Anyone Know More Aboot This Guy?

A. Flea · #1 01-26-2009, 04:49 PM

I read about Charles Thorson in this book, Cartoon Charlie: The Life and Art of Animation Pioneer Charles Thorson. i know that he designed bugs bunny and made kids books. But can anyone tell me anything else about his cartoon career. The book described a lot about everything else but was kind of bland in this area.

zavkram · #2 01-26-2009, 06:26 PM

There was a rather heated discussion about Mr. Thorson which took place last year over at The Animation Show Forums; under the category of "Cartoon History". The specific topic of the thread, I believe, dealt with whether or not Thorson was the actual creator of Bugs Bunny; based on a recently discovered drawing of Bugs attributed to Ben "Bugs" Hardaway. The drawing depicts Bugs in a relaxed pose and wearing a "doughboy" uniform. On the drawing is also a written salutation that simply reads, "Hi'ya Chuck".

In any case, the thread was deemed "idiotic" because of all the flaming that it had started and it was ultimately closed by the Forum Administrators.

Ray Pointer · #3 01-26-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. Flea

I read about Charles Thorson in this book, Cartoon Charlie: The Life and Art of Animation Pioneer Charles Thorson. i know that he designed bugs bunny and made kids books. But can anyone tell me anything else about his cartoon career. The book described a lot about everything else but was kind of bland in this area.

There has been that book that has been "oot" and "aboot" for some time.
As for the thread on this over at The Animation Show, there was a "gentleman" in Seattle who called me to claim that a relative of his had designed the first BUGS BUNNY. I asked him to send me a scan of it so I could see. When I opened the Email and saw the scan, I told him that this was a generic drawing of a type of rabbit, but not a design that could be considered BUGS BUNNY. He was not content with the considerate response I gave him and posted a thread at both The Animation Show and here at GAC proposing his agenda that his relative designed the first BUGS BUNNY.

Several members who are more of an expert than me on Warner Brother cartoon history proceeded to tell him the same thing, stating the same thing that I told him in my Email. I also repeated what I stated in my Email to him. The entire matter went on far longer than necessary since it was apparent that this person was grossly uninformed on animation history could not be reasoned with no matter how patiently the matter was explained in the greatest of detail. The threads were eventually closed down, and the poster went away after additional attempts to return to the same subject a few more times. He has since been banned from both forums as I understand it. That is the summary of the event.

But there is a great deal of fascinating information about Charles Thorson not only in the book but also on the Internet, which mentions his working as a character designer for Disney, Lantz, and others.

A. Flea · #4 01-26-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Pointer

There has been that book that has been "oot" and "aboot" for some time.
As for the thread on this over at The Animation Show, there was a "gentleman" in Seattle who called me to claim that an relative of his had designed the first BUGS BUNNY. I asked him to send me a scan of it so I could see. When I opened the Email and saw the scan, I told him that this was a generic drawing of a type of rabbit, but not a design that could be considered BUGS BUNNY. He was not content with the considerate response I gave him and posted a thread at both The Animation Show and here at GAC proposing his agenda that his relative designed the first BUGS BUNNY.

Several members who are more of an expert than me on Warner Brother cartoon history proceeded to tell him the same thing, stating the same thing that I told him in my Email. I also repeated what I stated in my Email to him. The entire matter went on far longer than necessary since it was apparent that this person was grossly uninformed on animation history could not be reasoned with no matter how patiently the matter was explained in the greatest of detail. The threads were eventually closed down, and the poster went away after additional attempts to return to the same subject a few more times. He has since been banned from both forums as I understand it. That is the summary of the event.

But there is a great deal of fascinating information about Charles Thorson not only in the book but also on the Internet, which mentions his working as a character designer for Disney, Lantz, and others.

The Interweb! Of course!

By the by Ray, I was wondering how you can tell who animates what scene. After I learned his style, I know waht Rob Schribner animates now. Do you just look at how they draw and bases it on that, or do you have a different way of doing it?

Fibber Fox · #5 01-26-2009, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. Flea

I read about Charles Thorson in this book, Cartoon Charlie: The Life and Art of Animation Pioneer Charles Thorson. i know that he designed bugs bunny and made kids books. But can anyone tell me anything else about his cartoon career. The book described a lot about everything else but was kind of bland in this area.

I don't know what else there is to say. He was at Disney, then briefly at MGM, then Warners and went on to Fleischer in Florida.

F. Fox

Ray Pointer · #6 01-26-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fibber Fox

I don't know what else there is to say. He was at Disney, then briefly at MGM, then Warners and went on to Fleischer in Florida. F. Fox

Yes, he was really "oot and aboot," wasn't he?

Ray Pointer · #7 01-26-2009, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. Flea

The Interweb! Of course!

By the by Ray, I was wondering how you can tell who animates what scene. After I learned his style, I know waht Rob Schribner animates now. Do you just look at how they draw and bases it on that, or do you have a different way of doing it?

There are those here who have studied and studied the cartoons to the extent that they can recognize the work of various animators. But keep in mind it is a collaborative effort and that the final work on the screen has been reworked by assistants and inkers. It is the underlying work that is that of the animators, and the success of their work can be enhanced by good assistants and inkers, or can be ruined by bad assistant work, bad inbetweeners, and bad inking and painting.