Norman McCabe
Encyclopedia
Norman McCabe was an American animator who enjoyed a long career which lasted into the 1990s.
and raised in the United States
. In the mid-1930s, he joined Leon Schlesinger Productions
(which produced cartoons for Warner Bros.
) as an animator in Frank Tashlin
's unit. He moved over to Bob Clampett
's unit in 1938 where he animated and/or co-directed several classic black and white Looney Tunes
. When Tex Avery
left Schlesinger in 1941, Clampett took over Avery's unit and McCabe took over Clampett's old unit. In 1943, McCabe was drafted into the Army and was assigned to the Army Air Corps Training Film Unit (Tashlin took over McCabe's unit after McCabe's final cartoon). In his final Warner cartoon before he left (a black and white World War II-era cartoon called Tokio Jokio
), he was billed as "Cpl. Norman McCabe."
children's storybook records and educational films.
He returned to animation in 1963 joining DePatie-Freleng where he worked on the titles for the feature film The Pink Panther
. McCabe animated at DePatie-Freleng working on Pink Panther
cartoons as well as Warner Bros. cartoons. He also directed made for TV cartoons at DePatie-Freleng. During that time, he was usually credited as 'Norm Mccabe'
McCabe moved to the Filmation
animation studio in 1967 working on several Saturday Morning cartoon series. He returned to theatrical animation with the adult animated feature film Fritz the Cat
in 1972 before returning to DePatie-Freleng where he animated until the end of the 1970s.
In the 1980s, McCabe returned to Warner Bros.
where he worked on new animation for Warner cartoon feature film anthologies. He also trained a new generation of animators in working with the classic Warner cartoon characters.
to pass away.
, Confusions of a Nutzy Spy
, and Tokio Jokio
), he won recognition and accolades from those in the animation business.
Early career
McCabe was born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and raised in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the mid-1930s, he joined Leon Schlesinger Productions
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
(which produced cartoons for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
) as an animator in Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin, born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, also known as Tish Tash or Frank Tash was an American animator, screenwriter, and film director.-Animator:...
's unit. He moved over to Bob Clampett
Bob Clampett
Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
's unit in 1938 where he animated and/or co-directed several classic black and white Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
. When Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
left Schlesinger in 1941, Clampett took over Avery's unit and McCabe took over Clampett's old unit. In 1943, McCabe was drafted into the Army and was assigned to the Army Air Corps Training Film Unit (Tashlin took over McCabe's unit after McCabe's final cartoon). In his final Warner cartoon before he left (a black and white World War II-era cartoon called Tokio Jokio
Tokio Jokio
Tokio Jokio is a 1943 Looney Tunes short directed by Norman McCabe . It is a propaganda film made during World War II mocking Japan in the style of a supposed Japanese film journal broadcast...
), he was billed as "Cpl. Norman McCabe."
Post-World War II
After the war, McCabe worked on commercial illustrations for such works as the Bozo the ClownBozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown is a clown character very popular in the United States, peaking in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in early television.Originally created by Alan W...
children's storybook records and educational films.
He returned to animation in 1963 joining DePatie-Freleng where he worked on the titles for the feature film The Pink Panther
The Pink Panther (1963 film)
The Pink Panther is a 1963 American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and co-written by Edwards and Maurice Richlin, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale...
. McCabe animated at DePatie-Freleng working on Pink Panther
The Pink Panther (character)
The Pink Panther is the main and title character in the opening and closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. His popularity spawned a series of theatrical shorts, merchandise, a comic book, and television cartoons...
cartoons as well as Warner Bros. cartoons. He also directed made for TV cartoons at DePatie-Freleng. During that time, he was usually credited as 'Norm Mccabe'
McCabe moved to the Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
animation studio in 1967 working on several Saturday Morning cartoon series. He returned to theatrical animation with the adult animated feature film Fritz the Cat
Fritz the Cat (film)
Fritz the Cat is a 1972 American animated comedy film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi as his feature film debut. Based on the comic strip of the same name by Robert Crumb, the film was the first animated feature film to receive an X rating in the United States...
in 1972 before returning to DePatie-Freleng where he animated until the end of the 1970s.
In the 1980s, McCabe returned to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
where he worked on new animation for Warner cartoon feature film anthologies. He also trained a new generation of animators in working with the classic Warner cartoon characters.
Death
McCabe died in January 2006, the last surviving director from the golden age of Warner Bros. CartoonsWarner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
to pass away.
Legacy
Even though McCabe's work was largely forgotten because he never made color cartoons during the golden age of Warner Bros. cartoons and created several cartoons that would not be considered "politically correct" due to heavy racial stereotyping (particularly true in his World War II-based cartoons, such as The DucktatorsThe Ducktators
The Ducktators is a Looney Tunes black and white cartoon that was produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions and was released in 1942 by Warner Bros. Directed by Norman McCabe, the cartoon satirizes various events of World War II. The title is a pun on dictator.-Story:The cartoon takes place on a...
, Confusions of a Nutzy Spy
Confusions of a Nutzy Spy
-Introduction:Confusions of a Nutsy Spy is an early 1943 Looney Tunes cartoon starring Porky Pig. It is a WWII propaganda film that deals with Porky and his bloodhound that has sneezing problems trying to track down a Nazi spy caricature in the form of a lynx. Their goal is to stop him from...
, and Tokio Jokio
Tokio Jokio
Tokio Jokio is a 1943 Looney Tunes short directed by Norman McCabe . It is a propaganda film made during World War II mocking Japan in the style of a supposed Japanese film journal broadcast...
), he won recognition and accolades from those in the animation business.