“Moonbird” May 19, 2007

Two little boys go into the forest to trap a bird. Of this tale is an animation legend born.

John Hubley had gone out on strike at Disney in 1941, and was one of the artists that formed UPA Productions, best known for Gerald Mc-Boing-Boing and Mr. Magoo. He was forced to quit UPA because of the Hollywood blacklist, and moved to New York with his wife Faith and their family.

Their company, Storyboard Productions, was best known for commercials such as the Maypo spots (“I want my Maypo!”). The money from their commercial work went to their own independent projects. They recorded the improvised play of their two boys, Mark and Ray (“Hampy”), and animated it. The result was Moonbird, which won the 1959 Academy Award for Best Animated Short.

Technorati tags: John Hubley, Faith Hubley, Moonbird, Storyboard Productions, Cartoons, Academy Award