Hawley Pratt
Encyclopedia
Hawley Pratt was an American
film director
, animator
, and illustrator
. He is best known for his work during the heyday of Warner Bros. Cartoons
and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng
as a layout artist and later as a director. Pratt also worked for Walt Disney Studios
, Filmation
, and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
where he co-created The Pink Panther
.
in Brooklyn
. He became an artist at Walt Disney Studios
in 1933 before joining Warner Bros. Cartoons
after the Disney strike in 1941. There he served as a layout artist providing background layouts and character poses from 1945 to the early 1960s. Working closely with director Friz Freleng
, Pratt's Warner Bros. resume includes the Oscar-winning cartoons Tweetie Pie
, which introduced the duo of Sylvester
and Tweety
, Speedy Gonzales, where Freleng and Pratt redesigned the character
into his modern incarnation, and Birds Anonymous
. Pratt directed Señorella and the Glass Huarache
, a Looney Tune released in 1964 after the studio closed its animation division.
Pratt briefly worked at the Hanna-Barbera
studio with Freleng before the two moved to DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
. They created the Pink Panther character for the animated title sequence of the 1963 feature film of the same name; though, Pratt is often solely credited for the character's creation. While there, he directed (or co-directed) all episodes of The Pink Panther Show
. Pratt's directorial effort in the 1966 short The Pink Blueprint
won him an Oscar nomination. His other directorial works also include three Roland and Rattfink
shorts, The Super 6
, and three Dr. Seuss
television specials: The Cat in the Hat
and Dr. Seuss on the Loose
, and The Lorax
. Pratt also served as associate director and animator of the 1964 film The Incredible Mr. Limpet
.
Pratt's skills also had him illustrating several Little Golden Books
and Big Golden Books. His decorated career finally came to an end in 1974.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, 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...
, and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. He is best known for his work during the heyday of Warner Bros. Cartoons
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...
and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
as a layout artist and later as a director. Pratt also worked for Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
, Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
, and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
where he co-created The Pink Panther
The Pink Panther (character)
The Pink Panther is the main and title character in the opening and closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. His popularity spawned a series of theatrical shorts, merchandise, a comic book, and television cartoons...
.
Early life and career
Born in Seattle and raised in the Bronx by his widowed mother Mabel, Pratt graduated from the Pratt InstitutePratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He became an artist at Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
in 1933 before joining Warner Bros. Cartoons
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...
after the Disney strike in 1941. There he served as a layout artist providing background layouts and character poses from 1945 to the early 1960s. Working closely with director Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
, Pratt's Warner Bros. resume includes the Oscar-winning cartoons Tweetie Pie
Tweetie Pie
Tweetie Pie is a 1947 Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Friz Freleng and produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons, depicting the first pairing of Tweety and Sylvester.When Tweety's creator, director Bob Clampett, left the Warner Bros...
, which introduced the duo of Sylvester
Sylvester (Looney Tunes)
Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr., Sylvester the Cat or simply Sylvester, is a fictional character, a three-time Academy Award-winning anthropomorphic Tuxedo cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies repertory, often chasing Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper...
and Tweety
Tweety
Tweety Bird is a fictional Yellow Canary in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of animated cartoons. The name "Tweety" is a play on words, as it originally meant "sweetie", along with "tweet" being a typical English onomatopoeia for the sounds of birds...
, Speedy Gonzales, where Freleng and Pratt redesigned the character
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...
into his modern incarnation, and Birds Anonymous
Birds Anonymous
Birds Anonymous is a 1957 Merrie Melodies animated short, directed by Friz Freleng and written by Warren Foster, starring Tweety Bird, Sylvester and Sam...
. Pratt directed Señorella and the Glass Huarache
Señorella and the Glass Huarache
Señorella and the Glass Huarache is a 1964 Looney Tunes Cartoon directed by Hawley Pratt and written by John W. Dunn. The plotline is a typical Cinderella story, but set in Mexico. This was the last Looney Tunes short released before the Warner Bros. Cartoons division was shut down. It was the...
, a Looney Tune released in 1964 after the studio closed its animation division.
Pratt briefly worked at the 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...
studio with Freleng before the two moved to DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
. They created the Pink Panther character for the animated title sequence of the 1963 feature film of the same name; though, Pratt is often solely credited for the character's creation. While there, he directed (or co-directed) all episodes of The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of cartoon shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1979. The television series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast on two American TV networks:...
. Pratt's directorial effort in the 1966 short The Pink Blueprint
The Pink Blueprint
The Pink Blueprint is the 18th cartoon produced in the Pink Panther series. A total of 124 6-minute cartoons were produced between 1964 and 1980.-Plot:...
won him an Oscar nomination. His other directorial works also include three Roland and Rattfink
Roland and Rattfink
Roland and Rattfink is a series of animated shorts produced and released from 1968 to 1971. The main characters also made several guest appearances on the The Pink Panther animated series. The series was produced by David H...
shorts, The Super 6
The Super 6
The Super 6 was an animated cartoon series which was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in 1966, and shown on the NBC television network from 1966 to 1969...
, and three Dr. Seuss
Dr. 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....
television specials: The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat (TV special)
The Cat in the Hat is an animated musical television special first aired on CBS on March 10, 1971, based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss' children's book of the same name and produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
and Dr. Seuss on the Loose
Dr. Seuss on the Loose
Dr. Seuss on the Loose is an animated musical television special, cartoon first airing on CBS on October 15, 1973, and hosted by The Cat in the Hat. who appears in bridging sequences where he introduced animated adaptations of Dr...
, and The Lorax
The Lorax
The Lorax is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler. As in most Dr...
. Pratt also served as associate director and animator of the 1964 film The Incredible Mr. Limpet
The Incredible Mr. Limpet
The Incredible Mr. Limpet is a 1964 American live-action/animated film from Warner Bros. It is about a man named Henry Limpet who turns into a talking fish resembling a tilefish and helps the U.S. Navy locate and destroy Nazi submarines. Don Knotts plays the title character. The live action was...
.
Pratt's skills also had him illustrating several Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books is a popular series of children's books. The first 12 titles were published on October 1, 1942:#Three Little Kittens#Bedtime Stories#Mother Goose#Prayers for Children#The Little Red Hen#Nursery Songs...
and Big Golden Books. His decorated career finally came to an end in 1974.
Awards
- Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film 196739th Academy AwardsThe 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10, 1967 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California...
(nominated) - Golden Award 1992