Fred Quimby
Encyclopedia
Frederick C. "Fred" Quimby (July 31, 1886 – September 16, 1965) was an American cartoon
producer
, best known as a producer of Tom and Jerry
cartoons, for which he won seven Academy Awards. He was the producer in charge of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
, which included Tex Avery
and the team of William Hanna
and Joseph Barbera
, creators of Tom and Jerry.
. Later, he worked at Pathé
, rising to become a member of the board of directors before leaving in 1921 to become an independent producer. He was hired by 20th Century Fox
in 1924, and then MGM in 1927 to head its short features department. In 1937, he was assigned to put together its animation department.
In 1939, William Hanna
and Joseph Barbera
presented him with their project for a series of cartoons featuring a cat and a mouse. Quimby approved, and the result was Puss Gets the Boot
, which was nominated for an Academy Award. As producer, Quimby became a repeated recipient of the Academy Award for Animated Short Film
for the Tom and Jerry films, and his name became well known due to its prominence in the cartoon credits. However, Quimby had a difficult relationship with animators:
Quimby retired from MGM in 1955, with Hanna and Barbera assuming his role as co-heads of the studio. MGM's cartoon division did not last long after; it was closed in 1957. Quimby died in Santa Monica, California
in 1965.
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, best known as a producer of Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
cartoons, for which he won seven Academy Awards. He was the producer in charge of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studio in Hollywood, California during the Golden Age of American animation, responsible for producing animated short subjects to accompany MGM feature films in Loew's Theaters...
, which included Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
and the team of William Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
, creators of Tom and Jerry.
Life and career
Quimby was born in Minneapolis, and started his career as a journalist. In 1907, he managed a film theater in Missoula, MontanaMissoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
. Later, he worked at Pathé
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
, rising to become a member of the board of directors before leaving in 1921 to become an independent producer. He was hired by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in 1924, and then MGM in 1927 to head its short features department. In 1937, he was assigned to put together its animation department.
In 1939, William Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
presented him with their project for a series of cartoons featuring a cat and a mouse. Quimby approved, and the result was Puss Gets the Boot
Puss Gets the Boot
Puss Gets the Boot is a one-reel animated cartoon and the first Tom and Jerry short, although not billed as such in the cartoon. It was released on June 24, 1940 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...
, which was nominated for an Academy Award. As producer, Quimby became a repeated recipient of the Academy Award for Animated Short Film
Academy Award for Animated Short Film
The Academy Award for Animated Short Film is an award which has been given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Academy Awards every year since the 5th Academy Awards, covering the year 1931-32, to the present....
for the Tom and Jerry films, and his name became well known due to its prominence in the cartoon credits. However, Quimby had a difficult relationship with animators:
Quimby retired from MGM in 1955, with Hanna and Barbera assuming his role as co-heads of the studio. MGM's cartoon division did not last long after; it was closed in 1957. Quimby died in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
in 1965.
Oscar credits
- Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1940: The Milky Way - Producer (with Rudolf Ising)
- Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1941: The Night Before Christmas - Producer
- Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1941: The Rookie Bear - Producer
- Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1942: The Blitz Wolf - Producer
- Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1943: The Yankee Doodle MouseThe Yankee Doodle MouseThe Yankee Doodle Mouse is a 1943 American one-reel animated cartoon. It is the eleventh Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby, and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision by Scott Bradley and animation by Irven Spence, Pete Burness, Kenneth Muse and George Gordon...
- Producer - Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1944: Mouse TroubleMouse TroubleMouse Trouble is a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 17th Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley . The cartoon was animated by Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, Ken Muse and Pete Burness...
- Producer - Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1945: Quiet Please! - Producer
- Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1946: The Cat ConcertoThe Cat ConcertoThe Cat Concerto is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 29th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor in 1946 and released to theatres on April 26, 1947 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical...
- Producer - Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1947: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. MouseDr. Jekyll and Mr. MouseDr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 30th Tom and Jerry short. The cartoon was released on 14 June 1947, and was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah, Kenneth Muse and Al Grandmain. The episode...
- Producer - Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1948: The Little OrphanThe Little OrphanThe Little Orphan is a 1949 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 40th Tom and Jerry short, released in theatres on April 30, 1949 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley...
- Producer - Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1949: Hatch Up Your TroublesHatch Up Your TroublesHatch Up Your Troubles is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 41st Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision by Scott Bradley and animation by Ed Barge, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence and Kenneth Muse...
- Producer - Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1950: Jerry's CousinJerry's CousinJerry's Cousin is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 57th Tom and Jerry short. Made in 1950, but released in 1951 on April 7 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was nominated for the 1950 Academy Award for Best Short Cartoon, but lost to Gerald McBoing-Boing, a UPA production...
- Producer - Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1951: The Two MouseketeersThe Two MouseketeersThe Two Mouseketeers is a 1952 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 65th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on March 15, 1952 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision...
- Producer - Winner Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1952: Johann MouseJohann MouseJohann Mouse is the 75th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley and Jakob Gimpel and narration by Hans Conried...
- Producer - Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1952: Little Johnny Jet - Producer
- Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1954: Touché, Pussy Cat!Touché, Pussy Cat!Touché, Pussy Cat! is the 89th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1954 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...
- Producer - Nominated for Short Subjects (Cartoons) 1955: Good Will to Men - Producer (with William HannaWilliam HannaWilliam Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
& Joseph BarberaJoseph BarberaJoseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
)