Alex Anderson (cartoonist)

Alexander Hume Anderson Jr.[1] (September 5, 1920 – October 22, 2010)[1] was an American cartoonist who created the characters of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Bullwinkle, and Dudley Do-Right, as well as Crusader Rabbit.[2][3] He was not directly involved in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, however.

For other people named Alex Anderson, see Alex Anderson (disambiguation).
Alex Anderson
Born
Alexander Hume Anderson Jr.

(1920-09-05)September 5, 1920
Berkeley, California, U.S.
DiedOctober 22, 2010(2010-10-22) (aged 90)
Carmel, California, U.S.
Burial placeWoodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
NationalityAmerican
OccupationCartoonist
RelativesPaul Terry (uncle)

Biography

Alexander Hume Anderson Jr. was born September 5, 1920, in Berkeley, California,[1] to Olga B. (née Terry)[4] and Alexander Anderson. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, and the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco.[5] He received an honorary degree from San Francisco Art institute in 2000.

Anderson was a nephew[6] of Mighty Mouse producer Paul Terry, and began his career in 1938, working summer vacations, during college,[7] at his Terrytoons animation studio.[1] Anderson served in Navy intelligence during World War II.[5]

Anderson pitched a "limited animation" cartoon series for TV to his uncle, Paul Terry, but 20th Century Fox, who distributed Terrytoons cartoons, saw TV as a threat.[8]

After the war, Anderson and Jay Ward, a former real-estate salesman[9] and childhood friend, formed a business in the late 1940s to pitch cartoon ideas to television, including Crusader Rabbit, Rocky, Bullwinkle, and Dudley Do-Right. In 1948, Anderson and Ward created a television pilot, "The Comic Strips of Television"[10][11][12]

Only Crusader Rabbit was accepted, and after Anderson's other cartoon ideas failed to sell, he joined a San Francisco advertising agency, becoming an art director,[5] while Ward moved to Los Angeles to try to sell TV studios on a Bullwinkle series.

Anderson saw a 1991 documentary about the show which did not mention his name, he filed suit against Jay Ward Productions, two years after Jay Ward's death.[5] Anderson, who had not received public recognition for creating Dudley Do-Right, Bullwinkle and Rocky, learned the characters had been copyrighted in Ward's name alone.[13] Consequently, Anderson sued Ward's heirs to reclaim creator credit.[1] In 1993[1] or 1996,[13] (sources differ), Anderson received a settlement and a court order acknowledging him as "the creator of the first version of the characters of Rocky, Bullwinkle and Dudley."[1]

Ted Key, creator of the comic strip Hazel, had a similar situation with his characters Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman.[14]

Death

Anderson died due to complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 90 on October 22, 2010, at a nursing home in Carmel, California.[1][15] He was survived by his wife of 36 years, Patricia Larsen Anderson, his third spouse following divorces from first wife Gail and second wife Beverly.[1] He had two children from his first marriage, sons Terry and Scott, and three stepchildren, Matthew Kennedy, Carolyn Kennedy, and Daniel Kennedy.[1][16]

References
  1. "Alex Anderson, creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, dies at 90". The Washington Post. October 24, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  2. Scott, Keith (2014-04-08). The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose. Macmillan. ISBN 9781466867437 – via Google Books.
  3. McLellan, Dennis (October 26, 2010). "Artist created TV's Rocky and Bullwinkle". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  4. "bura.brunel.ac.uk › Thesis › disney is the tiffany's and i am the woolworth's of the business by W Hamonic - 2011" (PDF).
  5. Hevesi, Dennis (2010-10-25). "Alex Anderson, Creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dies at 90". The New York Times.
  6. "Paul Houlton Terry". geni_family_tree.
  7. "Unsung Creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Alex Anderson Dies". Time. 2010-10-24. Archived from the original on 2010-10-24.
  8. "The Hare Raising Tales of Crusader Rabbit |". cartoonresearch.com.
  9. Holston, Noel. "Dudley Do-Right's Domain Jay Ward Was Just Having a Little Fun". Orlando Sentinel.
  10. "Bullwinkle creator Alex Anderson dies - Straight Dope Message Board". boards.straightdope.com.
  11. "Rocky and Bullwinkle Creator Alex Anderson Dies". Time. 2010-10-26. Archived from the original on 2010-10-26.
  12. Watson, Lisa Crawford (2015-07-06). Legendary Locals of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439651179 – via Google Books.
  13. Lopez, Daniel (October 22, 2010). "Alexander Anderson Jr., creator of 'Rocky and Bullwinkle,' dies at 90". The Monterey County Herald via The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010.
  14. McLellan, Dennis (May 6, 2008), "Magazine cartoonist created maid Hazel", Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on April 3, 2016, retrieved May 5, 2011
  15. Corliss, Richard (October 23, 2010). "Unsung Creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Alex Anderson Dies". Time. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  16. Beck, Jerry (2007-11-07). "Get Well, Alex Anderson". Cartoon Brew.

Further reading
  • Kevin Scott Collier. The Hare Raising Tales of Crusader Rabbit. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. ISBN 1723388726
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