'Luck, Luck, Luck, Luck, Luck'

Chatting with illustrator R. O. Blechman about his animation career.

The Soldier’s Tale

Happy Thursday! In this issue of the Animation Obsessive newsletter, our talk continues with the iconic R. O. Blechman (91). He’s been a force in New York illustration since the mid-century — and has played an irreplaceable part in its animation.

The first part of this interview, published last month, covers the earliest years of Blechman’s animation career. In the 1950s, he learned the ropes under directors like John Hubley and Gene Deitch. This time, we’re exploring Blechman’s prime years in the animation world, as he moved to other studios and even founded his own, The Ink Tank.

Blechman and our teammate John spoke about The Soldier’s Tale (1984), Simple Gifts (1978), that famous Alka-Seltzer commercial and more. Throughout, Blechman was quick to give credit to others, praising animators like Tissa David (“oh, God, she was amazing”) for making his ideas better than he ever could’ve alone.

You’ll find their conversation condensed, arranged and edited for readability below.

Enjoy!