer Steve Carlin in 1940 to produce the Happy the Humbug comic strip
. He also created one of the first graphic novel
s, Eve: A Pictorial Love Story(1943).
In 1986 Waldman received the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Award, and in 1997 was given the Winsor McCay Award
for his lifetime work in the field of animation. Waldman died of congestive heart failure
at the age of 97 in Bethpage, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 at Fleischer Studio.
Waldman was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was a graduate of the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, where he majored in Art. He started his first career work in 1930 at Fleischer Studio. At Fleischer he worked on Betty Boop
Betty Boop
Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in...
, Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann is a fictional character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose...
, Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels (1939 film)
Gulliver's Travels is a 1939 American cel-animated Technicolor feature film, directed by Dave Fleischer and produced by Max Fleischer for Fleischer Studios. The film was released on Friday, December 22, 1939 by Paramount Pictures, who had the feature produced as an answer to the success of Walt...
, the animated adaptations of Superman
Superman (1940s cartoons)
The Fleischer & Famous Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman....
, and Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
. He was head animator on two Academy Award nominated shorts, Educated Fish (1937) and Hunky and Spunky (1939).
Waldman made the transition when Fleischer Studios was foreclosed on by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and reorganized as Famous Studios
Famous Studios
Famous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
in 1942. At Famous he worked mostly on the Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable...
series. In 1958 he left Famous to become an animation director at Hal Seeger Productions
Hal Seeger
Harold "Hal" Seeger was an animated cartoon producer and director who owned his own studio the Hal Seeger Studio ....
where he worked on the revival of the Out of the Inkwell
Out of the Inkwell
Out of the Inkwell was a major animated series of the silent era produced by Max Fleischer from 1918 to 1929.The series was the result of three short experimental films that Max Fleischer independently produced in the period of 1914-1916 to demonstrate his invention, the Rotoscope, which was a...
series, as well as Milton the Monster
Milton the Monster
Milton the Monster, also called The Milton the Monster Show was an American animated cartoon TV series that ran on ABC from October 9, 1965, to September 7, 1968...
, until his retirement in 1968.
Outside of animation, Waldman partnered with writer Steve Carlin in 1940 to produce the Happy the Humbug 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....
. He also created one of the first graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, Eve: A Pictorial Love Story(1943).
In 1986 Waldman received the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Award, and in 1997 was given the Winsor McCay Award
Winsor McCay Award
The Winsor McCay Award is given to individuals in recognition of lifetime or career contributions in animation. The award is presented at the annual Annie Awards, presented by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood...
for his lifetime work in the field of animation. Waldman died of congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
at the age of 97 in Bethpage, New York
Bethpage, New York
Bethpage is a hamlet located on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States, as well as a census-designated place with borders slightly different from those of the hamlet...
.
Selected filmography (animator)
- 1949 A Haunting We Will Go
- 1943 The Mummy Strikes
- 1942 Japoteurs
- 1942 Billion Dollar Limited
- 1942 The Magnetic Telescope
- 1941 Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy
- 1939 Rhythm on the ReservationRhythm on the ReservationRhythm on the Reservation is a 1939 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Betty Boop's Swing Band visits an Indian reservation. The Indians borrow all the musical instruments, but not knowing their real purpose, they find odd uses for them...
- 1939 The Barnyard Brat
- 1938 Riding the RailsRiding the RailsRiding the Rails is a 1938 Fleischer Studios animated short film featuring Betty Boop and Pudgy the Pup. Although some sources claim that this film was nominated for an Academy Award, it does not appear i the official Academy Awards database....
- 1938 The Playful Polar Bears
- 1936 Betty Boop and the Little KingBetty Boop and the Little KingBetty Boop and the Little King is a 1936 Fleischer Studio animated short film, starring Betty Boop and featuring Otto Soglow's Little King.-Plot:...
- 1935 Betty Boop with Henry, the Funniest Living AmericanBetty Boop with Henry, the Funniest Living AmericanBetty Boop with Henry, the Funniest Living American is a 1935 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Carl Anderson's Henry. The short was also released as Betty Boop with Henry.-Plot:...
- 1934 Betty Boop's TrialBetty Boop's TrialBetty Boop's Trial is a 1934 Fleischer Studios animated short film, starring Betty Boop.-Plot:When handsome motorcycle police officer Freddy pursues Betty, she accidentally breaks the speed limit. Freddy is forced to arrest her and take her to traffic court...
- 1934 Betty Boop's Little PalBetty Boop's Little PalBetty Boop's Little Pal is a 1934 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, and featuring Pudgy .-Plot:...
- 1934 Betty Boop's Prize ShowBetty Boop's Prize ShowBetty Boop's Prize Show is a 1934 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Plot:Betty and her boyfriend Freddy are appearing on stage at the Slumberland Theatre. Betty is the school marm in an old style melodrama, and Freddy is the dashing hero, who rescues her from the clutches...
- 1933 Betty Boop's Birthday PartyBetty Boop's Birthday PartyBetty Boop's Birthday Party is a 1933 Fleischer Studio animated short film, starring Betty Boop and featuring Koko the Clown and Bimbo.-Plot:...
- 1933 Betty Boop's Hallowe'en PartyBetty Boop's Hallowe'en PartyBetty Boop's Hallowe'en Party is a 1933 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Plot:It's Hallowe'en, and Jack Frost covers the fields with frost. A chilly scarecrow plucks a wind-blown piece of paper out of the air; it's an invitation to Betty's Hallowe'en party...