Events in 1973 in animation.
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Events
January January 2: The first episode of Demetan Croaker, The Boy Frog is broadcast. January 6: The first episode of Schoolhouse Rock! is broadcast. January 24: The Brazilian animated film Piconzé is first released.
February February 5: The first episode of The Wombles is broadcast. February 22: The film Charlotte's Web is first released, based on the eponymous novel by E.B. White.
March March 11: The Peanuts TV special There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown premieres on CBS. Marcie makes her animated debut in this special. March 27: 45th Academy Awards: Richard Williams' A Christmas Carol wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
May May 3: The film János Vitéz (Johnny Corncob) is first released, the first Hungarian animated feature film, based on the eponymous epic poem by Sándor Petőfi, and directed by Marcell Jankovics.
July July 31: The Russian film Adventures of Mowgli premieres.
August August 8: The first episode of Doraemon is broadcast, based on the eponymous manga series. This adaptation became rarely seen after the broadcast of the longer-running 1979 relaunch as mandated by Shogakukan to protect the reputation of the relaunch. However, later episodes were recovered by IMAGICA in the 1990s. A clip from one of the episodes was spotted in a pornographic Japanese movie. Ralph Bakshi releases Heavy Traffic.
September September 8: The first episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series is broadcast, with the original cast of Star Trek: The Original Series voicing their original characters. The first episode of Super Friends is broadcast.
October October 13: The first episode of Cutie Honey is broadcast.
November November 8: The Walt Disney Company releases Robin Hood, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman. November 20: The Peanuts thanksgiving TV special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving premieres.
December December 6: René Laloux and Roland Topor's Fantastic Planet premieres. December 12: and Rolf Kauka's Once Upon a Time is first released.
Specific date unknown Gibba's pornographic animated feature film Il Nano e la Strega (King Dick) is released.
Films released
January 6 - Luvcast U.S.A. (United States) January 13 - That Girl in Wonderland (United States) January 24 - Piconzé (Brazil) February 7 - The Incredible, Indelible, Magical, Physical, Mystery Trip (United States) March 1 - Charlotte's Web (United States) March 17 - The Panda's Great Adventure (Japan) April 19 - Johnny in the Valley of the Giants (France) May 1 - Johnny Corncob (Hungary) May 11 - Fantastic Planet (Czechoslovakia and France) June 9 - Magic Adventure (Spain) June 30 - Belladonna of Sadness (Japan and France) July 12 - Walt Disney's 50th Anniversary Show (United States) July 18 - Mazinger Z vs. Devilman (Japan) July 31 - Adventures of Mowgli (Soviet Union) August 8: Heavy Traffic (United States) Man: The Polluter (Canada and Yugoslavia) September 8 - Lost in Space (United States) September 12 - The Adventures of Hijitus (Argentina) September 23 - The Count of Monte Cristo (United States and Australia) October 22 - Kidnapped (Australia) October 27 - The Mini-Munsters (United States) October 28 - The Swiss Family Robinson (Australia) November 8 - Robin Hood (United States) November 17 - Nanny and the Professor and the Phantom of the Circus (United States) November 22 - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (United States and Australia) November 23 - The Three Musketeers (United States and Australia) December - Marco (United States and Japan) December 2 - The Black Arrow (Australia) December 9 - Treasure Island (United States) December 12 - Once Upon a Time (Italy and Germany) Specific date unknown: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (United States) Little 8th Route Army (China) The Adventures of Barbapapa (Italy)
Television series
January 1 - Babel II debuts on TV Asahi and ATV. January 2 - Demetan Croaker, The Boy Frog debuts on Fuji TV. January 6 - Schoolhouse Rock! debuts on ABC. January 7 - Fables of the Green Forest debuts on Fuji TV. February 5 - Wombles debuts on BBC1. March 2 - Jungle Kurobe debuts on TV Asahi. April 1 - Doraemon debuts on Nippon TV. April 2 - Little Wansa debuts on Kansai Telecasting Corporation. April 4 - Kôya No Shônen Isamu debuts on Fuji TV. April 7 - Microsuperman debuts on TV Asahi. July 3 - Sally and Jake debuts on ITV. September - The Kingdom of Could Be You debuts on CBS. September 8: Bailey's Comets, Jeannie, My Favorite Martians, and Speed Buggy debut on CBS. Butch Cassidy, Emergency +4, Inch High, Private Eye, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and The Addams Family debut on NBC. Goober and the Ghost Chasers, Mission: Magic!, Super Friends, and Yogi's Gang debut on ABC. October 1: Miracle Shoujo Limit-chan debuts on TV Asahi. Zero Tester debuts on FNS. October 2 - Casshan debuts on Fuji TV. October 3 - Karate Baka Ichidai debuts on NET. October 4 - Dororon Enma-kun debuts on Fuji TV. October 5 - Ace o Nerae! debuts on MBS. October 6 - Bôken Korobokkuru debuts on Yomiuri TV. October 7 - Samurai Giants debuts on Yomiuri TV. October 13 - Cutie Honey debuts on TV Asahi.
Births
January January 3: Dan Harmon, American writer (Monster House), producer, actor and comedian (co-creator of and voice of MC Haps, Birdperson, and Mr. Nimbus in Rick and Morty). January 13: Jarod Daetwiler, American background artist (Film Roman) and prop designer (The Simpsons). January 14: Katie Griffin, Canadian actress (voice of Sailor Mars in the original English dub of Sailor Moon, continued voice of Alex in Totally Spies). January 17: Bob Persichetti, American animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios), storyboard artist (DreamWorks Animation), writer (The Little Prince) and director (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). January 25: Geoff Johns, American comic book writer, screenwriter and film and television producer (Justice League Unlimited, Titan Maximum, Robot Chicken, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox).
February February 5: Danielle Koenig, American television writer (Invader Zim, Disney Television Animation, WordGirl, Abby Hatcher, Chuggington) and script coordinator (Invader Zim). February 8: Tokuyoshi Kawashima, Japanese voice actor (Japanese dub voice of Terry McGinnis in the DC Animated Universe, Rex in Isle of Dogs, and Baymax in Big Hero 6). February 9: Makoto Shinkai, Japanese animator, filmmaker, author, and manga artist (5 Centimeters per Second, Your Name). Shaun Parkes, English actor, (voice of Tortoise in Tinga Tinga Tales). February 12: Tara Strong, Canadian-American voice actress (voice of Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls, Dil Pickles in Rugrats, Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the DC Animated Universe, Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go!, DC Super Hero Girls, and Batman: The Killing Joke, Timmy Turner and Poof in The Fairly OddParents, Melody in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, young Ben Tennyson in the Ben 10 franchise, Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Raven in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Dannan O'Mallard and Molly Winks in Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, Toot Braunstein and Princess Clara in Drawn Together, Truffles in Chowder, Daizy in Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, Angel in the Lilo & Stitch franchise, Katia in Bratz, Ashi in Samurai Jack, the title character in Unikitty!, Harley Quinn in DC Super Hero Girls, Ember McLain in Danny Phantom, Bebe and Cece Proud in The Proud Family, Lena Dupree in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island). February 14: Alec Sulkin, American writer, producer, and voice actor (Family Guy, The Cleveland Show). February 21: Christopher Yost, American television writer (Marvel Animation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).
March March 3: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Icelandic actor (voice of Ragnar in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The Archer in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). March 18: Luci Christian, American voice actress and ADR script writer (voice of Kaname Chidori in Full Metal Panic!, Asuna Kagurazaka in Negima, Nami in One Piece, Ochaco Uraraka in My Hero Academia, Wrath in Fullmetal Alchemist, Little in RWBY). March 20: Cedric Yarbrough, American actor and comedian (voice of Tom DuBois and Colonel Stinkmeaner in The Boondocks, Officer X in The Penguins of Madagascar, Firestorm and Black Lightning in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Chocolate Giddy-Up in Black Dynamite, Officer Meow-Meow Fuzzyface in BoJack Horseman, Eagle Scout in New Looney Tunes, Gerald Fitzgerald in Paradise PD, Khone in Milo Murphy's Law, Nelson in Blaze and the Monster Machines). March 22: Clay Kaytis, American animator and film director (Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Angry Birds Movie, Peanuts). March 24: Jim Parsons, American actor (voice of Oh in Home, Milton Feltwaddle in Pound Puppies, Buddy in Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas, Nightmare in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "Blind Rage Knows No Color!", Draven in the Glenn Martin, DDS episode "Jackie's Get-Rich-Quick Scheme", Henry Applesauce in The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange episode "Generic Holiday Special", Larry Wilder in the Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil episode "Jack Wilder's Nature Camp", Mr. Skibumpers in the SuperMansion episode "SuperMansion: War on Christmas", himself in The Simpsons episode "Frinkcoin"). Sakura Tange, Japanese voice actress, singer and writer (voice of Sakura Kinomoto in Cardcaptor Sakura). Matt Sloan, American voice actor (voice of Darth Vader in Lego Star Wars).
April April 8: Dan Lin, American film producer (The Lego Movie). April 16: Hirofumi Nojima, Japanese voice actor (voice of Yusaka Kitamura in Toradora!, Volkner in Pokémon, dub voice of Chip in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and Jason Rusch in Batman: The Brave and the Bold). April 19: David Soren, Canadian director, writer, voice actor, and storyboard artist (DreamWorks Animation). April 21: Katsuyuki Konishi, Japanese voice actor (voice of Kamina in Gurren Lagann, Laxus Dreyar in Fairy Tail, Tanktop Master in One Punch Man, Keigo Asano and Shuhei Hisagi in Bleach, Diavolo in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, Jonathan Joestar in Phantom Blood). April 22: Christopher Sabat, American voice actor and director (Funimation). April 23: Cem Yılmaz, Turkish actor (Turkish dub voice of Barry B. Benson in Bee Movie and Nick Wilde in Zootopia). April 28: Jorge Garcia, American actor (voice of Ricardo in The Wild Thornberrys episode "Spirited Away", Dog Trainer Hero in the Higglytown Heroes episode "Me and My Shadow", Rodrigo in the Phineas and Ferb episode "Minor Monogram").
May
May 12: Robert Tinkler, Canadian voice actor (voice of Crimson Rubeus in the DIC dub of Sailor Moon, Max in The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, Bill Anaconda, Mark Anaconda and Derek Anaconda in Angela Anaconda, Delete in Cyberchase, the title character in Pelswick, Daniel in Jacob Two-Two, Grub in Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Steggy in Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Fish in The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Howie in Almost Naked Animals, Chunk in The ZhuZhus, continued voice of Woodstock in the Peanuts franchise) and television writer (Nelvana, League of Super Evil, Endangered Species, Julius Jr., Dot.). May 16: Tori Spelling, American actress (voice of Pirate Princess in Jake and the Never Land Pirates, April in Izzie's Way Home, Romana Parmesana in the Biker Mice from Mars episode "Hit the Road, Jack", Kim in the American Dad! episode "Stan Knows Best", Gina Michaels in the Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World episode "The Only Straight in the Village"). May 20: Kaya Yanar, German Stand-up comedian and actor (Turkish dub voice of Papagei Dienstag/Mak in Robinson Crusoe, and Subisha Gulab Deepak in Dragon Rider).