Ty Girlz Cartoon

Here's a new Ty Girlz cartoon I did over at Animax Entertainment for Tygirlz.com. I wrote and animated the clip with animation assistance from lovely Vanessa Lindstrom, who also did all the voice work and singing.
Lets Go! Lets Go!

Inside UPA

Tee Busustow, son of former UPA head the late Steve Busustow and Amid Amidi have published a new must have animation book, "Inside UPA". UPA animation flows through my artistic influences as both mentors Duane Crowther and Grim "Betty Boop" Natwick were UPA NY veterans who gave me some of my first animation pointers and lessons at age 14. The book is getting some rather glowing reviews like the following...

Chris Robinson, director of the Ottawa International Animation festival says....

“UPA were the Beats of animation. Like Kerouac,
Burroughs, Ginsberg and company, UPA rejected and
ignored the so-called rules of their art form and
created something fresh, mature, modern, and personal.
UPA was a haven for artists and thinkers, and just by
glancing through the marvelous collection of photos in
“Inside UPA”, it must have been a hell of an inspiring
and fun place to work. We need more studios like UPA,
and we need more books like this to celebrate the ball
breakers, ass kickers and risk takerswho came before
us”.

That's a good enough plug for me, AND Mummy DaddyO. Kool finger snaps all around!
Get your UPA book here

Proceeds will help fund the UPA documentary, "UPA: Mavericks, Magic & Magoo"produced by Tee Busustow, who was kind enough to interview me on his "Toon In to the World of Animation" podcast

Kustomonsters Swag at Cafe Press

Now you can get Kustomonsters Swag at Cafe Press.com!
Pick up some T's, mugs, stickers and more from your favorite Kreepy Kool Kreeps, The Kustomonsters! Crazy Man!

Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV-Episode 5

It's here! The New Kustomonsters and Friends Episode #5! This time it's the pilot episode with host Mummy DaddyO. Also see Kustomonsters clips, Astrothrill, Timbuktu, and Diggin with DaddyO cartoons. This is followed up by music videos and more fun! The Mummy Daddyo puppet host was built by my pal Nate Pacheco, with additional animation by Mike Polvani and Kwesi Kennedy. Most of the animation, of course was done by myself in recent months. Please enjoy and tell your friends!

Toons in the Heart of Screamland- MGM Animation

Here is a look back in time at a Culver City, California animation studio in the “The Heart of Screenland”, the MGM Animation studio in 1944. Here’s a link to MGM animator Irv Spence’s tribute Sketch blog called Cartoon Diary!


This is a photo of the outside of the MGM Cartoon studio on the corner of Overland and Montana on MGM lot 2, now the site of the Culver City Senior Citizens Center.

This was the home of Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Barney Bear, Screwy Squirrel, The Wolf, and the Happy Harmonies series. As well as the work place of directors, Rudy Ising, Hugh Harmon, Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, Tex Avery, and many more.

Here's some cartoon nuggets from the Leo the Lion.

Peace on Earth - Hugh Harman (Oscar Nomination 1939 )

The Milky Way – Rudy Ising (Oscar Winner 1940)

Red Hot Riding Hood -Tex Avery-1943

Mouse Trouble - Hanna & Barbera (Oscar Winner 1944)

There are excellent DVD releases of Droopy and Tom and Jerry, now the balance of the MGM classic toon library needs DvD attention as well.

Fox and Crow- Fox and Grapes

Here's the very first Fox and Crow cartoon from Columbia Pictures directed by Frank Tashlin. This classic cartoon employed Disney and Warner's artists plucked straight off the picket line from the 1941 strike, hence the slick animation. These and other Columbia/UPA classic cartoons are more than worthy of an official DVD release.

Kustomonsters BG Peek

There will be some new wrinkles in the next Kustomonsters animated cartoon, namely the Kusto gang in their Kreepy hot rods. Finally! Here's a test peek at the main stomping grounds of Mummy DaddyO, Moonwolfy, Surfwitch and The Countess... Rodzilla's Drive-In. Order up, DaddyO!

Retro Kool Stuff

The Kustomonsters especially selected these retro-nuggets
just for you!

Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 4

The Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 4



TO NAVIGATE TO THE NEXT VIDEO, ROLL CURSOR OVER SCREEN FOR CONTROLS

Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 3

The Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 3



TO NAVIGATE TO THE NEXT VIDEO, ROLL CURSOR OVER SCREEN FOR CONTROLS

Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 2

The Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 2



TO NAVIGATE TO THE NEXT VIDEO, ROLL CURSOR OVER SCREEN FOR CONTROLS

The Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV

The Kustomonsters and Friends Net TV- Episode 1



TO NAVIGATE TO THE NEXT VIDEO, ROLL CURSOR OVER SCREEN FOR CONTROLS

Fu Manchu meets Astrothrill

Here's an Ode to "Downtown in Dogtown" by Fu Manchu, featuring clips from my Astrothrill cartooon short film. Blessed by the band as a rough cut for internet only, circa 2002.

Taxi Odyssey

I've been busy working on some new indie animation this year, "A Taxi Odyssey", a documentary feature by Alexia Haidos in particular. I had the good fortune to design and animate the opening title sequence as well as several animation inserts.

More Kartoons and Koolcuts from The Kustomonsters

Ed Daddy Roth!


Groovy Ghoulies


The Gruesomes


Mad Monster Party


The Castaways


Enjoy!

Cult of UHF

Remember the good old days of independent movie TV, hosted by quirky local yokels running B-movie late late shows, sponsored by wacky used car salesmen and wonder Ronco gadget products. Yes, now video podcasting to a device near you is THE CULT OF UHF! Relive cult classics like "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" in full right on your device. Is this the future of niche programming? How many reality shows can you really stomach on regular modern TV? I'm thinking when Apple really releases it's iphone, that it. that's all you really need for for quite a while.

Enjoy Cult of UHF

Kustomonster Kool Kartoons!

The Kustomonsters wanted to share their favorite clips with you...
The Wacky Races

Milton the Monster

Tom Slick

The Addams Family Cartoon

And as a tribute to the lovely late Yvonne De Carlo, The Munsters Dragula episode!

Boss Maaaan!