Philip D. Eastman
Encyclopedia
Philip Dey "Phil" Eastman (November 25, 1909 January 7, 1986) was an American screenwriter
, children's author, and illustrator
. As an author, he is known primarily as P. D. Eastman.
, Massachusetts
to Clarence Willis and Ann Hull (Dey) Eastman. After preparing at Phillips Academy
and Williston Academy, he graduated from Amherst College
in 1933 and later from the National Academy of Design
.
. From 1945 to 1952 he worked in the story department of United Productions of America
. He contributed to the "Private Snafu
" World War II
training film
s, wrote for the animation
Mr. Magoo
, and the Gerald McBoing-Boing
series for UPA.
(Dr. Seuss), Eastman wrote many books for children, in his own distinct style under the Dr. Seuss brand of Random House, many of which were in the Beginner Books
series. His titles include:
He was the illustrator for:
He wrote:
, Westport Artists, the Screen Cartoonists Guild, and the Audubon Society.
, California
. He had two sons, Alan Eastman and Peter Anthony (Tony) Eastman, an animator, who himself directed video adaptations of Richard Scarry
's children's books. Peter has also written and illustrated Fred And Ted Go Camping (2005), Fred And Ted Like To Fly (2007), "Fred and Ted's Road Trip" (2011) and contributed new illustrations to several reissues of his father's books, The Alphabet Book (2000), Big Dog... Little Dog (2003), Red Stop! Green Go! (2004), and The Cat In The Hat
Beginner Book Dictionary (2007).
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, children's author, and illustrator
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
. As an author, he is known primarily as P. D. Eastman.
Early life
Eastman was born in AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to Clarence Willis and Ann Hull (Dey) Eastman. After preparing at Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
and Williston Academy, he graduated from Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in 1933 and later from the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
.
In film and animation
From 1936 to 1941, Eastman worked at the story department of Walt Disney Productions. From 1941 to 1943 he worked at the story department of Warner Bros. CartoonsWarner 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...
. From 1945 to 1952 he worked in the story department of United Productions of America
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
. He contributed to the "Private Snafu
Private Snafu
Private Snafu is the title character of a series of black-and-white American instructional cartoon shorts produced between 1943 and 1945 during World War II. The character was created by director Frank Capra, chairman of the U.S. Army Air Force First Motion Picture Unit, and most were written by...
" World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
training film
Training film
A training film is a form of educational film – a short subject documentary movie, that provides an introduction to a topic. Both narrative documentary and dramatisation styles may be used, sometimes both in the same production...
s, wrote for the animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
Mr. Magoo
Mr. Magoo
Quincy Magoo is a cartoon character created at the UPA animation studio in 1949. Voiced by Jim Backus, Quincy Magoo is a wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of sticky situations as a result of his nearsightedness, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem...
, and the Gerald McBoing-Boing
Gerald McBoing-Boing
Gerald McBoing-Boing is an animated short film produced by United Productions of America and given wide release by Columbia Pictures on November 2, 1950...
series for UPA.
As an author
A protégé of Theodor GeiselDr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
(Dr. Seuss), Eastman wrote many books for children, in his own distinct style under the Dr. Seuss brand of Random House, many of which were in the Beginner Books
Beginner Books
Beginner Books is the Random House imprint for young children ages 4-8, co-founded by Phyllis Cerf with Ted Geisel, more often known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Helen Palmer Geisel.Their first book was Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat...
series. His titles include:
- Are You My Mother?Are You My Mother?Are You My Mother? is a children's book by P. D. Eastman published by Random House Books for Young Readers on June 12, 1960 as part of their Beginner Books series.-Plot summary:...
(ISBN 0-394-80018-4) (Beginner Book #18) - Go, Dog. Go!Go, Dog. Go!Go, Dog. Go! is a 1961 children's book written and illustrated by P. D. Eastman.The book describes the actions and interactions of a group of highly mobile dogs, who operate cars and other conveyances in pursuit of work, play, and a final mysterious goal: a dog party.The book introduces concepts...
(ISBN 0-394-80020-6) (Beginner Book #20) - The Best Nest (ISBN 0-394-80051-6) (Beginner Book #51)
- Flap Your Wings (ISBN 0-375-80243-6) (Beginner Book #88)
- The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary (ISBN 0-394-81009-0)
- What Time Is It? (book)|What Time Is It? (ISBN 0-375-81362-4) (Bright and Early Board Books)
- Sam and the FireflySam and the Firefly- Plot :Sam, an owl, wakes up one night looking for someone to play with. However, since it is the middle of the night, all the creatures are asleep. Sam then comes across a series of flying lights, one of which hits Sam in the head. It is Gus, the firefly. Gus shows Sam the trick he can do,...
(ISBN 0-394-80006-0) (Beginner Book #6) - Big Dog... Little Dog (ISBN 0-375-82297-6), with additional illustrations by Peter Anthony Eastman (Beginner Book #92)
- Red, Stop! Green, Go! (ISBN 0-375-82503-7) (Bright and Early Playtime Books)
- Sam and Gus Light Up the Night (ISBN 0-375-82926-1) (Bright and Early Playtime Books)
- My Nest Is Best (ISBN 0-375-83267-X) (Bright and Early Playtime Books)
- The Alphabet Book" (ISBN 0-375-80603-2) (Bright and Early Board Books)
- Big Dog...Little Dog: A Bedtime Story (ISBN 394-83312-0) (Pictureback Series)
He was the illustrator for:
- A Fish Out of WaterA Fish Out Of Water (book)A Fish Out of Water is a children's book by Helen Palmer Geisel, and illustrated by P. D. Eastman. The book is based on a short story by Palmer's husband Theodore Geisel , "Gustav the Goldfish", which was published with his own illustrations in Redbook magazine in June of 1950.The story is about a...
by Helen Palmer GeiselHelen Palmer GeiselHelen Palmer Geisel was an American actress and author and the first wife of children's book writer Dr. Seuss. Her most well known book is Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday?, published in 1963...
(ISBN 0-394-80023-0) (Beginner Book #23) - Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner (ISBN 0-394-80025-7) (Beginner Book #25)
- I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words by Michael K. FrithMichael K. FrithMichael Kingsbury Frith born July 8, 1941 in Bermuda, is the former Executive Vice President and Creative Director for Jim Henson Productions. His contributions to Muppet projects have been extensive and varied....
(ISBN 0-394-82692-2) (Bright and Early Books #17)) - I'll Teach My Dog a Lot of Words by Michael K. Frith (ISBN 0-375-80099-9) (Bright and Early Board Books)
He wrote:
- Snow, illustrated by Roy McKieRoy McKieRoy McKie was an illustrator of children's books, most notably under the Dr. Seuss imprint. He illustrated many books penned by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the pen name Theo...
(ISBN 0-394-80027-3) (Beginner Book #27)
Other affiliations
Eastman was a member of the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, Westport Artists, the Screen Cartoonists Guild, and the Audubon Society.
Family
Eastman was married in 1941 to Mary Louise Whitham of GlendaleGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He had two sons, Alan Eastman and Peter Anthony (Tony) Eastman, an animator, who himself directed video adaptations of Richard Scarry
Richard Scarry
Richard McClure Scarry was a popular American children's author and illustrator who published over 300 books with total sales of over 100 million units worldwide....
's children's books. Peter has also written and illustrated Fred And Ted Go Camping (2005), Fred And Ted Like To Fly (2007), "Fred and Ted's Road Trip" (2011) and contributed new illustrations to several reissues of his father's books, The Alphabet Book (2000), Big Dog... Little Dog (2003), Red Stop! Green Go! (2004), and The Cat In The Hat
The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat is a children's book by Dr. Seuss and perhaps the most famous, featuring a tall, anthropomorphic, mischievous cat, wearing a tall, red and white-striped hat and a red bow tie. He also carries a pale blue umbrella...
Beginner Book Dictionary (2007).