Rod Scribner
Encyclopedia
Roderick H. "Rod" Scribner (October 10, 1910–December 21, 1976) was an American
animator
best known for his work on the Looney Tunes
and Merrie Melodies
series of cartoon
s from Warner Bros.
. His animation was one of the wildest things ever seen on screen during The Golden Age of American animation
. He started as an animator for Ben Hardaway
and Cal Dalton
in 1938. In 1940, he joined Tex Avery
's unit and worked with Robert McKimson
, Charles McKimson
, and Virgil Ross.
In late 1941, after Tex Avery left, he was replaced as the unit director by Bob Clampett
. Scribner turned out to be arguably Clampett's best animator. Clampett classics such as A Tale of Two Kitties
(1942), Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs
(1943), Falling Hare
(1943), and The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
(1946) showcase some of his greatest work: his trademark "Lichty
style" of animation. Clampett left Warner Bros. in 1945 to pursue a career in puppetry
and television. Not much is known about where Scribner was between 1946-1949 (although he does some animation on two McKimson cartoons starring Porky and Daffy
in 1947). In 1950, Scribner returned to Warner Bros. under Robert McKimson's unit. His animation was tamed down to McKimson's standards, but he still got away with wild scenes, like in Hillbilly Hare
(1950), Hoppy Go Lucky
(1952) and Of Rice and Hen
(1953). He left Warners in 1954 and worked at UPA
. In his later years, Scribner worked with former colleague Bill Melendez on various Charlie Brown
movies and television special
s.
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...
best known for his work on the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
series of cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s from Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
. His animation was one of the wildest things ever seen on screen during The Golden Age of American animation
The Golden Age of American animation
The Golden Age of U.S. animation is a period in the United States animation history that began with the advent of sound cartoons in 1928 and continued into the early 1960s when theatrical animated shorts slowly began losing to the new medium of television animation.Many memorable characters emerged...
. He started as an animator for Ben Hardaway
Ben Hardaway
Joseph Benson "Ben/Bugs" Hardaway was a storyboard artist, animator, voice actor, gagman, writer, and director for several American animation studios during the The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He was sometimes credited as J.B. Hardaway, Ben Hardaway, Buggsy Hardaway, and B. Hardaway.While...
and Cal Dalton
Cal Dalton
Cal Dalton was a cartoon director at Warner Brothers. Dalton's first commercial animation work was on an animated short version of The Wizard of Oz that was produced by Ted Eshbaugh's independent animation studio in 1933. Afterwards, Dalton left to work at the Warner Brothers animation studio,...
in 1938. In 1940, he joined 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 and worked with Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson
Robert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
, Charles McKimson
Charles McKimson
Charles Edson "Chuck" McKimson, Jr. was an American animator, best known for his work at Warner Bros. studio. He was the younger brother of animators Robert and Thomas McKimson. His father was a newspaperman who later become the editor of the Scandia Journal in Scandia, Kansas.McKimson was born...
, and Virgil Ross.
In late 1941, after Tex Avery left, he was replaced as the unit director by Bob Clampett
Bob Clampett
Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
. Scribner turned out to be arguably Clampett's best animator. Clampett classics such as A Tale of Two Kitties
A Tale of Two Kitties
A Tale of Two Kitties is an American cartoon, released in 1942, notable for the first appearance of A yellow canary, who would come to be known as Tweety. It was directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, and features music by Carl W. Stalling. It was also the first appearance of Babbit...
(1942), Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs
Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs
Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs is a Merrie Melodies animated cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, and released to theatres on January 16, 1943 by Warner Bros...
(1943), Falling Hare
Falling Hare
Falling Hare is a 1943 Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Robert Clampett, starring Bugs Bunny. The title is another play on words. The word "hair" and "hare". As "falling hair" refers to impending baldness, while in this cartoon's climax, the title turns out to be descriptive of Bugs' situation....
(1943), and The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery is a Warner Brothers Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short, produced in early 1945, and released in 1946. It was directed by Robert Clampett, and features Daffy Duck in Clampett's penultimate Warner cartoon and final Daffy Duck cartoon, produced shortly before he left...
(1946) showcase some of his greatest work: his trademark "Lichty
George Lichty
George Lichty was an American cartoonist, creator of the daily and Sunday cartoon series Grin and Bear It. His work was signed Lichty and often ran without mention of his first name....
style" of animation. Clampett left Warner Bros. in 1945 to pursue a career in puppetry
Puppetry
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC. Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects...
and television. Not much is known about where Scribner was between 1946-1949 (although he does some animation on two McKimson cartoons starring Porky and Daffy
Birth of a Notion (cartoon)
Birth of a Notion is a 1946-animated, 1947-released Looney Tunes cartoon featuring Daffy Duck, as well as a dog named "Leopold" and an unnamed mad scientist...
in 1947). In 1950, Scribner returned to Warner Bros. under Robert McKimson's unit. His animation was tamed down to McKimson's standards, but he still got away with wild scenes, like in Hillbilly Hare
Hillbilly Hare
Hillbilly Hare is a 1950 Merrie Melodies cartoon starring Bugs Bunny, produced and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was directed by Robert McKimson, with a story by Tedd Pierce and musical direction by Carl Stalling. Bugs as usual is voiced by Mel Blanc, as is Curt Martin; an uncredited Stan...
(1950), Hoppy Go Lucky
Hoppy Go Lucky
Hoppy Go Lucky is a 1952 Looney Tunes short film starring Sylvester and Hippety Hopper. Like all the Sylvester/Hippety Hopper shorts, it was directed by Robert McKimson...
(1952) and Of Rice and Hen
Of Rice and Hen
Of Rice and Hen is a "Looney Tunes" cartoon animated short starring Foghorn Leghorn, Miss Prissy and The Barnyard Dog. The title is a play on John Steinbeck's 1937 novel Of Mice and Men...
(1953). He left Warners in 1954 and worked at UPA
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
. In his later years, Scribner worked with former colleague Bill Melendez on various Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
movies and television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
s.