Events in 1971 in animation.
Events
March
March 28: The Peanuts TV special Play It Again, Charlie Brown premieres on CBS.
April April 15: 43rd Academy Awards: Is It Always Right to Be Right? by Nick Bosustow wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
July July 30: Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith establish the animated studio Nelvana.
September September 11: The first episode of The Jackson Five airs.
October October 7: Bedknobs and Broomsticks is first released.
November November 10: Frank Zappa's film 200 Motels premieres which features an animated sequence by Cal Schenkel.
December December 15: The first Lucky Luke feature film, Daisy Town, directed by René Goscinny and Morris is first released. December 21: Richard Williams' TV special A Christmas Carol is first broadcast.
Films released
January 1 – Prince Ho-Dong and Princess Nak-Rang (South Korea) March 6 – Benny's Bathtub (Denmark) March 17 – Attack No. 1: Immortal Bird (Japan) March 20 Animal Treasure Island (Japan) Kamui (1964 manga) (Japan) June 18 – The Poor Miller's Boy and the Kitten (East Germany) July 15 – The Christmas Present (Brazil) July 18 – Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Japan) July 23 – Lightning Atom (South Korea) September 24 – Do It! Yasuji's Pornorama (Japan) September 25 – Tiki Tiki (Canada) November 29 – The Wardrobe of Time (Spain) December 13 – Bedknobs and Broomsticks (United States) December 15 – Daisy Town (France and Belgium)
Television series
Debuts January 1 - Kaba Totto debuts on Fuji TV. January 3 - Andersen Monogatari debuts on Fuji TV. January 5 - The Magic Ball debuts on ITV. February 5 - Chingo Muchabei debuts on TBS. February 25 - Mr Benn debuts on BBC1. April 3 - Animentari Ketsudan debuts on Fuji TV. April 8 - Wandering Sun debuts on Fuji TV. September 1 - Shin Obake No Q-tarô debuts on Nippon TV. September 11: Archie's TV Funnies, Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!, and The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show debut on CBS. The Funky Phantom and The Jackson 5ive debut on ABC. September 25 - Tensai Bakabon debuts on Yomiuri TV. October 1 - Sekai Monoshiri Ryokô debuts in syndication. October 2 - Marvelous Melmo debuts on TBS. October 4 - Sarutobi Ecchan debuts on TV Asahi. October 6 - Apache Yakyû-gun debuts on TV Asahi. October 7: GeGeGe no Kitaro debuts on Fuji TV. Shin Skyers 5 debuts on TBS. October 24 - Lupin III 1 debuts on Yomiuri TV. October 30 - Genshi Shônen Ryû debuts on TBS. Specific date unknown - La Linea debuts on RAI.
Specials February 2 - The Point! airs on ABC. March 10 – The Cat in the Hat airs on CBS. March 28 – Play It Again, Charlie Brown airs on CBS. April 4 – Here Comes Peter Cottontail airs on ABC. November 14 - The Legend of Robin Hood airs on CBS. November 28 - Treasure Island airs on CBS.
Births January January 2: Taye Diggs, American actor (voice of Dress-Up Declan in Doc McStuffins, Capper in My Little Pony: The Movie, Mr. Twist in Ada Twist, Scientist, Black Panther in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "Tremble at the Might of M.O.D.O.K.!"). Renée Elise Goldberry, American actress and singer (voice of Dhabubu in The Lion Guard, Mrs. Nowhere in Fast & Furious Spy Racers, Waterbaby in Centaurworld). Clint Bond, American animator (The Simpsons, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water), storyboard artist (SpongeBob SquarePants, The Prince, Duncanville), character designer, prop designer (Nickelodeon Animation Studio) and director (Duncanville). January 7: Jeremy Renner, American actor (voice of Swifty in Arctic Dogs, Hawkeye in What If...?). January 8: Zac Moncrief, American animator, writer, storyboard artist, producer and director (Johnny Bravo, Family Guy, Phineas and Ferb). January 11: Mary J. Blige, American singer and songwriter (voice of Irene in Sherlock Gnomes, Queen Essence in Trolls World Tour). January 15: Regina King, American actress and director (voice of Huey Freeman and Riley Freeman in The Boondocks, Kreela in The Ant Bully, Dynamite in Planes: Fire & Rescue). Gene Grillo, American television writer (Warner Bros. Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Duckman, Timon & Pumbaa, Johnny Bravo, Squirrel Boy, The 7D, Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty, Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles). January 16: Steven Darancette, American television writer (Warner Bros. Animation, Pet Alien, Zorro: Generation Z, Lalaloopsy, Tumble Leaf, Bob the Builder). January 18: Laurie Elliott, Canadian actress, television writer, and comedian (voice of Jo in the Total Drama franchise, Rodney Patella in Moville Mysteries, Noah Parker in Atomic Betty). Seamus O'Regan, Canadian politician and television host (voiced himself in the Wapos Bay episode "Long Goodbyes"). January 19: Heather Bambrick, Canadian musician and actress (voice of Koki in Wild Kratts, Mom Tiger in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Naughty Kitty in Atomic Puppet, additional voices in Hotel Transylvania: The Series). January 20: Questlove, American musician and actor (voice of Curley in Soul). January 21: Darren Frost, Canadian voice actor (voice of Harold in Total DramaRama, Squirt in Camp Lakebottom, Chet in Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race, Darth in 6teen, Sam in Time Warp Trio). January 25: Ana Ortiz, American actress and singer (voice of Rafa in Elena of Avalor, Anna Ramirez in Batman: Gotham Knight, Ballet Dancer in Ralph Breaks the Internet, Lucy Tucci in Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, Cinnamon in the Family Guy episode "Baking Bad"). January 30: Travis Cowsill, American animator (Taz-Mania, Stay Tuned, Thumbelina), storyboard artist (Little Shop, Mutant League, The Savage Dragon, Biker Mice from Mars, The Oz Kids, Earthworm Jim, Wild C.A.T.s, The Legend of Calamity Jane, Mummies Alive!, FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue, Invasion America, Timon & Pumbaa, Watership Down, D'Myna Leagues, Undergrads, Toad Patrol, Shuriken School, Storm Hawks, Kappa Mikey, The Venture Bros.) and prop designer (Ed, Edd n Eddy).
February February 1: Hynden Walch, American actress, singer and writer (voice of Starfire in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Penny Sanchez in ChalkZone, Princess Bubblegum in Adventure Time, Harley Quinn in The Batman, Batman: Assault on Arkham, Batman: Hush, and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Ace in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, Elsie in Stanley, Alice May in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Maureen Connor / Permafrost in the Static Shock episode "Frozen Out"). Michael C. Hall, American actor (voice of Toffee in Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Kirk Langstrom / Batman in Justice League: Gods and Monsters). February 4: Rob Corddry, American actor and comedian (voice of Gary Supernova in Escape from Planet Earth, Randy in the Glenn Martin, DDS episode "Videogame Wizard", Ben Jennings in the Family Guy episode "Livin' on a Prayer"). February 6: Brian Stepanek, American actor (voice of Lynn Loud Sr. in The Loud House). February 12: Scott Menville, American voice actor (voice of Robin in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Brian in Rainbow Brite, Danny in My Little Pony 'n Friends, Red Herring in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Ma-Ti in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man, Jimmy Jones in the Ben 10 franchise, Zack in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Bucky Barnes in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Sneezy in The 7D, Shaggy Rogers in Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!, Bucky Hensletter in Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, Toby Danger in the Freakazoid! episode "Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet"). February 15: Alex Borstein, American actress, comedian, writer (Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain, Histeria!, Family Guy) and producer (voice of Lois Griffin in Family Guy, Becky in 3-South, various characters in Robot Chicken and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, Latoyah in Slacker Cats, Mrs. Henscher in ParaNorman, Hadassah Lowenstein, Tyne Daly, Loretta Brown, Cake Woman and Trish in The Cleveland Show, Sophie and Peggy in The Angry Birds Movie, Janice and Becky Buckwald in Bordertown, Mali in Extinct, Police Chief Misty Luggins in The Bad Guys, Maya in the Gary & Mike episode "Road Rage", Cataclaws in the Big Bad Beetleborgs episode "Yo Ho Borgs"). February 22: Lea Salonga, Filipina singer and actress (singing voice of Jasmine in Aladdin, Mulan in Mulan, and Celine in KPop Demon Hunters, voice of Yasuko Kusakabe in My Neighbor Totoro, Mysterious Woman in Centaurworld). February 25: Sean Astin, American actor (voice of Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Oso in Special Agent Oso, Shazam in Justice League Action and the DC Animated Movie Universe, Chester in Bunnicula, Randall McDuff in Party Wagon, himself in New Looney Tunes and the Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? episode "Returning of the Key Ring!"). February 26: Oren Jacob, American technical director (Pixar).
March March 1: Teresa Gallagher, American-born English actress (voice of Nicole Watterson and Penny in The Amazing World of Gumball, Dashi in Octonauts, Emily and Rosie in Thomas & Friends, Mater's Computer in Cars 2, various characters in Thunderbirds Are Go). March 5: Yuri Lowenthal, American voice actor, producer, and screenwriter (voice of Sasuke Uchiha in Naruto, Suzaku Kururugi in Code Geass, Ben Tennyson in the Ben 10 franchise, Simon in Gurren Lagann, Haru Glory in Rave Master, Barnaby Brooks in Tiger & Bunny, Superman and Superman X in Legion of Super Heroes, Lagoon Boy in Young Justice). Scott Mosier, Canadian-American filmmaker (Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!, The Grinch, Free Birds). March 7: Kali Troy, American actress (voice of Trixie Carter in American Dragon: Jake Long, Taranee Cook in W.I.T.C.H., Esther and Florence in Lazor Wulf). March 9: Kyle Balda, American animator and film director (Pixar, Illumination Studios). March 10: Jon Hamm, American actor (voice of Herb Overkill in Minions, Captain Murphy in Archer, Mayor Webb in Bless the Harts, Sultan Jamawa in the Metalocalypse episode "Writersklok", O.T. in the Bob's Burgers episode "O.T.: The Outside Toilet", Cartoon Lord Hater in the Wander Over Yonder episode "The Cartoon", Don Grouper in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?", Scallops in the Big Mouth episode "I Survived Jessi's Bat Mitzvah", Sentinel Prime in Transformers One, Mayor Jerry in Hoppers). Jen Gould, Canadian actress (voice of Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn and PallaPalla in the Cloverway dub of Sailor Moon, Miss Triangle in Rolie Polie Olie, Additional voices in Busytown Mysteries). March 11: Johnny Knoxville, American stuntman, actor and filmmaker (voice of Peter Sterling and Hoyt Platter in King of the Hill, Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dean in The Goode Family episode "Gerald's Way or the Highway", Johnny Krill in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Extreme Spots", Johnny Rat Town in the Animals episode "Stuff."). March 12: Patric Caird, Canadian composer and musician (The Brothers Grunt, Cartoon Sushi, Ed, Edd n Eddy). March 15: Chris Patton, American voice actor (voice of Sousuke Sagara in Full Metal Panic!, Ikki Minami in Air Gear, Fakir in Princess Tutu, Hajime Aoyama in Ghost Stories, Greed in Fullmetal Alchemist, Asura in Soul Eater, Andromeda Shun in Saint Seiya, Keima Katsuragi in The World God Only Knows, Sanpei in Pokémon the Series: XY). March 16: Alan Tudyk, American actor (voice of King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph, Duke of Wesleton in Frozen, Alistair Krei in Big Hero 6 and Big Hero 6: The Series, Duke Weaselton in Zootopia, Ludo and River Butterfly in Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Superman in Justice League: War, Joker and Clayface in Harley Quinn, Optimus Prime in Transformers: EarthSpark). March 22: Jay Stephens, Canadian cartoonist (creator of JetCat, Tutenstein, and The Secret Saturdays).