Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Schlesinger Wars Continued
Amid Amidi, over at Cartoon Brew,
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/archives/2005_03.html#001006 has an article on Leon Schlesinger and how his inactivity and fiduciary negligence make him the prefect animation executive.
Then Mark Evanier over at his New From Me site NewsFromMe answers his post by saying that Leon did give his animators freedom to create but he paid them poorly.
Time for me to weigh in. Yes Leon paid his workers poorly, I agree and yes he gave them freedom and yes he went to the track and he spent time on his yacht but he was more hands on than he is credited with being.
About a year ago I was reading the first couple of chapters of Martha Sigall`s upcoming book in proof form. (2 more days until it in out on the stands). There was a story in her book about things that the animators had to do in storyboards to slip things past Schlesinger (I`m not going to tell you what. It is a great story and I am not about to steal her thunder)
So I think to myself if Leon is always at the track and gives them complete freedom why do they have to put things over on him?
I started talking to Martha and doing some research and I have come to the conclusion that Leon`s reputation has been damaged by animators wanting to take more credit for themselves and in one case purposely minimized in an act of disserved revenge.
First off, Tex Avery and crew were not put over on the Warner`s lot to give them freedom. They were put there because Tom Palmer was about to get fired and Leon wanted his replacement off site so that Tom would finish his work before he found out that the ax was going to fall.
Leon gave Tex the people that were not fitting in at the studio. Bobo Canon, Chuck Jones, and Bob Clampett were misfits that hadn`t had a real chance to shine. Virgule Ross and Sid Southerland came with Tex from Lantz. They were part of his scam to pass himself off as an animation director.
Leon did not go out looking for Tex or get Tex away from Lantz. Tex was recovering from his eye injury and had been out of work for a year. He bluffed his way into Schlesingers. Leon gave him a one picture make or break tryout in an old shake on the Warner's lot.
Leon did enjoy the good life and he did leave the office sometimes (okay a lot of times) but when he was there he was there. It makes the animators seem more important if they minimize his roll. Then they can take credit for everything themselves.
The real damage to Leon`s reputation comes from Chuck Jones. Leon never forgave Chuck for leading the strike. Leon was a smart enough businessman to keep Chuck Jones on staff. But he made his life a living hell whenever he could.
As a pay back Chuck minimized Leon`s roll to that of bumbling buffoon. I have never once seen a piece of Chuck Jones footage about Leon or heard Chuck talk about Schlesinger without him going into an exaggerated Leon lisp. He minimized the strike saying that Leon wanted to get back to the track so he caved in. And he never gave Leon any credit for anything but going to the track and being a buffoon.
I completely understand why Chuck tried to cut Leon Schlesinger out of history and I agree with all of the things that Amid and Mark said. But both of their takes on the subject are too simplistic and the full story of Leon Schlesiger has been hidden long enough. ¶ 7:41 AM
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/archives/2005_03.html#001006 has an article on Leon Schlesinger and how his inactivity and fiduciary negligence make him the prefect animation executive.
Then Mark Evanier over at his New From Me site NewsFromMe answers his post by saying that Leon did give his animators freedom to create but he paid them poorly.
Time for me to weigh in. Yes Leon paid his workers poorly, I agree and yes he gave them freedom and yes he went to the track and he spent time on his yacht but he was more hands on than he is credited with being.
About a year ago I was reading the first couple of chapters of Martha Sigall`s upcoming book in proof form. (2 more days until it in out on the stands). There was a story in her book about things that the animators had to do in storyboards to slip things past Schlesinger (I`m not going to tell you what. It is a great story and I am not about to steal her thunder)
So I think to myself if Leon is always at the track and gives them complete freedom why do they have to put things over on him?
I started talking to Martha and doing some research and I have come to the conclusion that Leon`s reputation has been damaged by animators wanting to take more credit for themselves and in one case purposely minimized in an act of disserved revenge.
First off, Tex Avery and crew were not put over on the Warner`s lot to give them freedom. They were put there because Tom Palmer was about to get fired and Leon wanted his replacement off site so that Tom would finish his work before he found out that the ax was going to fall.
Leon gave Tex the people that were not fitting in at the studio. Bobo Canon, Chuck Jones, and Bob Clampett were misfits that hadn`t had a real chance to shine. Virgule Ross and Sid Southerland came with Tex from Lantz. They were part of his scam to pass himself off as an animation director.
Leon did not go out looking for Tex or get Tex away from Lantz. Tex was recovering from his eye injury and had been out of work for a year. He bluffed his way into Schlesingers. Leon gave him a one picture make or break tryout in an old shake on the Warner's lot.
Leon did enjoy the good life and he did leave the office sometimes (okay a lot of times) but when he was there he was there. It makes the animators seem more important if they minimize his roll. Then they can take credit for everything themselves.
The real damage to Leon`s reputation comes from Chuck Jones. Leon never forgave Chuck for leading the strike. Leon was a smart enough businessman to keep Chuck Jones on staff. But he made his life a living hell whenever he could.
As a pay back Chuck minimized Leon`s roll to that of bumbling buffoon. I have never once seen a piece of Chuck Jones footage about Leon or heard Chuck talk about Schlesinger without him going into an exaggerated Leon lisp. He minimized the strike saying that Leon wanted to get back to the track so he caved in. And he never gave Leon any credit for anything but going to the track and being a buffoon.
I completely understand why Chuck tried to cut Leon Schlesinger out of history and I agree with all of the things that Amid and Mark said. But both of their takes on the subject are too simplistic and the full story of Leon Schlesiger has been hidden long enough. ¶ 7:41 AM
