Events in 1897 in animation.
Events Specific date unknown: William Harbutt developed plasticine in 1897. To promote his educational "Plastic Method" he made a handbook that included several photographs that displayed various stages of creative projects. The images suggest phases of motion or change, but the book probably did not have a direct influence on claymation films. Still, the plasticine product would become the favourite product for clay animators, as it did not dry and harden (unlike normal clay) and was much more malleable than its harder and greasier Italian predecessor plasteline. The first use of time-lapse photography in a feature film was in Georges Méliès' motion picture Carrefour De L'Opera (1897). By 1897, German toy manufacturer Gebrüder Bing had a first prototype of their toy "kinematograph". It would later be used for traced pictures from live-action films (much like the later rotoscoping technique).
Births
February February 24: Vyacheslav Levandovsky, Ukrainian animator, considered the founder of Ukrainian animation, (The Fairy Tale of the Straw Bull, The Tale about the Squirrel Hostess and the Mouse Villain, Tuk-Tuk and his friend Zhuk, In the Land of Dolls), (d. 1962).
March March 7: Cy Young, Chinese-American special effects animator (Walt Disney Company), (d. 1964).
May May 18: Frank Capra, Italian-born American director, producer and writer (creator of Private Snafu, directed Our Mr. Sun and Hemo the Magnificent), (d. 1991).Lambert, Gavin. "Book review: The World Outside the Pictures: 'Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success'. The Los Angeles Times, May 27, 1992.Brooks 2006, p. 248."75th Year Booklet The Caltech Y History." caltechy.org. Retrieved: July 24, 2011."Description of the Capra Collection" , weslayen.edu; retrieved March 23, 2010.
July July 11: Bernice Hansen, American voice actress, (voice of Tillie Tiger in Elmer Elephant, Petunia Pig, Cookie and Little Kitty in the Looney Tunes franchise, continued voice of Andy Panda and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, provided squeaks for Mickey Mouse), (d. 1981).Costello, E.O., "Sniffles" entry at The Warner Bros. Cartoon Companion. Accessed 2008-05-13 Leon Schlesinger interview, Baltimore Sun, June 20, 1937, from the Ledger SyndicateUnited Press story, Dec. 13, 1934
September September 16: Milt Franklyn, American composer and arranger, (Looney Tunes), (d. 1962).The Warner Bros. Cartoons, Friedwald and Beck, 1981.Warner Club News (1962) – Part 1Leon Schlesinger interview, Baltimore Sun, June 20, 1937, from the Ledger Syndicate
October October 23: Roberto Sgrilli, Italian painter, illustrator, comics artist and animator (Il Barone di Münchhausen, Anacleto e la Faina), (d. 1985). October 25: Luigi Pavese, Italian voice actor (provided the Italian voices of Colonel Hathi in The Jungle Book, Boris in Lady and the Tramp, and a Labrador Retriever in One Hundred and One Dalmatians), (d. 1969).
December December 5: Tina Lattanzi, Italian voice actress (provided the Italian voices of the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty), (d. 1997). December 9: Hermione Gingold, English actress (voice of Mme. Rubens-Chatte in Gay Purr-ee, Miss Squeek in Tubby the Tuba), (d. 1987).Saxon, Wolfgang, "Hermione Gingold, English Actress, Dies At 89", The New York Times, 25 May 1987.
References