Arlene Klasky

Arlene Phyllis Klasky (born May 26, 1949) is an American animator, graphic designer, producer and co-founder of Klasky Csupo with Gábor Csupó.[1] In 1999, she was named one of the "Top 25 Women in Animation" by Animation Magazine. She is most known for her work with Nickelodeon in the 1990s and 2000s. She, along with her ex-husband Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain, co-created the animated series Rocket Power and the series Rugrats as well as the 2021 revival series of the same name.

Arlene Klasky
Klasky in June 2011
Born
Arlene Phyllis Klasky

(1949-05-26) May 26, 1949
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Occupations
  • Animator
  • graphic designer
  • producer
Years active1976–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1979; div. 1995)​
Children2
Websitewww.klaskycsupo.com

Career

Klasky Csupo
Main article: Klasky Csupo

Klasky Csupo was formed with Gábor Csupó in the couple's two-bedroom Hollywood apartment in 1980.[2] The company later was moved to Seward Street in Hollywood. They designed the logos for 21 Jump Street, Anything but Love and In Living Color; produced music videos for Beastie Boys and Luther Vandross; Simpsons shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show; shorts for Sesame Street; and the opening titles for In Living Color.[3]

In 1989, after the birth of Klasky and Csupo's two sons, Klasky Csupo was asked by Nickelodeon for ideas, but Klasky felt she didn't have any since she mainly watched her sons go to the bathroom. Rugrats was inspired by the boys and what they would say if they could talk.[4] The series started in August 1991 with the unaired pilot "Tommy Pickles and the Great White Thing". Rugrats went on to become one of Nickelodeon's most iconic and successful television series, winning three Emmy Awards.[5] Klasky was the creative force behind the box-office hits The Rugrats Movie and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie.[3]

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters premiered on Halloween in 1994, their second cartoon show to be aired on Nickelodeon. In 2003 she made the spin-off All Grown Up!; in the United States, it aired on Nickelodeon from 2003 to 2008, and has since aired reruns on TeenNick and Nicktoons.

Arlene and Gabor created the Rocket Power television series. It was inspired by watching their own kids get involved with extreme sports.[6]

Personal life

Arlene grew up in the beach towns of Orange County, CA and is very familiar with the sport of surfing, which helped serve as creative inspiration for her television series, Rocket Power.[7]

She was married to her business partner Gábor Csupó before they started their animation company; they have two sons together from their marriage. Tommy Pickles' appearance from Rugrats is based on their younger son, Brandon.[8] Their older son, Jarrett Csupó, died in 2018 from liver cancer at the age of 33.[9] Klasky is of Polish-Jewish and Russian-Jewish descent.[10]

References
  1. Eller, Claudia (November 17, 2000). "Rugrats Duo Draws on Shared Vision". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  2. Byrnes, Nanette (October 15, 1995). "The Rugrats' Real Mom And Dad". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  3. Pelletiere, Nicole (August 11, 2016). "'Rugrats' Turns 25: Klasky and Csupo Share Story Behind the Iconic Cartoon". ABC News. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  4. Barnett, Laura (June 9, 2015). "Creator Arlene Klasky and actor Elizabeth Daily: how we made Rugrats". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  5. Swartz, Mimi (November 23, 1998). "You Dumb Babies!". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.
  6. Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo - Nickelodeon Animation. (n.d.). https://www.nickanimation.com/creators/arlene-klasky-and-gabor-csupo/
  7. Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo - Nickelodeon Animation. (n.d.). https://www.nickanimation.com/creators/arlene-klasky-and-gabor-csupo/
  8. Graham, Jefferson (1998). The Ultimate Rugrats Fan Book. Simon & Schuster. p. 9. ISBN 0-689-81678-2.
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpulVI9eWR0
  10. "A Klasky's Gotta Do What A Klasky's Gotta Do - Arlene Klasky Talks About The Legacy Of 'Rugrats'". NickALive. December 29, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.

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