Bill Littlejohn

Bill Littlejohn , actually William Charles Littlejohn (born January 27, 1914 in Newark , New Jersey , † September 17, 2010 ) was an American film animator and trade unionist .

Life

Bill Littlejohn worked as an animator for more than 60 years . His standout works include the Tom and Jerry shorts, the Peanuts TV specials, the Oscar- winning short The Hole, and the film A Doonesbury Special (Oscar-nominated). Bill Littlejohn was inducted into the Cartoon Hall of Fame and received numerous industry awards for his life's work. In 1938 he co-founded the Screen Cartonists Guild Local 852 and became the union's first president. When Walt Disney refused to negotiate with the Union and dismissed 16 affiliated artists, Littlejohn led the Union in the Disney Animator Strike of 1941. The strike lasted nine weeks and led to the union being recognized by Disney and others. a. substantial wage increases and the 40-hour week. The strike is considered to be a breakthrough in unionizing the animation industry.

Littlejohn was a lifelong advocate of animation as an art. In 1957 he founded ASIFA-Hollywood (as part of the Association internationale du film d'animation ) and in the mid-sixties the International Tournée of Animation . He was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). From 1988 to 2001 he represented the genres of short films and animation. Together with his Austrian- born wife, actress and draftsman Fini Littlejohn , he organized the 1984 Olympiad of Animation as part of the Los Angeles Olympic Art Festival .

Filmography (selection)

• 1941: Christmas Eve
• 1965: A Charlie Brown Christmas
• 1966: The big pumpkin
• He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968)
• Charlie Brown and Friends (1969)
• The Phantom Tollbooth (1970)
• It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! (1974)
• You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975)
• Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)
• It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976)
• Run for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977)
• It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977)
• Down by the River (1978)
• Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (1980)
• Heavy Metal (1981) (segment "B-17")
• Here Comes Garfield (1982)
• Garfield on the Town (1983)
• It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984)
• Garfield in the Wild (1984)
• Garfield in Disguise (1985)
• You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1985)
• Garfield in Paradise (1986)
• Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! (1986)
• Garfield: His 9 Lives (1988)
• Frosty Returns (1992)
• Mrs. Doubtfire: The Prickly Nanny (1993)

Web links

• Bill Littlejohn in the Internet Movie Database (English)