Help us find and improve next week's Connection Finder profiles: Cartoonists and Animators [closed]

+13 votes
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Next week's Example Profile in the Connection Finder will be Walt Disney, famed cartoonist and animator, in honor of the anniversary of the publication of one of his first cartoons.

We're looking for profiles of other famed cartoonists and animators to feature alongside him. Here are a few of the people we're getting started on:

Can you help with these profiles, or expand their families? Adding relatives in any direction helps with connections. Every missing relative you add will make our connections to them closer.

Who else should we feature? Do they need a profile?

All profiles we feature need a good biography and a connection to the big tree. We also want each one to have an image, and the image needs to have proper source attribution explaining why it's in the public domain or why we have the right to display it.

We can't feature everyone mentioned (we only have room for eight per week), but if we don't feature a profile you work on, we may use it sometime in the future. And, of course, all contributions help improve our shared tree.

We'll make a final decision on which ones to feature early next week.

Please reply here with what you're working on so that we don't duplicate our efforts. Thank you!

To help us plan future themes, see the 2021 Example Profile Plans post here.

WikiTree profile: Walt Disney
closed with the note: Feature:https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1167965/which-cartoonist-are-you-most-closely-connected-to
in The Tree House by Abby Glann G2G6 Pilot (734k points)
closed by Abby Glann
Just a note, Charles Schultz's profile has Ethnicity stickers that are normally reserved for members (not ancestors)
I have added New Zealand cartoonist, Murray Ball, to Wiki Tree.  His parents were already on here!

The only thing it needs is an image and I am not confident about copyright on images.  If anyone else is knowledgable in that field and could upload an image or two, I'd appreciate it.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ball-19107

19 Answers

+11 votes
Bingo! I have connected Tove Jansson.

She already has a very nice profile.
Her tree is a bit lopsided - her father's Finnish side is undeveloped.

The connection I made is a one-person line for several generations and could be improved.
by Eva Ekeblad G2G6 Pilot (573k points)

Just wanted to say I was so glad to see Tove Jansson appearing in this week's lineup. Fond childhood memories. heart

Daddy got two generations. Starting to look at connections.
Tove's work looks wonderful! I have read many many comics in my time, but I will admit, I've not seen these - but now that I know they're out there, I will!
I had been working on a connection to Tove Jansson a couple weeks ago and just picked it up again today and finished it.  A bit circuitous... through her maternal grandmother's father's second wife's first husband's father. So now there are (at least) two.  

Is there a reason Tove's profile is written with all present-tense verbs?  I could fix it but I'm not sure if it's a Moomin thing or something.  Aside from that it's a wonderful profile.
Ben, I fear that this is how it avoids being a direct copy-paste from Wikipedia.
I added her partner as well. Seems like her parents met in the USA and then moved back to Finland. I'll put her family on my to do list unless someone else wants to take a shot.
Eva, I see that you're right about the profile being a copy/paste from Wikipedia, with the verb tenses changed.  That's a bit disappointing.
It took a while, but Tove is connected to Finland as well.
Well done, Juha! And just in time.
+7 votes
I've added a photo to Carl Barks and have worked on the Barks part to connect that to existing profiles earlier. It would be great to see some work on his mother's side. There is some information 'floating around', but when I looked at this earlier I couldn't find sources, so I didn't touch that.
by Per Starbäck G2G6 Mach 3 (39.0k points)
+5 votes
by S Stevenson G2G6 Pilot (250k points)
see G2G linked to his profile, someone has listed other notable cartoonists
Most of those guys were comic book artists, but if we open the door for that, then the lists would be good. A few were illustrators who primarily worked as cover artists for books. I don't know if any mentioned in that G2G were cartoonists.

Personally I think the lines are pretty blurry, as a cartoon-style artist (whether it's funny animals, superheroes, true romance/crime/etc.) is probably reasonably equivalent, but just wanted to point out that we appear to have started with the "funny animal" category and wasn't sure if the plan was to stick with that or branch out.
+8 votes
Willy Vandersteen, a belgian cartoonist, famous for "Suske en Wiske" (eng: Spike and Suzy) (Fr: bob et bobette).

Willebrord Jan Frans Maria Vandersteen is his full name.

has wikipedia pages in nine languages
by Eef van Hout G2G6 Pilot (189k points)
+6 votes
I'd suggest the creator of Popeye the Sailor, but he's currently not connected.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Segar-244

If we can connect E.C. Segar, he might be a good choice.
by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
I guess Mel was more of a voice actor - he might not fit into the "artist" criteria.
Scott, you provided a good list in the G2G linked to the McWilliams profile suggested above (to save you looking for all the profiles)
Thomas Segar should be connected tonight once the links update.
Sorry - E.C. Segar (who is a descendant of Thomas). Got fixated on connecting Thomas, which was good, but the goal was E.C. - Brain doesn't always catch up with the fingers sometimes.
Shocking that Hanna-Barbera might be missing from WikiTree.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hanna (no profile)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Barbera (no profile)

However, Woody Woodpecker creator, Walter Lantz does have a profile and it is connected.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lantz-1179

He could use some photos to spruce it up, but he might be a good one to use.
Isadore "Friz" Freleng, creator of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and a whole slew of other Warner Brothers properties also appears to be missing from WikiTree.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friz_Freleng
Added some photos to Walter Lantz's profile. He should be a good candidate now. Interesting that his connection runs back through several Italian profiles, as he's a first generation American and both parents were from Italy.
Another good one. Creator of Underdog! Joe Harris.

Sadly, no WikiTree profile yet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Harris_(illustrator)

He also created the Trix Rabbit, too. :)

And another (not in WikiTree) - creator of Mighty Mouse! Paul Terry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Terry_(cartoonist)
Tex Avery is another famous animator who was instrumental in the creation of many of the Warner Brothers properties (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc.). He has a profile, it is connected, but he has a tiny biography and no picture. He's close, so maybe we could spruce him up if he was chosen.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Avery-2696

I also went ahead and created an initial profile for Friz Freling.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Freleng-1

We'll see what I can do with it to determine if he's a good candidate for the group. If anyone wants to pitch in, please feel free.
+6 votes

If anyone is up for a challenge, there are some amazing Japanese animators it would be great to include if they were connected.

Osamu Tezuka - Profile created, unconnected, needs bio -- Connected!

"Additionally, he is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during Tezuka's formative years."

Isao Takahata - profile created, unconnected, needs bio. Co-founder of Studio Ghibli and partner of Hayao Miyazaki.

Satoshi Kon - unconnected. 

by Jayme Arrington G2G6 Pilot (182k points)
edited by Jayme Arrington
Ahh! Nicholas LaPointe connected Osamu Tezuka and added a bio. I'll work on getting a picture added. I think it would be great to feature someone from a country we don't typically focus on.
+8 votes

 - May I suggest May Gibbs , please -

Cecilia May Gibbs MBE (1877-1969).

= https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gibbs-1744 = from down under - - cheers

by John Andrewartha G2G6 Pilot (114k points)
What a wonderful profile!
Excellent! Thanks John.

Two other Australian suggestions:

Ron Tandberg - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tandberg-27. He is connected. Bio needs pic and a review. BTW Ron Tandberg seems to have Norwegian origins. I'll post some notes to his grandfather - in case a person with familiarity with Norwegian research wants to see if the line can be extended back into Norway.

Marie Horseman - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Horseman-186 - needs connecting, work on bio and pics.
I've added a picture to Ron Tandberg.  There don't seem to be any in the public domain, but I found one in my miscellaneous Australia file that was a screencap from a video.  (When I first came to the US, and for many years afterwards (and still now), I would collect all kinds of Aussie miscellany due to missing Home.)  I'm fairly sure it's ok to use it with the disclaimer, but if someone official objects I can look through my files for another one.  Or someone could contact the National Portrait Gallery for permission to use, or crop, the portrait by Frances Reiss.
Thank you Melanie! Greatly appreciated. I have no expertise about images on WikiTree, so will leave it to someone else, if there is any problem.

You should see my collection of Murray Ball's Footrot Flats.  It may not be Aussie, but I used to read it in my paper before I left. laugh

 - a quick mention of May's father - = Herbert William Gibbs (1852-1940). = - and some of his art in the 'Possum , of Perth -

AN EASTERN JOKE. (1887, September 10). The 'Possum (Perth, WA : 1887 - 1888),
p. 10. Retrieved December 16, 2020
Artwork in The 'Possum

- one for you Melanie - =

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126892212?searchTerm=Ron%20Tandberg%20%20cartoons# =

 - I enjoyed him too (in the Age) -
Marie Horseman's bio is complete and she is connected.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Horseman-186
+4 votes
How about Fred Seibel, political cartoonist?  [[Seibel-402|Frederick Otto Seibel (1886-1969)]], he was a cousin of my grandmother, through both his parents.
by Mark Weinheimer G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
+5 votes
Gahan Wilson, connected

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wilson-67320

Stephen Hillenburg (Spongebob), connected

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hillenburg-29

Virgil Partch, connected

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Partch-60

Walt Kelly (Pogo) not connected

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kelly-18722
by Mark Burch G2G6 Pilot (219k points)
+4 votes

I transcribed both of the obituaries for Charles Schulz's father, Carl Friedrich Augustus Schulz & Grandfather Carl Ludwig Schulz as well as added their Baptismal records.

by John Schalcosky G2G6 Mach 1 (10.2k points)
+5 votes

Dick Bruna, creator of Nijntje aka MIffy aka ナインチェ・プラウス is famous enough I reckon.

Connected, 8 GGPs but could use help in connecting his German roots

by Michel Vorenhout G2G6 Pilot (316k points)
+7 votes

How about the literal "Addams" family - Charles Addams

Also - Chuck Jones and Dr. Seuss

by John Schalcosky G2G6 Mach 1 (10.2k points)
edited by John Schalcosky
+8 votes

I'll work today on a biography for George Herriman, whose strip Krazy Kat is one of the most influential strips in the history of comic strips. He's connected ...

by Dave Ebaugh G2G6 Mach 2 (21.2k points)
Ack! He's public protected. His biography is A BARE LINK TO WIKIPEDIA! The PM was last active 2 1/2 years ago.

He should be opened up.
Herriman is done. He was opened up!
It would be great to feature George since he was a Black American before his time.
+5 votes

Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, better known as Quino, was a famous cartoonist from Argentina who died in 2020. He doesn't have a WikiTree profile yet; would anyone who's more famliar with the guidelines for Spanish names be willing to take that on?

by Sharon Casteel G2G6 Pilot (165k points)
+4 votes
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ward-10293

Jay Ward, creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle.  I have his biography, "The Moose That Roared," and will work on fleshing out the profile, which has no biography.
by Margaret Summitt G2G6 Pilot (320k points)
Jay Ward was born with the surname Cohen. I have Jay Ward's parents and am working to get him connected. Could the profile be unlocked so the LNAB can be corrected?
I have Jay Ward connected now through his aunt Amonda (Troplong) Grant Carey.  Her first husband Gordon Gilchrist Grant had New England ancestry.
Sorry, the profile is not locked; I meant could the PM or somebody change the LNAB?
+6 votes

There are a great deal of animators that worked for Warner Brothers.

by Christine Daniels G2G6 Pilot (168k points)
+6 votes
Dutch cartoonist Marten Toonder (1912 -2005) famous for Tom Puss / Oliver B Bumble cartoons. Has wikpedia pages in 11 languages. No wikitree profile yet.
by Eef van Hout G2G6 Pilot (189k points)
+5 votes
Belgian artist Georges Prosper Remi, aka Hergé, does have a profile, but it is currently not connected. He was the creator and artist for the famous strip The Adventures of Tintin.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Remi-9

It would be great if we could find a way to get him connected.
by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
+5 votes
May I  suggest   [[Porter-19820]] ? https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Porter-19820   Eric Porter had a number of Australian firsts: Australia's first colour cartoon animation, the  first Australian animated television commercials, and Australia’s first animated feature-length cartoon.
by Heather Stevens G2G6 (6.9k points)
Fantastic work. Thank you Heather. Connected, bio and images. All done.

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