A reappraisal of Disney’s Melody Time
Robin Allan reassesses one of Walt Disney’s neglected animated feature films; it was not a success either critically or commercially, and like its predecessor Make Mine Music (1946) with which it is often confused, it has never been reissued as a whole, nor has it been given the critical attention it deserves. Read more…
Martin Cheek stop-frame puppet animation
Martin Cheek Puppet Animation has specialised in stop-frame puppet animation films since 1982. Martin Cheek is a puppet maker and animator who works on commercials while developing children’s programmes for television from his own and other ideas through a new company called “Cheeky Films”, reports David Jefferson. Read more…
Father Robert Murphy meets veteran Disney animator Grim Natwick
Grim Natwick’s story starts in the early days of animation in 1916. His remarkable career includes his most famous creation for Max Fleischer – Betty Boop, whose face is still seen all over the world. He joined the Disney studio in the 1930s where he worked on Silly Symphonies shorts and was chiefly responsible for animating the character of Snow White in the first full-length animated feature, with no less than five assistants. His work in animation continued into the 1970s. Read more…
Desk Top Animation
Ken Clark looks at animation on the Amiga computer from Commodore. Read more…
Animation and education – Stan Heyward
Stan has long held the opinion that computer animation has an important part to play in the education of children. The opportunity to research his belief came quite unexpectedly, Stan Heyward tells Ken Clark. Read more…
The Likely Lads from Rolf’s Cartoon Club
Three lads most likely to succeed in the field of cartoon art have all appeared in Rolf’s Cartoon Club TV programmes and seem set on careers in the profession, reports Ken Clark. Read more…
The Rolf Harris Cartoon Club
Every week on HTV children were encouraged by Rolf Harris to “join today”, and over 90,000 enthusiastically accepted the invitation. Rolf Harris is a natural. He never talks down to children, he treats them with the greatest respect while instinctively maintaining that delicate balance of seriousness and buffoonery. Meeting him for the first time, you are immediately aware of the passionate love this man has for his work, a truly dedicated technician who has never forgotten what it is like to be a child, reports Ken Clark. Read more…