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+11: Reviving America's 'Worst Animation Studio'
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+11: Reviving America's 'Worst Animation Studio'

Digging into the best of the Terrytoons renaissance.

Nov 11, 2021
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Flebus

Welcome to the 11th bonus issue of the Animation Obsessive newsletter! Glad you could make it. To our new members — thank you, and we hope you’ll enjoy our Thursday issues.

Today, we’re looking at an iconic moment in animation history — the rebirth of the studio Terrytoons. Back in the ‘50s, its working conditions and output were among the poorest in the industry. Then a new creative director, Gene Deitch of UPA, arrived. To quote Cartoon Modern, “Under his leadership, a hitherto bottom-rung animation studio was transformed into a classy exponent of the modern approach.”

Alongside that story, you’ll be able to watch highlights from Terrytoons’ Deitch era. Many of these films are unknown outside animation history circles — but they’re full of eye-grabbing ideas that set them apart from UPA, and from most mid-century modern cartoons in general. Even now, they’re absolutely worth studying.

Let’s start!

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