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25 Artists Pay Respect To The Late Gene Deitch, The Illustrator Of Tom & Jerry And Popeye
While a lot of people grew up watching Popeye and Tom & Jerry, or had their kids watching it all the time, most likely just a handful knew the genius behind it. Eugene Merril Deitch, most commonly known simply as Gene Deitch, was an American illustrator, animator, comics artist, and film director. He was also known for creating the animated cartoons Munro, Tom Terrific, and Nudnik.
Deitch spent most of his life in Prague, where he relocated back in 1959 when Rembrandt Films promised to fund Munro. He lived there his whole life and sadly passed unexpectedly on April 16, 2020 at the ripe age of 95. Since hearing about his passing, artists from all over the world have flooded the Internet with touching artwork as tribute to the late illustrator.
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#1
While you maybe not familiar with Gene Deitch’s name, you are certainly familiar with his work. It’s probably safe to say there are few people who doesn’t know Tom & Jerry or Popeye and Deitch was a flagship designer to both of them.
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Prior to becoming a major figure in the American animation, Deitch was a draftsman for North American Aviation before being recruited by the American army to become a pilot during World War II. When the war was over, he returned to drawing and was spotted by Disney and was asked to become the artistic director of United Productions of America.
#3
Despite his success in America, he made a courageous choice to move to move to Prague, Czech Republic after Rembrandt Films promised to fund his short film Munro. He relocated to the company’s base in Prague in 1959.
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Mitchell Martin 5 years ago
Tom and Jerry were my great grandfather’s favorite cartoon. As well as Popeye.
It turned out the moving was well worth it as Gee Deitch received an Oscar for best animated short in 1960 for it. After this success, he was given the possibility to direct 13 episodes of Tom and Jerry which were widely criticized among the fans at the time. However, it led Tom and Jerry to become the most profitable series at the time.
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[] person [] 5 years ago
This guy deserves clout b/c i have never met anybody in my life who hasent watched at least one of these shows and honeslty im gonna cry
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Marcus Heslop 5 years ago
Popeye looks like he’s getting amorous! Terrible cartoon for a very poor animator. Therefore quite appropriate.
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David Nethery 4 years ago
Gene Deitch did not create any of these characters. Tom & Jerry created by the animation team headed up by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at MGM, Droopy created by Tex Avery at MGM, Popeye created by cartoonist E.C. Segar for his newspaper comic strip Thimble Theater , and then a series of popular theatrical cartoons based on Segar's characters was made by the talented animation crew at the Fleischer Studio headed by Max and Dave Fleischer. I'm not putting down Deitch by pointing out these facts. Gene Deitch was a very talented designer and director and he made many excellent films over his long career. His Tom & Jerry (and Popeye) cartoons are not among them. Those were low-budget films contracted to his studio as work-for-hire projects. No one (certainly not Gene Deitch) considers those cheap Tom & Jerry's and Popeye cartoons as representing his aesthetic values or his best work as a director.
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Jeanette Dehart 5 years ago
Just the sentiment I think as well! I had an amazing childhood watching his animations! ❤️
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Ralph Spooner 5 years ago
Yeah, RIGHT!!!! Meanwhile the dust storm is predicted to last at least a week, or how ever many times we all come back to this piece to read and look at the artwork again.
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Ralph Spooner 5 years ago
Yeah, but I'm a guy and my makeup ain't running like yours is.
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David Nethery 4 years ago
This is false. Gene Deitch is not the creator of Tom and Jerry or Popeye. T & J were created by the animation team headed up by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at MGM Studios 1940 - 1958 . Popeye was created by cartoonist E.C. Segar for his newspaper comic strip Thimble Theater , and then a series of popular theatrical cartoons based on Segar's characters was made by the talented animation crew at the Fleischer Studio headed by Max and Dave Fleischer. Those are the facts, look it up . This is not intended to disparage Gene Deitch who was a very talented designer and director and made many excellent films over his long career. His Tom & Jerry (and Popeye) cartoons are not among them. Those were low-budget films contracted to his studio as work-for-hire projects. No one considers those cheap Tom & Jerry's and Popeye cartoons as representing his aesthetic values or his best work as a director.
David Nethery 4 years ago
Look up a legitimate animation history book like Leonard Maltin's "Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons". If anyone really wants to know about the animation career of Gene Deitch, do a search for his online book called "How To Succeed in Animation: Don't Let A Little Thing Like Failure Stop You" , which can be read for free on the Animation World Network website. It's a great read. Also, Gene's other book "For the Love of Prague" which is a more personal auto-biography. Again, Gene was a nice guy, and a very talented designer and director , but it doesn't honor his memory to falsely credit him with creating characters he did not create.
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Add New Image
What do you think ?
Helena Houzarová 5 years ago
"Despite his success in America, he made a courageous choice to move to move to Prague, Czech Republic after Rembrandt Films promised to fund his short film Munro. He relocated to the company’s base in Prague in 1959." It was Czechoslovakia back then. Communist Czechoslovakia (the coup happened in 1948), so that's what makes the move so brave.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
"He originally planned to spend only ten days in Prague, but after meeting his future wife, Zdenka, decided to settle permanently in the city." That is called LOVE! (Wikipedia)
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Geoffrey Holland 5 years ago
It's a beautiful idea. I have to wonder why people can't do things like this while the artists are still alive. A living tribute would probably mean a lot.
April Miller 5 years ago
Those are incredible. What a beautiful way to honor the man and his talent.
David Nethery 4 years ago
This may have been well-intentioned, but honestly this has got to be one of the most cringe-worthy , oddest "tributes" I've ever seen. All this awkward fan art supposedly honoring a man who was known for his "UPA cartoon modern" design sense. But more disturbing is the false historical narrative that is being created here . Gene Deitch had NOTHING to do with creating the characters of Tom & Jerry (or Droopy , or any other MGM characters) or Popeye. Gene Deitch was a very talented designer and director and he made many excellent films over his long career. His Tom & Jerry and Popeye cartoons are not among them. Those were low-budget films contracted to his studio as work-for-hire projects. No one (certainly not Gene Deitch) considers those cheap Tom & Jerry's and Popeye cartoons as representing his aesthetic values or his best work as a director. T&J created by Hanna and Barbera at MGM. Popeye created by E.C. Segar and the theatrical cartoons made by Fleischer Studios.
Ralph Spooner 5 years ago
This was the absolute best piece I have ever seen on Boredpanda.com. THANK YOU!!!!!!! Bored Panda
Helena Houzarová 5 years ago
"Despite his success in America, he made a courageous choice to move to move to Prague, Czech Republic after Rembrandt Films promised to fund his short film Munro. He relocated to the company’s base in Prague in 1959." It was Czechoslovakia back then. Communist Czechoslovakia (the coup happened in 1948), so that's what makes the move so brave.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
"He originally planned to spend only ten days in Prague, but after meeting his future wife, Zdenka, decided to settle permanently in the city." That is called LOVE! (Wikipedia)
Load More Replies... Geoffrey Holland 5 years ago
It's a beautiful idea. I have to wonder why people can't do things like this while the artists are still alive. A living tribute would probably mean a lot.
April Miller 5 years ago
Those are incredible. What a beautiful way to honor the man and his talent.
David Nethery 4 years ago
This may have been well-intentioned, but honestly this has got to be one of the most cringe-worthy , oddest "tributes" I've ever seen. All this awkward fan art supposedly honoring a man who was known for his "UPA cartoon modern" design sense. But more disturbing is the false historical narrative that is being created here . Gene Deitch had NOTHING to do with creating the characters of Tom & Jerry (or Droopy , or any other MGM characters) or Popeye. Gene Deitch was a very talented designer and director and he made many excellent films over his long career. His Tom & Jerry and Popeye cartoons are not among them. Those were low-budget films contracted to his studio as work-for-hire projects. No one (certainly not Gene Deitch) considers those cheap Tom & Jerry's and Popeye cartoons as representing his aesthetic values or his best work as a director. T&J created by Hanna and Barbera at MGM. Popeye created by E.C. Segar and the theatrical cartoons made by Fleischer Studios.
Ralph Spooner 5 years ago
This was the absolute best piece I have ever seen on Boredpanda.com. THANK YOU!!!!!!! Bored Panda
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