Chuck Redux

Image of the Day: Horton Hears A Who!

Original storyboard, gouache and typed paper label on MGM storyboard paper, by Chuck Jones for his 1970 television special (and Peabody Award-winning film) of Dr. Seuss "Horton Hears A Who!" 

Image of the Day: Rikki Tikki Tavi

Original production background layout created by Oscar Dufau and George Wheeler for the Chuck Jones 1975 animated television special, Rikki Tikki Tavi.   One of Rudyard Kipling's stories from his "The Jungle Book," Rikki Tikki Tavi tells the tale of a uncommonly courageous mongoose in Imperial India and the family who adopts it. 

When I First Met Chuck Jones

British writer and broadcaster, Brian Sibley, recently recounted his first meeting with Chuck Jones when Chuck was in London to create a mural for the now shuttered Museum of the Moving Image. 

"As I told Andy, I did have an encounter with the mighty Chuck when - at least twenty years ago, now - I hosted a Guardian Lecture with him at London's National Film Theatre. The event coincided with his coming to Britain to create a huge mural of Warner Brothers characters for the wall of the Museum of the Moving Image that (along with the museum itself) is, alas, long gone."  To read the rest of Mr. Sibley's recollection, please visit this page by clicking here. 

Classic Hollywood: Ray Harryhausen & Chuck Jones Animation Exhibits

Terrific article by Susan King in today's Los Angeles Times about the Chuck Jones and Ray Harryhausen exhibits at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Read the full article by clicking on this sentence.

Image of the Day: Cat Feud

Original layout drawing by Chuck Jones (graphite on 12 field animation paper) created for his 1958 "Cat Feud" (love those pun-y titles!)  Although it's not Claude Cat (this one's all orange) he looks remarkably similar and his attempt to 'cat-nap' the sweet, little Pussyfoot's sausage results in a beating not unlike those received by the hapless Claude in many another title. 

One of the defining characteristics of a Chuck Jones cartoon are the hundreds of layout drawings he created to guide his team of animator's through the story.  Since there was no budget for editing at Warner Bros. after the film was completed, every single frame had to be carefully planned, staged, and filmed so that the finished film was exactly that, finished.  Jones was a master-planner making him one of the great animation directors of all time. 

Image of the Day: What's Opera, Doc?

"Spear and Magic Helmet" is a limited edition fine art reproduction on canvas created from an original oil painting by Chuck Jones.  Jones began painting his cartoon characters in oil paint in the early 1980s and throughout the rest of his life enjoyed expressing their lives in this manner.  His handling of the paint, particularly in the later work such as "Spear and Magic Helmet" was fresh and spontaneous, exhibiting a nuance of understanding that would have eluded an artist of lesser skill.  Classically trained in the visual arts as he was, Jones' paintings, not unlike his work in animation, expressed his view of the world and the little things that make us all human.  It is the relationships that matter.  

The Jones short animated film, "What's Opera, Doc?" was part of an evenings' worth of animated films that incorporated or otherwise were inspired by classical and operatic music at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this past Friday.  Jim Hill, of Jim Hill Media wrote a great column on his website that you can read by clicking here.

Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life from A to Z-Z-Z-Z Gala Opening Night Reception

Last night, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Beverly Hills opened the exhibit, "Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life From A to Z-Z-Z-Z" with a gala reception, welcoming over 250 well-wishers along with the late animation director and creator's family.  

The exhibition was curated by Ellen Harrington, the Academy's Director of Exhibitions and Special Events, and was culled from the archives of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and the Chuck Jones Collection of the Warner Bros. Museum.  It includes layout drawings by Jones, along with storyboards, backgrounds, pre-production concept art & other related ephemera from Jones' seven decade career.  It is the first (and largest) exhibition of the art of the animated film ever assembled solely devoted to the work of one man.  

On hand to welcome the opening night crowd were Jones' daughter, Linda Jones Clough (pictured 4th from left below) along with her children and their spouses, grandchild and Jones' widow, Marian Jones (4th from right.)

From left: Krista Kausen, Todd Kausen (Jones' grandson,) Jim Clough, Linda Jones Clough (Jones' daughter,) Jessica Kausen (great-granddaughter,) Marian Jones (wife,) Valerie Kausen (granddaughter,) Kimberley Kausen, Craig Kausen (Jones' grandson.)  Photo by Stephen Russo.

Marian Jones places Chuck Jones' Oscar® for his 1965 short animated film, "The Dot and The Line" on its pedestal for the opening of the exhibition.

 

Oscar® takes his place of honor during the opening ceremonies surrounded by Jones' family, from left: Todd, Craig, Valerie Kausen with Marian Jones (3rd from right,) Linda Jones Clough and Jessica Kausen.  

 

Tracy Tanner, President of the Chuck Jones Council for Creativity (far left) with her husband John (2nd from right) and friends.

 

Craig Kausen (2nd from right) Chairman of the Board of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity takes a moment to pose here with (from left) Laura Baden, member of the Board of Directors for Team Kids, Julie Hudash, CEO and Founder of Team Kids and Kimberley Kausen, far right, Craig's wife. 

 

Valerie Kausen, co-producer of the bio-doc "The Magical World of Chuck Jones" and Jones' granddaughter, takes a moment to speak with author Rick Ball and Stephen Fossati, animated film producer, director and writer.

Marian Jones (l) with Kimberley Kausen (and Linda Jones Clough, left background.)

 

Cheryl Posner (l) Executive Director of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity pauses during the festivities to speak with Robert Patrick and Tracy Tanner, President of Chuck Jones Council for Creativity, the outreach arm of the non-profit Center.  

 

Smiles all around!  Fans of Chuck Jones, from left, Hannelore Palcsik, Darrell Park and Susan Palcsik enjoy the exhibition.

 

Leigh (r) and John Yetsko revel in all things Chuck Jones.

 

Jessica Kausen, great-granddaughter of Chuck Jones and Valerie Kausen, great, granddaughter of Chuck Jones share the joy of the evening. 

Image of the Day: One Froggy Evening

Original production background, layout by Robert Gribbroek, backgrounds painted by Philip DeGuard, from the Chuck Jones directed 1955 short animated film, "One Froggy Evening."  One of three short films by Jones inducted into the National Film Registry of the Smithosonian (the other two are "What's Opera, Doc?" and "Duck Amuck") it bowed in theaters on December 31, 1955 (what a New Year's Eve surprise!)

Opening tonight with a gala reception, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents "Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life From A to Z-Z-Z-Z."  The exhibit closes August 22, 2010.  For more information, visit the Oscars!

Image of the Day: To Hare Is Human

Original layout drawing (graphite on 12 field animation paper) by Chuck Jones, drawn for his 1956 short animated film, "To Hare Is Human," the second film to star Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote after the Jones directed 1952 "Operation: Rabbit."   

Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life from A to Z-Z-Z-Z Opens Friday, May 14th

"Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life from A to Z-Z-Z-Z opens Friday, May 14th at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in the Grand Lobby Gallery at 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, California.  Running concurrently with three exhibitions in Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona (including an extension of the exhibit at Phoenix Airport Museum through August) the exhibit at the Academy was curated by Ellen Harrington, Director of Exhibitions and Special Events.  Researching the archives of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, Harrington selected over 150 works of animation art, photographs, sketchbooks and storyboards that detail the nearly seven decade career of Chuck Jones. 

Not only will work from Jones' Academy Award® -winning and nominated films be on display, but also from such delightful cartoons as "Bear for Punishment" (1951), "Deduce You Say" (1956) and "Little Lion Hunter" (1939.)  The full range of the exhibition will help the viewer understand Jones' process of creating an animated film, from story to completed film.  To read more about the exhibition, visit the Academy's website by clicking here.