Stephen Worth of the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive says: "Here's a really cool exhibit we have going on
at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive. I've
posted the whole exhibit online, along with a
catalog and commentary. Check it out."
You may not know his name, but you've seen his
work… Woody Woodpecker, Snow White, Betty
Boop, Mr. Magoo, and Mickey Mouse were all
brought to life by the same remarkable man-
Grim Natwick.Grim was mentor to Chuck Jones, Walter Lantz,
Marc Davis and Richard Williams; and no other
animator had a greater impact on the artform.
Grim's first animation was for William Randolph
Hearst's Krazy Kat Studio in 1917. His last
credit was on Richard Williams' "The Thief &
the Cobbler" in 1995. Natwick's career spanned
the entire 20th century, and it defined
the whole history of animation.The ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive has
mounted an exhibit of artwork from Natwick's
personal collection. Included are gag drawings
depicting life around the cartoon studio,
caricatures of co-workers, and the preliminary
sketches that give us a peek behind the
creation of some of the greatest cartoons
ever made.The online exhibit catalog consists of five
articles:
Introduction: Grim Natwick's Scrapbook
Part One: Early Years In New York (Hearst, Fleischer)
Part Two: The Golden Age of Animation (Iwerks, Disney, Lantz)
Part Three: The Modern Era (UPA and beyond)
Part Four: The Greatest Animator Who Ever Lived (Studio Gag Drawings)
