Category Archives: 1929-1932: Terrytoons

1929 – June 1932, New York

The Prolific Print Cartoonist

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Art Babbitt

Before joining Disney in the 1930s, young artists might carry a portfolio of drawings and reels of animation to Walt’s office.  Art Babbitt was only 24 when he went in for an interview with Walt in the summer of 1932.  … Continue reading →

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Film History: Edison, Griffith, and Babbitt – part 2

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Art Babbitt

The tall concrete building at 2826 Decatur Ave in the Bronx was owned by Edison Studios  up through 1929.  Animation director Paul Terry and top animator Frank Moser were fired from the Van Beuren animation studio [1] – perhaps because … Continue reading →

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Film History: Edison, Griffith, and Babbitt – part 1

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Art Babbitt

In 1930, while employed as an animator  at Terrytoons in the Bronx, Art Babbitt watched legendary filmmaker D. W. Griffith make a little girl cry on a movie set  … …But this all begins with Thomas Edison. The oblong, drab … Continue reading →

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“Scotch Highball” Terrytoon draft

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Art Babbitt

Below are the animators drafts for the Terrytoon cartoon “Scotch Highball,” released November 16, 1930. Special thanks to Jerry Beck who noted that each Terrytoon short took three weeks to animate, and was released ten weeks later.  We can infer … Continue reading →

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“Canadian Capers” draft

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Art Babbitt

“Canadian Capers” was produced by Terrytoons and released on August 23, 1931.  Uniquely, this was assigned to only four animators:  Frank Moser, Jerry Shields, Bill Tytla and Art Babbitt. (UPDATE: Scroll Below for scene-by-scene mosaic) Frank Moser was the man … Continue reading →

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1936 Lecture part 2: Animation is Acting

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Art Babbitt

Babbitt continues his lecture to the Disney creative staff on the 23rd of September, 1936.  Here he talks about the strides they’ve already made and that they continually need to make –  to find inspiration in the most sophisticated cinema … Continue reading →

Posted in 1929-1932: Terrytoons, 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, Disney, Film, Mickey Mouse, music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Many Dates of Art Babbitt

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Art Babbitt

I know I haven’t written an entry in a few days – I’m actually working on the actual book proposal!  I’ve been reading, researching and writing  (would Art Babbitt say, “righting”?) the story of Disney’s most influential Golden Age animator. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1924-1929: Illustrator in NYC, 1929-1932: Terrytoons, 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, New York, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Disney and Babbitt – the 30s in Public Records

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Art Babbitt

As the authorized biographer of Art Babbitt, I have access to a lot of private materials – photos, home movies, journals, etc. — all chronicling this man’s incredible life and complex mind. But today I’m going to present some non-exclusive … Continue reading →

Posted in 1929-1932: Terrytoons, 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Disney, Genealogy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Babbitt Met Tytla

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Art Babbitt

Art Babbitt (here at 23) and Bill Tytla (here at 26) are credited for being two of the greatest animators and Disney innovators of all time.  Bill Tytla especially was given enormous credit in various Disney books, including The Illusion … Continue reading →

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Art Babbitt’s New York

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Art Babbitt

Art Babbitt (neé Babitsky) and his family moved from Sioux City, Iowa to New York City in 1924, at the age of 16.  Art left for the Disney Studios in Hollywood in 1932, when he was 24. Not only is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1924-1929: Illustrator in NYC, 1929-1932: Terrytoons | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments