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_Chuck Jones, Producer, Director, Animator _
By: Anonymous
Chuck Jones, Producer, Director, Animator Chuck Jones was born on September
21, 1912. Jones entered the animation industry in 1932 as a cel washer at Ubbe
Iwerks Studio after graduating from the Chouinard Art Institute (now
California Institute of Arts). He joined the Leon Schlesinger Studio, later
sold to Warner Bros., as an animator in 1936. There, Jones was assigned to Tex
Averys animation unit. In 1938, at the age of 25, he directed his first
animated film The Night Watchman. Jones remained at Warner Bros. animation
until it closed in 1962, though he had a brief stint with Disney Studios in
1955 during a break at Warner Bros. In 1966, while heading up the animation
division at MGM Studios, Jones directed one of the most memorable holiday
television specials ever produced, Dr Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
First aired on Sunday, December 18, 1966, the half-hour special was met with
glowing reviews from newspapers across the country and has since become one of
the most beloved holiday programs on television. Translating Dr. Seuss book
into animation was not a easy as it looks. With great persistency and a little
charm, director and co-producer, Chuck Jones, had finally convinced his old
friend Ted Geisel (author of the book) to give him a shot at How the Grinch
Stole Christmas. Ted and Chuck were always fans of each others work. Ted was
reluctant to have anyone animate his books, so he wanted it done carefully and
well. Chuck Jones and Ted Geisel first met doing the Private Snafu cartoons
about a goof-up soldier made by Warner Bros. for the army between 1943 and
1945. When you read How The Grinch Stole Christmas, it takes about 10 minutes.
Chuck Jones challenge was making those same rhyming couplets and drawings
come alive for television. Jones worked hard to create the Grinch model based
on Dr. Suess book. Geisel was not always entirely satisfied, but knew Chuck
well enough to trust him with the character design and the story to make an
attractive half hour special. Making character animation without any CGI
enhancements is an expensive offer, but Chuck insisted on doing it correctly
and using the best animators, Maurice Noble, Auril and Richard Thompson, Hall
Ashmead and Phil Roman. Good character animation costs $110,000 - $150,000 per
minute, multiply that by 20 and you realize the money involved. There was a
variety review at the time claiming The Grich was the most expensive animation
made for CBS-TV. After 30 years, its success is proof it was not waste of
money. The story was expanded from the book with musical numbers. Jones made
Max a major character. Chuck says a good film must have a point of view for
the audience. Everyone watching can identify with Max. Even though the Grinch
is mean, Max still loves him unconditionally. Max became the audiences point
of view. Jones has become a true icon of creativity by directing such
mini-epics as Whats Opera, Doc? (1957) which featured Elmer Fudd against a
cunning Bugs Bunny. On Dec. 4, 1992, Whats Opera Doc? became the first-ever
animated film to be admitted into the National Film Registry, an honor
presented on only 100 films to date, for being among the most culturally,
historically significant films of our time. At the age of 86, Jones has
enjoyed more than 60 years in animation and is still very active. In 1993 he
contracted with Warner Bros. to create animated short subjects for theatrical
release using many of the classic Warner Bros. characters. Jones has created
over 300 animated films in his career, has won four Academy Awards, including
an Honorary Oscar in 1996. Today Jones is the most widely collected animation
artist in the world.
_Bibliography _
Source: http://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.9/articles/knowlagrinch1.9.html
http://www.chuckjones.com
http://pages.hotbot.com/movies/skad13/cjones.html(interview with Chuck Jones)
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