Bill Meléndez
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Bill Meléndez
Born José Cuauhtémoc Meléndez
November 15, 1916(1916-11-15)
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Died September 2, 2008 (aged 91)
Santa Monica, California, USA
Occupation Animator
Years active 1938–2006
Spouse(s) Helen

José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez (November 15, 1916 – September 2, 2008)12 was a Mexican-born American character animator, film director and producer, known for his cartoons for Warner Brothers and the Peanuts series. Meléndez provided the voice of Snoopy and Woodstock in the latter as well.

Contents

Early life

A native of the Mexican city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Meléndez was educated in U.S. public schools in Douglas, Arizona, and later in Los Angeles at the Chouinard Art Institute (which would later become California Institute of the Arts).

Disney

In 1938, Meléndez was hired by Walt Disney to work on animated short films and feature-length films such as Bambi, Fantasia, and Dumbo. While there, he worked to unionize the rank and file animators he was working with.3 A member of the Screen Cartoonists' Guild, he left as part of the 1941 Disney animators' strike and never returned as an employee.

Warner Brothers

Three years later, he joined Leon Schlesinger's team at the Warner Brothers studios, where, as a member of the Bob Clampett, Art Davis and Robert McKimson units, he animated on a number of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck shorts (as "J.C. Melendez"). UPA put him on their payroll in 1948 to work on many television commercials, as well as the Gerald McBoing-Boing and Madeline shorts.

Bill Melendez Productions

After a decade at two smaller production houses, Meléndez founded his own production company in 1964. Bill Melendez Productions helped produce the annually broadcast Christmas special A Charlie Brown Christmas, for which he won an Emmy Award and the George Foster Peabody Award despite having to work on short notice and with a tight budget. Meléndez performed the voice of Snoopy, who normally in the specials does not talk. Meléndez first started animating the Peanuts characters for a series of commercials in 1959 for the Ford Falcon, and it was during that time that he met Charles Schulz, the comic strip's creator.4 Melendez was the only animator authorized to work on Schultz's Peanuts characters.2

Meléndez went on to do over 75 half-hour Peanuts specials, including the 1989 miniseries This is America, Charlie Brown, as well as four feature-length motion pictures – all with partner Lee Mendelson.

In 1979, he directed a made-for-TV animated version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for Children's Television Workshop.5

Amongst the other comic strip characters he animated were Cathy and Garfield, as well as the 1992 special Frosty Returns.

Melendez died on September 2, 2008 in Santa Monica, California.

Other work

In addition to animation, Meléndez was once a faculty member at the University of Southern California's Cinema Arts Department.

He is parodied in the online cartoon Homestar Runner.

Related companies

  • Melendez Films – Animation division : United Kingdom, video and interactive entertainment

References

  1. ^ "'Peanuts' animator Bill Melendez dies at 91", Associated Press (2008-09-04). Retrieved on 6 September 2008. 
  2. ^ a b "Peanuts' animator Melendez dies", BBC. Retrieved on 4 September 2008. 
  3. ^ News Brief. National Public Radio. 2008-09-04 15:00 ET.
  4. ^ Solomon, Charles (2008-09-04). "Bill Melendez, 'Peanuts' animator -- and voice of Snoopy -- dies at 91". Retrieved on 6 September 2008. 
  5. ^ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079474/

External links


v • d • e
Peanuts
Characters
Films
TV specials
A Boy Named Charlie Brown • A Charlie Brown Christmas • Charlie Brown's All-Stars • It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown • You're in Love, Charlie Brown • He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown • Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz • It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown • Play It Again, Charlie Brown • You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown • There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving • It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown • It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown • Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown • You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown • Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown • It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown • It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown • What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown • Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown • You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown • She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown • Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown • It's Magic, Charlie Brown • Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown • A Charlie Brown Celebration • Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown? • It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown • What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? • It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown • Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown • It's Your 20th Television Anniversary, Charlie Brown • You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! • Snoopy!!! The Musical • It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown • You Don't Look 40, Charlie Brown • Why, Charlie Brown, Why? • Snoopy's Reunion • It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown • It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown • You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown • It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown • Good Grief, Charlie Brown: A Tribute to Charles Schulz • Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years • It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown • The Making of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" • A Charlie Brown Valentine • Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales • Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown • He's a Bully, Charlie Brown
Other Media
People
Persondata
NAME Meléndez, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Meléndez, José Cuauhtemoc; Meléndez, Bill
SHORT DESCRIPTION Mexican-American animator, film director, film producer
DATE OF BIRTH 15 November 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
DATE OF DEATH 2 September 2008
PLACE OF DEATH Santa Monica, California, USA
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