This branch of my web site is dedicated to sharing and preserving the history of film animation. So many great stories, people and treasures of art go by un-noticed by the media glut of today. We can still learn so much from those who came before us and paved the way for the exciting visions and creativity in modern animation and filmmaking. The purpose of this site is to highlight and appreciate the lost, the bizarre, the weird, the wonderful, the ups and downs of over 100 years of moving drawings and puppets.
Contributors to this site include Charles Phillips, Craig Baxter and Steve Stanchfield, all talented animators and afficianados of animation history.
Ray Harryhausen, Master of Stop-Motion Animation
LEE MISHKIN 1927-2001
On June 19, 2001 we lost a prestigious figure in the history of animation: Lee Mishkin. Lee suffered heart failure and died peacefully, with his family present, at a hospital in Seattle. He had just officially retired 6 weeks earlier from the last stage in his career, as a teacher and senior advisor at VanArts. Lee developed the curriculum for the classical animation program there, and got the ball rolling on an online animation training program still in production.
Lee has had the privilege of working alongside, and learning his craft from, some of the greatest artists of the Golden Age of Animation. His career began in 1949, working on Jay Ward’s ‘Crusader Rabbit’, the first animated series created specifically for television. Through the 50s and 60s Lee worked on theatrical series such as Casper The Friendly Ghost, Popeye, the Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol animated TV special, and the combination live-action/Animation Don Knotts comedy feature, "The Incredible Mr. Limpett."
In 1970, Lee animated and directed "Is it Always Right To Be Right?", which won the Academy-Award for Best Animated Short. While working in England Lee received the British Grierson Award for directing "Butterfly Ball", the first animated rock video. Lee has also received two Emmy nominations for co-writing and directing "Faeries", a CBS television special. Most notable among the numerous animated titles and inserts Lee has produced for television series and specials over the years, are the animated introduction to the cult-favorite Adam West "Batman" series. Lee has also co-directed one of the sequences in "Heavy Metal."
I had the privilege to study animation under Lee Mishkin. He had a great sense of humor and tons of good stories to tell. I was planning on interviewing him for this web site, but sadly was too late to do so. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Please check back again soon; this page is brand new and constantly growing!
