Cartoon Studios outside the USA

[Jack G.]

Any of the knowledgable folks hear know anything about non-USA cartoon studios during the years 1930-1970? I know about David Hand's Animaland in Britain and Gene Deitch in Czechoslovakia. But they were really Americans that relocated elsewhere. I do know about the Canadian film board stuff too.

Is there anything else?

[Lee Glover]

In the UK, we had the Halas & Batchelor studios, who produced several theatrical and television cartoons (including the KFS Popeye cartoons). I haven't seen many of their cartoons, but I do have their animated film Animal Farm (the first full-length British cartoon film) in my collection.

[Gordan]

Don't forget the critically-renowned Zagreb studio of the foremer Yugoslavia (today: Croatia). Zagreb's SUROGAT (1961) by Dusan Vukotic was the first foreign studio produced animated short to win an Oscar. Also, Zagreb created the popular "Prof. Balthazar" series:

http://www.zagrebfilm.hr (http://www.zagrebfilm.hr/)

Also, Hungary's Pannonia studio (with their incredibly popular "Gusztav" series) needs to be acknowledged:

http://www.mediaguide.hu/pannoniafilm/index.html

[JDWeil]

There are some 36 animation houses in Russia. First and foremost is Soyuzmultfim which dates from 1936 and produced Russia's first animated feature in 1941 The Magic Horse dir. by Ivan Ivanov-Vano. In 1972 Ivanov-Vano remade this film as The Magic Pony essentially the same film but slightly longer.

[absolutpaul]

Don't forget Gamma Productions which operated in Mexico City for Jay Ward and Total TV.

[Studio Toledo]

Don't forget the critically-renowned Zagreb studio of the foremer Yugoslavia (today: Croatia). Zagreb's SUROGAT (1961) by Dusan Vukotic was the first foreign studio produced animated short to win an Oscar. Also, Zagreb created the popular "Prof. Balthazar" series:

http://www.zagrebfilm.hr (http://www.zagrebfilm.hr/)

A very good example there.

Also, Hungary's Pannonia studio (with their incredibly popular "Gusztav" series) needs to be acknowledged:

http://www.mediaguide.hu/pannoniafilm/index.html

Some of their feature films can be found on video here in the US if you can find them somewhere, though much of their shorts tend to be quite hard to come by unless you know the right places.

[RetroMan]

Then there's George Pal's studio in the Netherlands during the 1930's. I think he produced Ship of Ether in Paris as well.

[Geezil]

I credit our friend Tom Stathes with explaining to me that Eric Porter Studios of Australia, during the early 1950s, got some mileage out of a character named Bimbo who was entirely unrelated in any shape or form to Betty Boop's pal.

[Studio Toledo]

Also, Hungary's Pannonia studio (with their incredibly popular "Gusztav" series) needs to be acknowledged:

http://www.mediaguide.hu/pannoniafilm/index.html

Thinking back about Gustav, I recently got a chance to watch this series myself, and couldn't help but think of how rather facinating it was for the time this cartoon was being produced for some of it's thought-provoking scenarios (if not, very adult even for it's time). Otherwise, the background concept the series uses, essentially a piece of colored, textured paper with the outlines overlayed, seemed to had inspired the later guys to try to use that idea in the backgrounds for The Simpsons during their first season, though it didn't last too long.

[cbrubaker]

Film Graphics in Australlia produced some sub-contracted DFE shorts. (okay, just one)

Of course, there are several animation studios in Korea that animates U.S. cartoons today ("The Simpsons" being the best example).

There's Rough Draft, Akom (headed by former "Pink Panther" animation Nelson Shin), Sun-woo, etc.

And let's not talk about Kennedy Cartoons in The Philippines (first season of "Tiny Toons".):eek:

[Cartman]

There were Bruno Bozetto's Italian cartoons. Many of them featured mosquitos.

[Studio Toledo]

Film Graphics in Australlia produced some sub-contracted DFE shorts. (okay, just one)

Of course, there are several animation studios in Korea that animates U.S. cartoons today ("The Simpsons" being the best example).

There's Rough Draft, Akom (headed by former "Pink Panther" animation Nelson Shin), Sun-woo, etc.

Here's some links for backup!

AKOM Production Co., Ltd. (http://www.animatoon.co.kr)
Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd. (http://www.hanho.co.kr/)
Dongwoo Animation Co., Ltd. (http://www.anidong.com/)
Koko Enterprise Co., Ltd. (http://www.kokoent.com)
Plus One Entertainment (http://www.plusoneani.com)
Saerom Animation Inc. (http://www.saeromani.com)
Sunwoo Entertaniment Group (http://www.sunwoo.com/)

While we're at it, here's some history on Korean animation here (http://koreanfilm.org/ani-history.html)... (thankfully not much about it's eventual anime knock-off trend that began roughly in the 1980s).

And let's not talk about Kennedy Cartoons in The Philippines (first season of "Tiny Toons".):eek:

Wonder if they're still around? :rolleyes:

Here's a Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_Cartoons) for them anyway.

[Studio Toledo]

There were Bruno Bozetto's Italian cartoons. Many of them featured mosquitos.

He's rather fond of insects going back to his childhood, and often makes awareness of it in a few places, though often tieing in commentary on mankind and other global issues into his films.

Still quite enjoy his Mr. Rossi shorts personally.

[Gordan]

Thinking back about Gustav, I recently got a chance to watch this series myself, and couldn't help but think of how rather facinating it was for the time this cartoon was being produced for some of it's thought-provoking scenarios (if not, very adult even for it's time). Otherwise, the background concept the series uses, essentially a piece of colored, textured paper with the outlines overlayed, seemed to had inspired the later guys to try to use that idea in the backgrounds for The Simpsons during their first season, though it didn't last too long.

Hey Chris.
I'm glad you liked the series. I think I sent you two "Gusztav" films on a VHS tape first, and then you somehow managed to get more of them. I've been looking for that Hungarian DVD (perhaps not hard enough), but still haven't managed to buy a copy. Actually, I think there are three DVD compilations with "Gusztav" cartoons in Hungary.

They are very satirical, adult-oriented, and quite thought-provoking (even subversive). I find the backgorunds to be very interesting too...They look like pencil outlines since they are not coloured in (quite minimalistic), yet they do perfectly express the mood of the films....

[Jack G.]

Thanks for the info all!:)

I'm going to look into some these. Very cool!

[Timber Wolf]

I know there were some cartoons made in Finland in the 50's. I tried to search information on these, but only information I could find was that Bob Balser trained young animators in Finland.

[Studio Toledo]

Hey Chris.
I'm glad you liked the series. I think I sent you two "Gusztav" films on a VHS tape first, and then you somehow managed to get more of them.

Yep!

I've been looking for that Hungarian DVD (perhaps not hard enough), but still haven't managed to buy a copy. Actually, I think there are three DVD compilations with "Gusztav" cartoons in Hungary.

That's true. I have the first volume so far.

They are very satirical, adult-oriented, and quite thought-provoking (even subversive). I find the backgorunds to be very interesting too...They look like pencil outlines since they are not coloured in (quite minimalistic), yet they do perfectly express the mood of the films....

Here's some screengrabs to wake up some brain cells!