Ray Patterson (animator)
Encyclopedia
Raymond "Ray" Patterson (November 23, 1911 – December 30, 2001) was an American
animator
, producer
, and director
. Patterson was born in Hollywood, California, and was the brother of animator Don Patterson
.
's Krazy Kat/Screen Gems
studio, where he started as an inker in 1929. He remained at Mintz for ten years.
and Fantasia
, as well as several Pluto
shorts (Bone Trouble and Pluto's Playmate).
to work at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
, where he was assigned to the Hanna
-Barbera
unit. Patterson worked with this unit for over twenty years, though he occasionally provided animation for Dick Lundy and Tex Avery
's unit. He worked on several Academy Award winning animation shorts: Mouse Trouble
(1944), Quiet Please! (1945), The Little Orphan
(1948), and Johann Mouse
(1952).
, which he operated until 1967. GrantRay-Lawrence's early work was providing animation for television commercials, including the original "Winston Tastes Good"
campaign. The company later moved on to producing such animated television series as Spider-Man
and The Marvel Superheroes.
, where he worked as a supervising director on several animated television series. Patterson was eventually promoted to Vice President in charge of animation direction, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.
by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood
for his lifetime of contributions to the animation field.
) Patterson died of natural causes, in Encino, California
.
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...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and 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:...
. Patterson was born in Hollywood, California, and was the brother of animator Don Patterson
Don Patterson (animator)
Don Patterson was an American producer, animator, and director who worked at various studios during the golden age of animation, including Disney, MGM, and Walter Lantz. He was the older brother of animator Ray Patterson....
.
Early career
Patterson's earliest works in animation were for Charles B. MintzCharles B. Mintz
Charles B. Mintz was an American film producer and distributor, who took control over Margaret J. Winkler's Winkler Pictures after marrying her in 1924....
's Krazy Kat/Screen Gems
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American movie production company and subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation....
studio, where he started as an inker in 1929. He remained at Mintz for ten years.
Walt Disney Studio
In 1940, he moved to the Walt Disney studio, where he animated on DumboDumbo
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
and Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, as well as several Pluto
Pluto (Disney)
Pluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown , medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression...
shorts (Bone Trouble and Pluto's Playmate).
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Patterson left Disney in 1941 during the Disney animators' strikeDisney animators' strike
The Disney animators' strike was a labor strike by the animators of Walt Disney Studios in 1941.-History:The 1930s led to a rise of labor unions in motion pictures as in other industries such as The Screen Actors Guild which was formed in 1933. Animators of Fleischer Studios went on strike in 1937...
to work at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studio in Hollywood, California during the Golden Age of American animation, responsible for producing animated short subjects to accompany MGM feature films in Loew's Theaters...
, where he was assigned to the Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
-Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
unit. Patterson worked with this unit for over twenty years, though he occasionally provided animation for Dick Lundy and 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...
's unit. He worked on several Academy Award winning animation shorts: Mouse Trouble
Mouse Trouble
Mouse Trouble is a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 17th Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley . The cartoon was animated by Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, Ken Muse and Pete Burness...
(1944), Quiet Please! (1945), The Little Orphan
The Little Orphan
The Little Orphan is a 1949 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 40th Tom and Jerry short, released in theatres on April 30, 1949 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley...
(1948), and Johann Mouse
Johann Mouse
Johann Mouse is the 75th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley and Jakob Gimpel and narration by Hans Conried...
(1952).
Grantray-Lawrence Animation
Patterson left MGM in 1954 to co-found (with former MGM colleague Grant Simmons) Grantray-Lawrence AnimationGrantray-Lawrence Animation
Grantray-Lawrence Animation was an animated cartoon studio active from 1954 to 1967 and founded by Grant Simmons, Ray Patterson , and Robert Lawrence....
, which he operated until 1967. GrantRay-Lawrence's early work was providing animation for television commercials, including the original "Winston Tastes Good"
Winston tastes good like a cigarette should
"Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" is an enduring slogan that appeared in newspaper, magazine, radio, and television advertisements for Winston cigarettes from the brand's introduction in 1954 until 1972. It is one of the best-known American tobacco advertising campaigns...
campaign. The company later moved on to producing such animated television series as Spider-Man
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
and The Marvel Superheroes.
Hanna-Barbera
After GrantRay-Lawrence folded in 1967, Patterson joined his former bosses at Hanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
, where he worked as a supervising director on several animated television series. Patterson was eventually promoted to Vice President in charge of animation direction, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.
Awards and honors
Patterson was awarded the 1999 Winsor McCay AwardWinsor McCay Award
The Winsor McCay Award is given to individuals in recognition of lifetime or career contributions in animation. The award is presented at the annual Annie Awards, presented by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood...
by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood
ASIFA-Hollywood
ASIFA-Hollywood, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, California, USA, which is a branch member of the "Association Internationale du Film d'Animation" or "ASIFA"...
for his lifetime of contributions to the animation field.
Death
On December 30, 2001, (nine months after the passing of William HannaWilliam Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
) Patterson died of natural causes, in Encino, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.