Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson (born October 13, 1910 in Denver , Colorado , † September 29, 1977 in Burbank , California ) was an American animator , illustrator and film director . He was best known for his work on the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoon series. He later worked for DePatie-Freleng Enterprises . He is also known to have been instrumental in shaping the appearance of Bugs Bunny in 1943.
Life
Robert McKimson began his professional career when he worked for Walt Disney for two years as a draftsman on Oswald the Funny Rabbit in 1928 . After Disney, McKimson moved to Warner Bros., where he became a very talented draftsman. There he worked as an animator with important directors, including 1930 to 1933 for Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising , 1933 to 1937 for Friz Freleng , 1937 to 1938 for Frank Tashlin , 1938 to 1940 for Chuck Jones and 1940 to 1941 for Tex Avery . When he worked for Bob Clampett from 1942 to 1946 , his talent became increasingly evident. In the 1940s Robert McKimson was instrumental in the shape of Bugs Bunny. In 1946 his first short film Daffy Doodles was released.
McKimson directed numerous cartoon characters including Foghorn Leghorn , Barnyard Dog , Hippity Hopper , Bobo the Elephant , Taz , Sylvester Jr. and Speedy Gonzales . He also helped design the characters Bugs Bunny , Daffy Duck , Piggy Dick and Elmer Fudd .
He directed the animated films Goshawk Looking for Chicken (1946) and Tabasco Road (1957), both of which were nominated for an Oscar .
When the popularity of animated films declined in the late 1950s, Warner Bros. cartoon studios closed. McKimson followed Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie , who founded the DePatei-Freleng Enterprises studio to create more animated films there, but they never regained the popularity of the 1940s and 1950s.
Robert McKimson was a talented equestrian and polo player in his personal life . He was also a member of the Freemasons Association and achieved the rank of master there . He died on September 29, 1977 of complications from a heart attack while having lunch with Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie . At the time he was 66 years old. Shortly before, his doctor had confirmed him to be in the best of health during a routine check-up, and his doctor told him that due to his family history (his father was 100 years old) he still had a few years to go.
Web links
- Robert McKimson in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Interview with animation historians Michael Barrier and Robert McKimson on michaelbarrier.com
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | McKimson, Robert |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American animator, illustrator and film director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 13, 1910 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Denver , Colorado , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | 29th September 1977 |
| Place of death | Burbank , California , United States |