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‘Rudolph’ Animator Arthur Rankin Jr. Dead at 89
Variety ^ | January 31, 2014 | 06:05PM PT | Variety Staff

Posted on 02/01/2014 7:38:39 PM PST by a fool in paradise

Arthur Rankin Jr., the animator behind the classic holiday special classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the “Jackson Five” cartoon series and dozens of other productions, died Thursday at his home in Harrington Sound, Bermuda. He was 89.

Rankin’s death was reported by Bermuda’s Royal Gazette. 

With his partner Jules Bass, Rankin ran the prosperous Rankin/Bass production banner that was behind a slew of specials and cartoon series from the early 1960s through the late 1980s.

The company was a pioneer in the use of stop-motion animation, which gave a distinctive look to its 1964 “Rudolph” special (pictured). Rankin/Bass also made a point of recruiting notable actors for its vocal talent, including Burl Ives for the Sam the Snowman role in “Rudolph.”

Other Rankin/Bass productions included “ThunderCats,” a 1977 animated rendition of “The Hobbit” and a 1972 hourlong special “Willie Mays and the Say-Hey Kid.”

A native of New York to parents who were actors, Rankin got his start working for ABC as an art director in the 1940s.

Survivors include his wife, Olga, and two sons.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 2014obituaries; animation; authurrankinjr; christmasspecials; obituary
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To: Kartographer; T-Bird45

Ever see THE original filmed version of The Hobbit?

Be prepared for a truly bizarre experience:

https://www.blastr.com/2012/01/watch_a_totally_weird_196.php


21 posted on 02/01/2014 8:37:32 PM PST by vladimir998
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To: a fool in paradise

RIP.


22 posted on 02/01/2014 8:38:47 PM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: a fool in paradise

“She said I was cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!”


23 posted on 02/01/2014 8:55:36 PM PST by bramps (Go West America!)
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To: a fool in paradise
Arthur Rankin Jr., the animator behind the classic holiday special classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the “Jackson Five” cartoon series and dozens of other productions, died Thursday at his home in Harrington Sound, Bermuda. He was 89.

His work sucked and I don"t care if he's dead.

24 posted on 02/02/2014 1:02:11 AM PST by metalurgist ( Want your country back? It'll take guns and rope. Marxists won't give up peaceably.)
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To: a fool in paradise

RIP, your work lives on which is more than many can say.


25 posted on 02/02/2014 1:20:28 AM PST by jocon307
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To: a fool in paradise

If your going to die Harrington Sound is the place to do it. It’s heaven on earth.


26 posted on 02/02/2014 4:32:51 AM PST by angcat
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To: a fool in paradise

The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.....


27 posted on 02/02/2014 4:43:10 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: metalurgist

We’ll give you a mulligan because you’re drunk.


28 posted on 02/02/2014 6:07:43 AM PST by lefty-lie-spy (Stay metal. For the Horde \m/("_")\m/ - via iPhone from Tokyo.)
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To: Kartographer

Richard Boone as the voice of Smaug, I loved that.

Freegards


29 posted on 02/02/2014 6:15:00 AM PST by Ransomed
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To: lefty-lie-spy
The company was a pioneer in the use of stop-motion animation,

Stop motion animation. = Jerky, just like you.

30 posted on 02/02/2014 7:20:23 AM PST by metalurgist ( Want your country back? It'll take guns and rope. Marxists won't give up peaceably.)
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To: Ransomed

Richard Boone’s vocal for Smaug is prefect and far better than the recent movies version.


31 posted on 02/02/2014 7:24:35 AM PST by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: lee martell

Back in the 1990s it was remade as Raging Rudolph for MadTV.


32 posted on 02/02/2014 6:40:19 PM PST by Rodamala
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