Jack King (animator)
Encyclopedia
James Patton "Jack" King (1895-1958) was an American comics artist and animator best known for his work at Walt Disney Productions.
Born in Alabama
, King began his animation career in the silent era in 1920 working at Bray Productions
animation studio. King successfully made the transformation from silent to sound cartoons and relocated to the west coast where he joined the Disney studio in 1929.
In 1933, he moved to the newly formed Leon Schlesinger Productions
which made Looney Tunes
and Merrie Melodies
for Warner Bros.
, initially working as an animator under director Earl Duvall
. A year later, Duvall was fired in the wake of an alcohol-fuelled argument with Schlesinger, and King was promoted to director, handling many of the studio's cartoons starring Buddy
.
After two years working at the Schlesinger studio, King was invited back to Disney, and he returned there in late 1936. Part of the reason why he went back to Disney was the promise that he would be able to direct cartoons in color, which he had been unable to do previously (Friz Freleng
and Tex Avery
were the only directors that Schlesinger allowed to use color for much of the 1930s). Serving as one of Disney's key animation directors, he directed many classic Donald Duck
cartoons (such as Donald's Dilemma
) until his retirement in 1948.
Born in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, King began his animation career in the silent era in 1920 working at Bray Productions
Bray Productions
Bray Productions was the dominant animation studio based in the United States in the years before World War I.- History :The studio was founded in December 1914 by J. R. Bray, perhaps the first studio entirely devoted to animation, and series animation at that...
animation studio. King successfully made the transformation from silent to sound cartoons and relocated to the west coast where he joined the Disney studio in 1929.
In 1933, he moved to the newly formed Leon Schlesinger Productions
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
which made Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, initially working as an animator under director Earl Duvall
Earl Duvall
Earl Duvall was an artist best known for his work on Walt Disney comic strips in the early 1930s and for a handful of animated cartoon short subjects he directed at Leon Schlesinger Productions for Warner Bros.-Career:...
. A year later, Duvall was fired in the wake of an alcohol-fuelled argument with Schlesinger, and King was promoted to director, handling many of the studio's cartoons starring Buddy
Buddy (Looney Tunes)
Buddy is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes series of cartoons.-Looney Tunes:Buddy has his origins in the chaos that followed the severing of relations between animators Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising from producer Leon Schlesinger...
.
After two years working at the Schlesinger studio, King was invited back to Disney, and he returned there in late 1936. Part of the reason why he went back to Disney was the promise that he would be able to direct cartoons in color, which he had been unable to do previously (Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
and 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...
were the only directors that Schlesinger allowed to use color for much of the 1930s). Serving as one of Disney's key animation directors, he directed many classic Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
cartoons (such as Donald's Dilemma
Donald's Dilemma
Donald's Dilemma is a 1947 Walt Disney Studios animated cartoon directed by Jack King and starring Donald and Daisy Duck. It was originally released on July 11, 1947 in the United States. Although Donald is the official headliner for this cartoon, Daisy is the actual protagonist...
) until his retirement in 1948.