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An animator and illustrator, Waldman was the last surviving animator from the Fleischer Studios, the premier animation house, where he was hired in 1930. There he drew many of the studios characters, including Betty Boop, Popeye, Superman, Raggedy Ann and others. He was especially instrumental in developing Betty Boop: when he came on board, Boop was a dog; he switched her over to a "real" person, leading to an animation classic. He also produced a number of Color Classics cartoons, introduced by Fleischer Studios in 1934 to counter Disney's Silly Symphonies. After a financial setback, the studio got less ambitious, but Waldman stayed on and helped several classic cartoon series emerge: Baby Huey, Herman, Little Lulu, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. He left the company in 1957 and moved to television, then to the lecture circuit. Waldman died in New York February 4 from congestive heart failure. He was 97. From This is True for 5 February 2006 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: King Features List Price: $9.95 Amazon Price: $9.95 Editorial Review: She"s innocent and sexy, demure yet flirtatious, with a combination of sweetness and sass that has captivated audiences for over 70 years. She"s America"s first animated sex symbol, Betty Boop, and she is as popular now as ever. Created by legendary animator Max Fleischer in 1930, Betty Boop is enjoying a retro renaissance with fans and collectors worldwide. In 1996 she became the first cartoon star to be profiled on Arts & Entertainment Television"s popular series Biography. This irresistible little keepsake book pairs Betty"s classic images with a Boop-Oop-A-Doop poem on love and romance: Love will keep you on your toes. Love can cure the deepest woes. And when your spirit starts to droop . . . Love brings back your Boop-Oop-A-Doop! Sweet and simple, just like Betty. It"s the perfect gift for any Betty fan, and those who aren"t familiar with Betty"s charms will love this introduction to the original cartoon siren. Whether she"s giving one of her famous winks, or puckering her perfectly pouty lips for a kiss, Betty Boop is simply Boop-a-licious!  By: Dorothy U. Seyler List Price: $104.40 Amazon Price: $104.40 Editorial Review: A concise, teachable introductory literature anthology, with apparatus covering major literary concepts as well as writing about literature.  By: Stefan Kanfer List Price: $17.50 Amazon Price: $17.50 Editorial Review: The business behind creating and producing comics, cartoons, or, specifically, animation is nothing short of fascinating. More than a "behind the scenes" book or a "tell all" expose, Serious Business is a great find for this reason: it places an emphasis on the creative people in the industry. To quote the dust cover: "The history of animation is the story of its geniuses. Serious Business disperses the clouds created by decades of received wisdom, bogus myth-making, and corporate propaganda to reveal a cast of characters whose entertainment value exceeds that of their creations."As Roger Rosenblatt put it, ”What makes Serious Business a special treat is that it is like the best of the cartoons itself—funny, touching, and infused with thoughtful joy.” This generously illustrated history of animation looks at the creation and celluloid careers of such American icons as Felix the Cat, Jiminy Cricket, Mickey and Minnie, Popeye and Olive Oyl, Goofy, Yogi Bear, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Daffy Duck, Tom and Jerry, and the Pink Panther. Art and commerce collide again and again as Stefan Kanfer wittily probes the origins of such diverse cartoon families as the Flintstones, the Jetsons, and the Simpsons and looks at the phenomenal success of feature-length animated films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and The Lion King. Serious Business is itself a classic of animation, bringing to life an art and an industry whose creations have now worked their way into every corner of American life. Betty Boop 2009 Calendar (Day Dream Weekly Engagement) List Price: $15.99 Amazon Price: $11.99  By: J. Shoshanna Ehrlich List Price: $102.95 Amazon Price: $102.95 |
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