Arlene Klasky
Encyclopedia
Arlene Klasky is an animator
, graphic designer
, television producer
and co-founder of Klasky-Csupo with Gábor Csupó
. Arlene Klasky is one of the television industry’s leading advocates for quality animated programming that entertains children. In 1999, she was named one of the “Top 25 Women in Animation” by the industry’s leading publication, Animation Magazine
. She is most commonly known for co-creating the animated series Rugrats
with her (now ex-) husband Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain
.
and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
.
Klasky played a major role as co-creator and executive producer on the two-time Emmy Award-winning Rugrats
and designed several of the series’ major characters. Her vision has inspired other distinctive productions, including Rugrats
, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
, Santo Bugito
, Rocket Power
and The Wild Thornberrys
.
Klasky’s diverse career shares common origins with the special effects/film graphics industry. After studying animation at the California Institute of the Arts
, Klasky gained her first professional experience as a designer of signage and logos for architectural projects. She entered the music industry as a designer for major record labels such as A & M Records.
After stints as a magazine and advertising art director, Klasky made the transition into film, joining the legendary Robert Abel and Associates
doing special effects and graphics for film. She quickly progressed to freelance title design for New World Pictures and then for Marks & Marks and California Film, another company she co-founded, designed on-air promos, station Ids and graphic titles.
, since before they started their animation company. They have two sons together from their 16-year marriage. The couple filed for divorce in 1995, and Csupó has remarried. They continue to remain business partners. Tommy Pickles
' appearance from Rugrats
is based on her younger son Brandon. Her older son's name is Jarrett.
with Gabor in their two-bedroom apartment in Hollywood in 1982. It later was moved to Seward Street in Hollywood. They designed the titles for 21 Jump Street
, Anything But Love
, and In Living Color
. They also produced music videos for Beastie Boys
and Luther Vandross
. In 1990 they started Rugrats
with the unaired pilot "Tommy Pickles and the Great White Thing" and the series started in August 1991. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
premiered on Halloween in 1994, their second cartoon show to be aired on Nickelodeon. In 2003 she made the spin-off All Grown Up!; in America it aired from 2003-2009 on The N, 2003-2006 on Nickelodeon, and 2004-present on Nicktoons TV.
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...
, graphic designer
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and co-founder of Klasky-Csupo with Gábor Csupó
Gábor Csupó
Gábor Csupó is a Hungarian-born animator, writer, film director and music producer. He is co-founder of the animation studio Klasky Csupo, which has produced shows like Rugrats, Duckman, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.-Career:...
. Arlene Klasky is one of the television industry’s leading advocates for quality animated programming that entertains children. In 1999, she was named one of the “Top 25 Women in Animation” by the industry’s leading publication, Animation Magazine
Animation Magazine
Animation Magazine is a monthly publication covering the animation industry, including different reviews about film and television animation, visual effects and video games....
. She is most commonly known for co-creating the animated series Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
with her (now ex-) husband Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain
Paul Germain
Paul Germain is an American animation screenwriter and producer. Among the shows Germain has written and/or produced for are Rugrats, All Grown Up!, The Simpsons, Recess, Even Stevens, Lloyd in Space, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Beethoven: The Animated Series...
.
History
Klasky and her partner, Gabor Csupo, formed Klasky Csupo, Inc. in 1981. Combining their respective talents in graphic design and character animation proved to be a long-lasting successful formula. Today, she continues to work on new project development for television and features. She oversees the studio’s projects in broadstrokes on a daily basis along with Csupo. Klasky was the creative force behind the box-office hits The Rugrats MovieThe Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, also known as The Rugrats Movie 2: Rugrats in Paris and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II, is 2000 American animated film, and the sequel to the 1998 film The Rugrats Movie that follows the continuing adventures of the Rugrats. In the film, Chuckie Finster takes...
.
Klasky played a major role as co-creator and executive producer on the two-time Emmy Award-winning Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
and designed several of the series’ major characters. Her vision has inspired other distinctive productions, including Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
AAAHH!!! Real Monsters
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters is an American animated television series about adolescent monsters in training, developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon...
, Santo Bugito
Santo Bugito
Santo Bugito was a 1995 animated cartoon series developed by Klasky-Csupo for CBS. It ran for thirteen episodes and revolved around the goings on in a fictional community of insects. Notable achievements of this series included a revival of the insect-community genre Santo Bugito was a 1995...
, Rocket Power
Rocket Power
Rocket Power is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon.-Premise:Rocket Power involves the daily situations of a group of best friends named Oswald "Otto" Rocket, Regina "Reggie" Rocket, Maurice "Twister" Rodriguez, and Sam "Squid" Dullard, as they live in the fictional...
and The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon. It was rerun in the USA on Nickelodeon and occasionally The N until 2009 and Nicktoons until 2007...
.
Klasky’s diverse career shares common origins with the special effects/film graphics industry. After studying animation at the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
, Klasky gained her first professional experience as a designer of signage and logos for architectural projects. She entered the music industry as a designer for major record labels such as A & M Records.
After stints as a magazine and advertising art director, Klasky made the transition into film, joining the legendary Robert Abel and Associates
Robert Abel and Associates
Robert Abel and Associates was a pioneering production company specializing in TV commercials made with computer graphics. Robert Abel's company, RA&A was especially known for their art direction and won many Clio Awards....
doing special effects and graphics for film. She quickly progressed to freelance title design for New World Pictures and then for Marks & Marks and California Film, another company she co-founded, designed on-air promos, station Ids and graphic titles.
Personal life
She was once married to her business partner Gábor CsupóGábor Csupó
Gábor Csupó is a Hungarian-born animator, writer, film director and music producer. He is co-founder of the animation studio Klasky Csupo, which has produced shows like Rugrats, Duckman, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.-Career:...
, since before they started their animation company. They have two sons together from their 16-year marriage. The couple filed for divorce in 1995, and Csupó has remarried. They continue to remain business partners. Tommy Pickles
Tommy Pickles
Thomas Malcolm "Tommy" Pickles is the main protagonist of the Nickelodeon animated television series' Rugrats and its spin-off All Grown Up!. He is clad in only a T-shirt and a diaper and is bald with big, blank eyes. He translates everything adult into baby gibberish...
' appearance from Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
is based on her younger son Brandon. Her older son's name is Jarrett.
Klasky Csupo
She formed Klasky CsupoKlasky Csupo
Klasky Csupo, Inc. is a multimedia entertainment production company located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, founded by artist/producer, Arlene Klasky and animator, Gábor Csupó.- History :...
with Gabor in their two-bedroom apartment in Hollywood in 1982. It later was moved to Seward Street in Hollywood. They designed the titles for 21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street is an American police procedural crime drama television series that aired on the Fox Network from April 12, 1987, to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The series focused on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools,...
, Anything But Love
Anything but Love
Anything But Love was an American television sitcom, which aired on ABC from March 7, 1989 to June 3, 1992, spanning four seasons and 56 episodes. The show starred Richard Lewis as Marty Gold and Jamie Lee Curtis as Hannah Miller, coworkers at a Chicago magazine with a mutual romantic attraction to...
, and In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
. They also produced music videos for Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
and Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
. In 1990 they started Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
with the unaired pilot "Tommy Pickles and the Great White Thing" and the series started in August 1991. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
AAAHH!!! Real Monsters
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters is an American animated television series about adolescent monsters in training, developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon...
premiered on Halloween in 1994, their second cartoon show to be aired on Nickelodeon. In 2003 she made the spin-off All Grown Up!; in America it aired from 2003-2009 on The N, 2003-2006 on Nickelodeon, and 2004-present on Nicktoons TV.