Raymond Patterson (November 23, 1911 – December 30, 2001) was an American animator, producer, and director. He was born in Hollywood, California, and was the younger brother of animator Don Patterson.
Career Patterson's earliest works in animation were for Charles Mintz's Krazy Kat/Screen Gems studio, where he started as an inker in 1929. He remained at Mintz for eleven years. In 1940, he moved to Walt Disney Productions, where he animated on Fantasia and Dumbo, as well as several Pluto shorts (Bone Trouble and Pluto's Playmate). By 1942, he mostly worked on Donald Duck shorts such as Donald Gets Drafted.
Patterson left Disney in 1941 during an animation strike. He would briefly reunite with Screen Gems, now creatively supervised by Frank Tashlin, before moving to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio in 1943, with his first short for them being War Dogs, followed by Baby Puss, his debut on the Tom and Jerry series. While he mostly worked in the studio's Hanna-Barbera unit, he occasionally provided animation for Tex Avery's unit in the 1950s (as well as Avery's substitute director Dick Lundy). He worked on several Academy Award-winning animation shorts: Mouse Trouble (1944), Quiet Please! (1945), The Little Orphan (1948), and Johann Mouse (1952). Patterson (along with his colleague Irven Spence) would briefly leave MGM in the mid 40's. During this period, he would help organize and educate animators from David Hand's Gaumount British Animation Studio. He and Spence would later move back to MGM in the late 40's.
Patterson left MGM permanently in 1953 and was briefly hired by Walter Lantz. He (alongside former Tex Avery animator Grant Simmons) would direct two shorts, Broadways Bow Wows and Dig that Dog. Months afterwards, Patterson and Simmons left Walter Lantz Productions and co-founded their own studio, Grantray-Lawrence Animation, which he operated until 1967. GrantRay-Lawrence's early work was providing animation for television commercials, including the original "Winston Tastes Good" campaign. The company later moved on to producing such animated television series as Spider-Man and The Marvel Superheroes.
After GrantRay-Lawrence folded in 1967, Patterson joined his former bosses at Hanna-Barbera, where he worked as a supervising director on several animated television series. Patterson was eventually promoted to vice president in charge of animation direction, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.
Patterson was awarded the 1999 Winsor McCay Award by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood for his lifetime of contributions to the animation field.
Personal life and death Ray was married to June Walker Patterson. June worked at Disney as a cel painter. They had four daughters.
Patterson died of natural causes in Encino, California on December 30, 2001, a month after his 90th birthday.
Filmography Short films Year Series Title Credits1943Tom and JerryBaby Pussanimator1944The Zoot CatThe Million Dollar CatThe BodyguardPuttin' on the DogMouse Trouble1945The Mouse Comes to DinnerMouse in ManhattanTee for TwoFlirty BirdyQuiet Please!1946Springtime for ThomasSolid Serenade1947Salt Water Tabby1948The Truce HurtsOld Rockin' Chair TomProfessor TomMouse Cleaning1949Polka Dot PussThe Little OrphanHatch Up Your TroublesHeavenly PussThe Cat and the MermouseLove That PupTennis Chumps1950Little QuackerSaturday Evening PussTexas TomJerry and the LionSafety SecondTom and Jerry in the Hollywood BowlThe Framed CatCueball Cat1951Casanova CatJerry and the GoldfishJerry's CousinSleepy-Time TomHis Mouse FridaySlicked-Up PupNit-Witty KittyCat Napping1952The Flying CatThe Duck DoctorTriplet TroubleLittle RunawayFit to Be TiedDroopyCaballero DroopyTom and JerryCruise CatBarney BearThe Little Wise QuackerTom and JerryThe Dog House1953The Missing MouseBarney BearBarney's Hungry CousinTom and JerryJohann MouseLittle Johnny JetTom and JerryThat's My Pup!T.V. of TomorrowBarney BearWee-Willie WildcatTom and JerryJust DuckyTwo Little IndiansDroopyThree Little Pups1954Tom and JerryPosse CatDroopyDrag-A-Long DroopyTom and JerryHic-cup PupBilly BoyTom and JerryMice FolliesNeapolitan MouseDownhearted Duckling1955Pup on a PicnicMouse for SaleThe First Bad ManDroopyDeputy DroopyTom and JerryPecos Pest1956The Egg and Jerry1957Tops with PopsFeedin' the Kiddie
Feature films Year Title CreditsNotes1940FantasiaAnimator - Segment "Dance of the Hours"1941DumboAnimator1946Holiday in Mexico1962Gay Purr-ee1964Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!1973Charlotte's Web1975Coonskin1986GoBots: Battle of the Rock LordsDirector
Television Year Title CreditsNotes1979The Flintstones Meet Rockula and FrankenstonedirectorTV specialScooby Goes HollywoodTV movie1980The Flintstones: Fred's Final FlingTV specialYogi's First ChristmasTV movie1981The Flintstones: Jogging FeverTV special1982Christmas Comes to Pac-LandTV special1987Tis The Season to Be SmurfyTV movie1988Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant WerewolfTV movie1993A Flintstone Family ChristmasTV movie
References
External links
Death notice at the Animation Guild website