Thursday, September 14, 2006
Archive: Berny Wolf (1911-2006)
Berny Wolf holds up a model sheet he created
along with Grim Natwick for an Iwerks Willie Whopper
cartoon. (See Al Eugster's Photo Album)
We received the sad news today that veteran animator, Berny Wolf passed away a few days ago at the age of 95. Berny was a real gentleman, and his career spanned the entire history of animation... from Fleischer, where he rotoscoped Cab Calloway as a ghostly walrus for "Minnie the Moocher"; to Iwerks, where he designed characters and animated on Willie Whopper and Comicolor cartoons; to Disney, where he animated on Pinocchio, Fantasia and Dumbo. In the TV era, Berny was a mainstay at Hanna Barbera and FilmRoman, continuing to work into his 80s.
Here are some model sheets Berny created along with Grim Natwick at Iwerks...
Perhaps Berny's most famous scene is one he animated when he was just 21 years old... the ghostly walrus from "Minnie the Moocher". Berny was assigned to rotoscope footage of Cab Calloway. He told me that he did the work at Max Fleischer's original rotoscope rig- the one on which they had rotoscoped Ko-Ko the Clown many years earlier. The rotoscope machine was made from an old camera stand, and it stood in a dark corner of the camera room. For a week, Berny sat on a high stool rotoscoping Cab Calloway. Here is the film...
Minnie the Moocher (Fleischer/1932)
(Quicktime 7 / 17 megs)
PLEASE NOTE The text and media files on the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Blog are not to be duplicated, redistributed or hosted on other websites without the prior written permission of the Board of Directors of ASIFA-Hollywood.
Berny was a quiet, unassuming man. Perhaps that is why many people today are unaware of his importance to the history of animation. He was the quintessential East coast animator until the end, often attending important meetings in an impeccable pinstripe three piece suit, complete with a watch chain and white carnation in the lapel. ASIFA-Hollywood offers its condolences to the family of Berny Wolf. He will be missed by all who had the honor to know him.
Read Mark Kausler's overview of Berny's career at Cartoon Brew
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive ¶ 7:18 PM
Berny Wolf holds up a model sheet he created
along with Grim Natwick for an Iwerks Willie Whopper
cartoon. (See Al Eugster's Photo Album)
We received the sad news today that veteran animator, Berny Wolf passed away a few days ago at the age of 95. Berny was a real gentleman, and his career spanned the entire history of animation... from Fleischer, where he rotoscoped Cab Calloway as a ghostly walrus for "Minnie the Moocher"; to Iwerks, where he designed characters and animated on Willie Whopper and Comicolor cartoons; to Disney, where he animated on Pinocchio, Fantasia and Dumbo. In the TV era, Berny was a mainstay at Hanna Barbera and FilmRoman, continuing to work into his 80s.
Here are some model sheets Berny created along with Grim Natwick at Iwerks...
Perhaps Berny's most famous scene is one he animated when he was just 21 years old... the ghostly walrus from "Minnie the Moocher". Berny was assigned to rotoscope footage of Cab Calloway. He told me that he did the work at Max Fleischer's original rotoscope rig- the one on which they had rotoscoped Ko-Ko the Clown many years earlier. The rotoscope machine was made from an old camera stand, and it stood in a dark corner of the camera room. For a week, Berny sat on a high stool rotoscoping Cab Calloway. Here is the film...
Minnie the Moocher (Fleischer/1932)
(Quicktime 7 / 17 megs)
PLEASE NOTE The text and media files on the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Blog are not to be duplicated, redistributed or hosted on other websites without the prior written permission of the Board of Directors of ASIFA-Hollywood.
Berny was a quiet, unassuming man. Perhaps that is why many people today are unaware of his importance to the history of animation. He was the quintessential East coast animator until the end, often attending important meetings in an impeccable pinstripe three piece suit, complete with a watch chain and white carnation in the lapel. ASIFA-Hollywood offers its condolences to the family of Berny Wolf. He will be missed by all who had the honor to know him.
Read Mark Kausler's overview of Berny's career at Cartoon Brew
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive ¶ 7:18 PM
