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Sept 16, 2006 Berny Wolf
September 16th, 2006

We learned this week of the death of animator Berny Wolf 1911-2006. No relation to Fred Wolf of Murakami-Wolf or Mike Wolf, Simpsons producer. He was 95. Berny Wolf was one of those stalwart rank-in-file animators who while not calling much attention to himself seemed to have worked everywhere. He did the rotoscope animation of Cab Calloway in Max Fleischer's Minnie the Moocher and The Old Man of the Mountain. He animated on Pinnochio, did the centaurettes dancing around Bacchus in the Pastorale Seq of Fantasia and quarreled with Bill Tytla on the picket line in front of Disney's main gate in 1941. His resume also included FUMPU, MGM, TV commercials and Hanna Barbera. Mark Kausler wrote a great overview of his life on Jerry Beck's Cartoon Brew. Our condolences to his family. Berny Wolf was one of the last of the Golden Age Animators, and we thank him for his beautiful work and wish him well as he passes on to Cartoonist Valhalla.

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Birthdays: J.C. Penny (James Cash Penny), B.B. King is 81. Originally born Rydell King, when a DJ in Memphis his name was Beale St. Blues Boy or B.B.King), Lauren Bacall, Anne Francis, Linda Darnel, Nadia Boulanger, Alan Funt, George Chakiris, Peter Falk, Mickey Rourke, Ed Begley Jr, Jennifer Tilly, Molly Shannon, Marvin Middlemark 1919-the inventor of the rabbit ears TV antenna.

218BC -Estimated date that Hannibal and his Carthaginian army completed their crossing of the Alps and descended into the Po River Valley of Italy. Of 32 elephants only 2 survived the journey.

1859- In Old San Francisco California State Senator David Broderick called California Supreme Court Justice David Terry a “pro-slavery crook, knave and poltroon”. The chief justice in a rage and challenged Broderick to a duel. They had to reschedule their meeting several times to elude the police but finally met on this date on site on Lake Merced near present Daly City. Broderick's gun discharged prematurely near Terry's feet. Terry, instead of being satisfied and firing wide, took aim and drilled Broderick through the chest, killing him instantly.

1949-Chuck Jones' "Fast and Furrious" the First Road Runner-Coyote cartoon. Maurice Nobles' beautifully stylized view of the SouthWest American desert set a new standard in Animated films.

1963- The Beatles record “She Loves You- Yeah,Yeah,Yeah.”on the Swan Records label.

1964- The Peter Potamus Show debuted.

1965- The Dean Martin Show premiered on NBC. “Well, Ah think I’m gonna go to da couch now..”

1966- the last LOOK magazine published.

1969- President Nixon appears on the t.v. comedy "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" and says:"Sock it to Me?"

1983- Arnold Schwarzenegger became a US citizen.

1984- “Miami Vice” tv show debuted.

2003- Sheb Wooley, the composer of the 1951 hit “One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater” and the theme song of the TV show Hee Haw, died in Henderson Tennessee at age 82.


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