Volus Jones
Encyclopedia
Volus Carson Jones was an American
animator
. He was best known for his work at the Disney cartoon studio, but amassed credits at numerous other studios including Warner Bros. Cartoons
, Harman-Ising Productions
, Walter Lantz Productions, Format Films
, Hanna-Barbera
, Famous Studios
and UPA
.
, earning him the nickname "The Duck Man" from his colleagues. He was one of the many animators that took part in the Disney animators' strike
of 1941, although unlike a number of his colleagues he remained at the studio for some time afterwards, eventually leaving the company in 1956.
He spent the next few years working at various studios, and had a spell as an animation director on the early-1960s Popeye, working under former Disney colleague Jack Kinney
. In 1967 he arrived at the newly re-opened Warner Bros. studio, but left along with director Alex Lovy
the following year, and followed Lovy to the Hanna-Barbera studios. After three years at Hanna-Barbera, Jones went to work for the Walter Lantz
studio, but left after just a year when the studio shut down production for good in 1972.
Following the closure of Lantz's studio, Jones worked as a freelancer for the remainder of his career. The vast majority of his work was for his previous employers, Hanna-Barbera, but he also animated on the films Heavy Traffic
and The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
. His last screen credit was as a director on Challenge of the GoBots
in 1985.
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...
. He was best known for his work at the Disney cartoon studio, but amassed credits at numerous other studios including Warner Bros. Cartoons
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...
, Harman-Ising Productions
Harman and Ising
Hugh Harman and Rudolf "Rudy" Ising were an American animation team best known for founding the Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation studios...
, Walter Lantz Productions, Format Films
Format Films
Format Films was a television animation studio which was founded by Herbert Klynn in 1959 with Jules Engel as vice president, Herb McIntosh and Joseph Mugnaini. It was most active during the 1960s, producing episodes of The Alvin Show, Popeye, and The Lone Ranger...
, Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
, 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...
and UPA
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
.
Career
Jones started his career at Disney, first as an in-between artist before graduating to full animator status in the late 1930s. During his time at the studio he became something of a specialist in animating Donald DuckDonald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
, earning him the nickname "The Duck Man" from his colleagues. He was one of the many animators that took part in the Disney animators' strike
Disney animators' strike
The Disney animators' strike was a labor strike by the animators of Walt Disney Studios in 1941.-History:The 1930s led to a rise of labor unions in motion pictures as in other industries such as The Screen Actors Guild which was formed in 1933. Animators of Fleischer Studios went on strike in 1937...
of 1941, although unlike a number of his colleagues he remained at the studio for some time afterwards, eventually leaving the company in 1956.
He spent the next few years working at various studios, and had a spell as an animation director on the early-1960s Popeye, working under former Disney colleague Jack Kinney
Jack Kinney
Jack Ryan Kinney was an American animator, director and producer of animated shorts.Jack Kinney attended John Muir Junior High School in Los Angeles, California , and attended John C. Fremont High School there with Roy Williams...
. In 1967 he arrived at the newly re-opened Warner Bros. studio, but left along with director Alex Lovy
Alex Lovy
Alex Lovy was an American animator, who spent the majority of his career as an animator and director at Walter Lantz Productions, later being a producer at Hanna-Barbera, and also supervising the cartoon unit at Warner Bros...
the following year, and followed Lovy to the Hanna-Barbera studios. After three years at Hanna-Barbera, Jones went to work for the Walter Lantz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
studio, but left after just a year when the studio shut down production for good in 1972.
Following the closure of Lantz's studio, Jones worked as a freelancer for the remainder of his career. The vast majority of his work was for his previous employers, Hanna-Barbera, but he also animated on the films Heavy Traffic
Heavy Traffic
Heavy Traffic is a 1973 American animated film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi. The film, which begins, ends, and occasionally combines with live-action, explores the often surreal fantasies of a young New York cartoonist named Michael Corleone, using pinball imagery as a metaphor for...
and The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat is a 1974 animated film directed by Robert Taylor. It is an adult animation featuring a series of drug-induced vignettes both related and unrelated to life in the 1970s. Starring Skip Hinnant as the voice of the titular feline protagonist, the film is a sequel to...
. His last screen credit was as a director on Challenge of the GoBots
Challenge of the GoBots
Challenge of the GoBots is an American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, based on the Gobots toy-line released from Tonka. Most of the toys were imported from the Japanese Machine Robo toy line. The show originally debuted in animated form as a five-part miniseries, which aired in...
in 1985.