Alex Lovy
Encyclopedia
Alex Lovy was an American
animator
, who spent the majority of his career as an animator and director at Walter Lantz Productions, later being a producer at Hanna-Barbera
, and also supervising the cartoon unit at Warner Bros.
during its final days.
Lovy's early career was spent as a comic artist at DC Comics
, and he became an animator at the Lantz studio in the late 1930s, his first credit being as director of Feed the Kitty in 1938. Studio head Walter Lantz
was taking a hiatus from directing at this time, and Lovy directed many of the studio's shorts in the 1938-1940 period. He stepped down to animator in 1940 after Lantz reverted to being director, but continued to play an important role in the production of the shorts, and stepped up to being the studio's lead director of Woody Woodpecker
shorts when Lantz retired from directing in 1942. The following year however, Lovy was drafted
into the US Navy and left the studio; Shamus Culhane
in the meantime replaced Lovy.
After the end of World War II
, Lovy worked briefly for Columbia Pictures
' cartoon unit, directing five shorts before it was closed down, and in 1955 made his return to the Lantz studio, initially to finish some cartoons that Tex Avery
had produced during a brief stint as director there. He carried on directing at the Lantz studio until the end of the decade, at which point he moved over to Hanna-Barbera. There, he worked mainly as a producer and storyboard artist, and often supervised the studio's voice recording sessions. In 1967, Lovy moved to the newly re-opened Warner Bros. cartoon studio, where he created the characters Cool Cat and Merlin the Magic Mouse, in addition to directing cartoons with classic characters Daffy Duck
and Speedy Gonzales
. After just over a year at Warner Bros., Lovy returned to Hanna-Barbera, and worked there in various capacities until shortly before his death.
According to Walter Lantz, Lovy was ambidextrous
, and could draw two storyboards at the same time, one with each hand.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, who spent the majority of his career as an animator and director at Walter Lantz Productions, later being a producer at Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
, and also supervising the cartoon unit at Warner Bros.
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...
during its final days.
Lovy's early career was spent as a comic artist at DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, and he became an animator at the Lantz studio in the late 1930s, his first credit being as director of Feed the Kitty in 1938. Studio head Walter Lantz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
was taking a hiatus from directing at this time, and Lovy directed many of the studio's shorts in the 1938-1940 period. He stepped down to animator in 1940 after Lantz reverted to being director, but continued to play an important role in the production of the shorts, and stepped up to being the studio's lead director of Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
shorts when Lantz retired from directing in 1942. The following year however, Lovy was drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the US Navy and left the studio; Shamus Culhane
Shamus Culhane
James "Shamus" Culhane was an American animator, film director, and film producer.Culhane worked for a number of American animation studios, including Fleischer Studios, the Ub Iwerks studio, Walt Disney Productions, and the Walter Lantz studio. He began his animation career in 1925 working for J.R...
in the meantime replaced Lovy.
After the end of 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...
, Lovy worked briefly for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
' cartoon unit, directing five shorts before it was closed down, and in 1955 made his return to the Lantz studio, initially to finish some cartoons that 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...
had produced during a brief stint as director there. He carried on directing at the Lantz studio until the end of the decade, at which point he moved over to Hanna-Barbera. There, he worked mainly as a producer and storyboard artist, and often supervised the studio's voice recording sessions. In 1967, Lovy moved to the newly re-opened Warner Bros. cartoon studio, where he created the characters Cool Cat and Merlin the Magic Mouse, in addition to directing cartoons with classic characters Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
and Speedy Gonzales
Speedy Gonzales
Speedy Gonzales is an animated caricature of a mouse in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He is portrayed as "The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico" with his major traits being the ability to run extremely fast and speaking with an exaggerated Mexican accent...
. After just over a year at Warner Bros., Lovy returned to Hanna-Barbera, and worked there in various capacities until shortly before his death.
According to Walter Lantz, Lovy was ambidextrous
Ambidexterity
Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages . It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one out of one hundred people being naturally ambidextrous...
, and could draw two storyboards at the same time, one with each hand.