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5 Artists Who Brought Animation to Life – What do Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo, and Woody all have in common? The answer is they were all brought to life by some of the world’s most famous animators. These animators painstakingly created their characters with multiple images or frames. The frames gave the images an illusion of movement, which is called animation. In the earliest days of animation, these images were all drawn by hand.
Do you know these 5 artists who brought animation to life so we could enjoy our favorite characters?
1. Walt Disney
Known as the king of 20th-century animation, Walt Disney produced one of our most beloved animated characters, Mickey Mouse. Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928. He also created a short film with sound called Steamboat Willie. It premiered on November 18, 1928, and debuted Mickey Mouse. Soon, Disney created Mickey’s friends: Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, and others. In the years that followed, Walt Disney Studios created many other characters. Some of the most famous characters produced here include the Disney Princesses: Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, and Mulan.
2. Friz Freleng
Most people are familiar with the Looney Tunes characters, such as Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety, and Yosemite Sam. Animator, Friz Freleng, helped to create these characters. Freleng was also a director, producer, and composer. He is known for his work on Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, owned by Warner Bros. Cartoons. Friends of Walt Disney founded this cartoon studio in 1930.
3. Tex Avery
This animator also worked at Warner Bros. Cartoons studios. He is credited for creating Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd between 1937 and 1940. Avery also created a series of cartoons called Droopy for MGM. Droopy was an anthropomorphic dog with a droopy voice that spoke in a deadpan voice. Droopy is considered Avery’s most iconic character.
4. Hanna-Barbera
Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera made up one of the most famous dynamic duos in animation. In 1940, they produced Puss Gets the Boot, which featured the prototypes for Tom and Jerry. They went on to create the Yogi Bear Show, which debuted in 1961. Other memorable characters Hanna-Barbera created include George Jetson, Huckleberry Hound, Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, and Scooby-Doo.
5. Bud Luckey
Born in Billings, Montana, in 1934, Bud Luckey was an animator and cartoonist. One of his greatest achievements was creating Woody from the Toy Story movies. His career also included work as a character designer for other movies made by Pixar Animation Studios. Some of these movies include A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Incredibles. Luckey also produced short animated films for the popular TV show for kids, Sesame Street. Together with animator Alex Anderson, Luckey created Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle.
These are just 5 artists who brought animation to life. Who are others that inspire you?
