Events in 1940 in animation.
Events
January January 13: Tex Avery's The Early Worm Gets the Bird is first released, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions.
February February 10: Puss Gets the Boot, the first Tom and Jerry cartoon, is first released by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera and Rudolf Ising and produced by MGM. It marks the debut of Tom Cat, Jerry Mouse and Mammy Two Shoes. February 23: Pinocchio is first released, directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It marks the debut of Jiminy Cricket, who will appear in various other Disney-related media. February 29: 12th Academy Awards: The Ugly Duckling, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed by Jack Cutting and Clyde Geronimi, wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
March March 2: Chuck Jones' Elmer's Candid Camera is first released, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions. This short marks the official debut of Elmer Fudd, and also stars the prototype Bugs Bunny. March 15: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon The Riveter premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Also starring Pete.Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 74–75. . Retrieved June 6, 2020.
April April 5: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Donald's Dog Laundry premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Also starring Pluto.
May May 16: Wagorō Arai's Madame Butterfly's Illusion premieres. May 18: Friz Freleng's Porky Pig and Daffy Duck cartoon You Ought to Be in Pictures produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, is released, it is notable for its mix of live-action/animation and the earliest cartoon to portray Daffy as greedy and self-centered, Leon Schlesinger appears as himself.
June June 7: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Mr. Duck Steps Out, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, premieres, in which Donald goes out dancing with Daisy Duck (In her first appearance), only to be bothered by Huey, Dewey, and Louie. June 22: Rudolf Ising's The Milky Way, produced by MGM Animation, makes its debut.
July July 19: Riley Thomson's first Donald Duck cartoon Put-Put Troubles premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Also starring Pluto. July 27: Tex Avery's A Wild Hare premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, marks the official debut of Bugs Bunny. It is also the first time Bugs asks: "What's up, Doc?" and Elmer Fudd asking people to be very quiet, because he's hunting "wabbits".Barrier, Michael (2003), Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age, Oxford University Press. Adamson, Joe (1990). Bugs Bunny: 50 Years and Only One Grey Hare. New York: Henry Holt.
August August 9: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Donald's Vacation premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. August 24: Bob Clampett's Porky Pig short Patient Porky, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, premieres. This marks the final appearance of the Prototype version of Bugs Bunny as he is now becoming an official character.Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pg. 60. . Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Archive.org.
September September 20: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Window Cleaners premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Also starring Pluto.
November November 1: Clyde Geronimi's Mickey Mouse and Pluto cartoon Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, premieres. November 2: Bob Clampett's The Sour Puss premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions. It marks the first time the Acme Corporation running gag is used. November 13: Samuel Armstrong, James Algar, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen, David D. Hand, Hamilton Luske, Jim Handley, Ford Beebe, T. Hee, Norman Ferguson and Wilfred Jackson's Fantasia, produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios, is first released. It becomes a box office flop, received mixed reviews, but will gain cult film status decades later. November 25: Walter Lantz's animated short Knock Knock premieres, produced by Walter Lantz Productions which marks the debut of Woody Woodpecker.
December December 7: Tex Avery's Of Fox and Hounds premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, in which Willoughby the Dog makes his debut. It also marks the first use of "Which way did he go, George? Which way did he go?" in an animated cartoon. December 13: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Fire Chief premieres, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Also starring Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
Specific date unknown John Halas and Joy Batchelor establish the animated studio Halas and Batchelor.Brian McFarlane The Encyclopedia of British Film, London: Methuen/BFI, 2003, p.48 Mary Ellen Bute's Tarantella premieres. The Jam Handy Organization makes the live-action educational short A Case of Spring Fever to promote springs and their importance. The film features some animation. Five decades later, it would gain cult fame after featuring in the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000. British radio comedian Harry Hemsley makes an animated advertising short where the characters from his radio show and comic strip Ovaltiney's Concert Party appear, all voiced by himself.
Films released
February 7 – Pinocchio (United States) November 13 – Fantasia (United States)
Births
January January 1: Ippei Kuri, Japanese manga artist (Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (also known as Battle of the Planets), (Speed Racer), co-founder of Tatsunoko Production), (d. 2023). January 19: Linda Sorenson, Canadian voice actress (voice of Pretty Bit in Popples, Fifi in Beverly Hills Teens, Love-a-lot Bear in Care Bears, Miss Grundy in The New Archies, Demeter in Mythic Warriors, Hetty King in Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series, Old Woman in Barbie & the Diamond Castle, Old Lady Munson in Kid vs. Kat). January 22: John Hurt, English actor (voice of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, Hazel in Watership Down, Snitter in The Plague Dogs, the Horned King in The Black Cauldron), (d. 2017). January 27: James Cromwell, American actor (voice of the Colonel in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Robert Callaghan / Yokai in Big Hero 6 and Big Hero 6: The Series, Alfred Pennyworth in Merry Little Batman, Zefram Cochrane in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "Grounded").
February February 2: David Jason, English actor and comedian (voice of the title characters in Danger Mouse and Count Duckula, Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows, and subsequent TV series). Morgan Lofting, American actress (voice of the Baroness in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Fistina and Yetta in Ben 10: Omniverse, Aunt May and Black Cat in Spider-Man, Moonracer and Firestar in The Transformers), (d. 2024). February 4: John Schuck, American actor (voice of Reptar and Leo in the Rugrats episode "Reptar on Ice", Arms Akimbo in the Freakazoid! episode "In Arm's Way", Wally and Announcer in the Hey Arnold! episode "Ransom"). February 11: Lord Tim Hudson, English DJ and voice actor (voice of Dizzy in The Jungle Book, Hit Cat in The Aristocats), (d. 2019). February 21: John Lewis, American politician and civil rights activist (voiced himself in the Arthur episode "Arthur Takes a Stand"), (d. 2020). February 23: Natalya Bogomolova, Russian animator (Winnie-the-Pooh, The Blue Bird, Alice's Birthday), (d. 2023).Умерла художник мультфильмов "Халиф-аист" и "Котенок по имени Гав" Наталья Богомолова February 27: Bill Hunter, Australian actor (voice of Phillip Sherman in Finding Nemo, Bubo in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole), (d. 2011). February 28: Mario Andretti, Italian-born American former racing driver (voice of himself in Cars, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Traffic Director in Turbo, Mario Mousedretti in the Mickey and the Roadster Racers episode "Mickey's Speed Grand Prix").
March March 1: Robert Grossman, American painter, caricaturist, sculptor, filmmaker, poster designer, comics artist, cartoonist and animator (Jimmy The C), (d. 2018). March 7: Tsunehiko Kamijō, Japanese actor (voice of Mamma Autoto Boss in Porco Rosso, Gonza in Princess Mononoke, Kasshu in Doraemon: Nobita's Great Adventure in the South Seas, Chichiyaku in Spirited Away, Japanese dub voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, Colonel Kit Coyote in Go Go Gophers), (d. 2025). March 10: Chuck Norris, American martial artist and actor (voiced himself in Karate Kommandos), (d. 2026).Chuck Norris, prolific action star and martial arts champion, dies aged 86 March 11: William Callaway, American voice actor (voice of Aquaman and Bizarro in Super Friends, Clumsy Smurf in The Smurfs, Square Bear in Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch, Beach Head in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Comet Guy in Darkwing Duck). March 26: James Caan, American actor (voice of Tim Lockwood in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, the Bamboo Cutter in The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, himself in The Simpsons episode "All's Fair in Oven War", and the Family Guy episode "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side"), (d. 2022). March 27: Austin Pendleton, American actor, playwright, theatre director, and instructor (voice of Gurgle in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory). March 30: Paul Driessen, Dutch film director, animator and writer (The Killing of an Egg, The Boy Who Saw the Iceberg). March 31: Patrick Leahy, American politician and attorney (voice of Territorial Governor in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Showdown").
April April 2: Penelope Keith, English actress (voice of Nana Poo-Poo in The Secret Show episode "Commando Babies", Queen Bee in the Tinga Tinga Tales episode "Why Bees Sing"), (d. 2026).The Good Life Star Dame Penelope Keith dies aged 86 April 4: Yukiko Takayama, Japanese screenwriter (Monarch: The Big Bear of Tallac), (d. 2023). April 15: Thea White, American voice actress (voice of Muriel Bagge in Courage the Cowardly Dog and Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog), (d. 2021). April 16: Zoila Quiñones, Mexican actress (Latin American dub voice of Sue in Pac-Man, Nancy in Shazzan), (d. 2024).Muere actriz de Amigas y Rivales y Soñadoras: era considerada una "leyenda" April 17: Chuck Menville, American animator and writer (Hanna-Barbera, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series), (d. 1992). April 21: George DiCenzo, American actor (voice of Hordak in She-Ra: Princess of Power, the title character in Blackstar, Otar in Galtar and the Golden Lance, Lou Albano in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling, Ubu in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Avatar", Commander in the Animaniacs episode "Puttin' on the Blitz"), (d. 2010).
May May 4: Seán Barrett, English actor (voice of Asterix in The Twelve Tasks of Asterix, Melchoir in Lapitch the Little Shoemaker, Roly the Pineapple in The Fruities, additional voices in Asterix and the Big Fight). May 5: Lance Henriksen, American actor (voice of Kerchak in the Tarzan franchise, Lockdown in Transformers: Animated, Brainiac in Superman: Brainiac Attacks, General Tesler in Tron: Uprising, Mobius Quint in the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! episode "Hunt for the Citadel of Bone", Kobra Leader in the Static Shock episode "Future Shock"). May 8: Emilio Delgado, Mexican-American actor (portrayed Luis in Sesame Street, voice of the King in The Bravest Knight, the Ram in the Between the Lions episode "The Ram in the Pepper Patch"), (d. 2022). May 9: James L. Brooks, American director, producer and screenwriter (The Simpsons). May 10: Taurean Blacque, American actor (voice of Roscoe in Oliver & Company), (d. 2022).Taurean Blacque Dies: Emmy-Nominated "Hill Street Blues" Actor Was 82 May 20: Gary Reineke, American-Canadian actor (voice of Sheerky in The Neverending Story episode "End of Time"), (d. 2024).Gary Allen Reineke
June