Tex Avery

{{short description|American animator (1908–1980)}}

{{short description|American animator (1908–1980)}}

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{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2026}}

{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

| name = Tex Avery

| name = Tex Avery

On January 1, 1928, Avery arrived in [[Los Angeles]]. He spent the next few months working in menial jobs. According to animation historian [[Michael Barrier]], these jobs included working in a warehouse, working on the docks at night, loading fruits and vegetables, and painting cars. He began his animation career when hired by the Winkler studio (named after producer [[Margaret J. Winkler]] and later known as [[Screen Gems]]). He was an [[inker]], inking cels for animated short films in the ''[[Oswald the Lucky Rabbit]]'' series; the character had been created by Walt Disney. Avery then moved to a new studio, Universal Cartoon Studios (later known as [[Walter Lantz Productions]]). He was again employed as an inker, but moved rapidly up the studio's hierarchy. By 1930, Avery had been promoted to the position of [[animator]].

On January 1, 1928, Avery arrived in [[Los Angeles]]. He spent the next few months working in menial jobs. According to animation historian [[Michael Barrier]], these jobs included working in a warehouse, working on the docks at night, loading fruits and vegetables, and painting cars. He began his animation career when hired by the Winkler studio (named after producer [[Margaret J. Winkler]] and later known as [[Screen Gems]]). He was an [[inker]], inking cels for animated short films in the ''[[Oswald the Lucky Rabbit]]'' series; the character had been created by Walt Disney. Avery then moved to a new studio, Universal Cartoon Studios (later known as [[Walter Lantz Productions]]). He was again employed as an inker, but moved rapidly up the studio's hierarchy. By 1930, Avery had been promoted to the position of [[animator]].

Avery continued working at the [[Walter Lantz Studio]] into the early 1930s. He worked on most of the ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' cartoons from 1931 to 1935. He is shown as "animator" on the original title card credits on the Oswald cartoons. He later claimed to have directed two cartoons during this time.

Avery continued working at Universal into the early 1930s. He worked on most of the ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' cartoons from 1931 to 1935 and is credited as an animator. He later claimed to have directed two cartoons during this time.

===Accident to eye===

===Accident to eye===

During some office horseplay at the Lantz studio, a thumbtack or paper clip flew into Avery's left eye and caused him to lose sight in that eye. Some speculate it was his lack of [[depth perception]] that gave him his unique look at animation and bizarre directorial style, but it did not stop his creative career. The incident is described in some detail by Barrier, based in part on old interviews with Avery. Part of the typical crude horseplay at the Universal studio was using a [[rubber band]] or a paper spitball to target the back of a colleague's head. An animator called Charles Hastings decided to take the game one step further, by using a wire [[paper clip]], instead. Avery heard one of his colleagues telling him to look out. He reacted by turning around. Instead of the back of his head, the paper clip hit Avery in his left eye. He instantly lost the use of his eye.

During some office horseplay at Universal, a thumbtack or paper clip flew into Avery's left eye and caused him to lose sight in that eye. Some speculate it was his lack of [[depth perception]] that gave him his unique look at animation and bizarre directorial style, but it did not stop his creative career. The incident is described in some detail by Barrier, based in part on old interviews with Avery. Part of the typical crude horseplay at the Universal studio was using a [[rubber band]] or a paper spitball to target the back of a colleague's head. An animator called Charles Hastings decided to take the game one step further, by using a wire [[paper clip]], instead. Avery heard one of his colleagues telling him to look out. He reacted by turning around. Instead of the back of his head, the paper clip hit Avery in his left eye. He instantly lost the use of his eye.

===From inker to storyboards===

===From inker to storyboards===

=== "Termite Terrace" ===

=== "Termite Terrace" ===

Later in 1935, Avery applied for a job at Leon Schlesinger Productions (the company later known as [[Warner Bros. Cartoons]]). Avery reportedly managed to convince producer [[Leon Schlesinger]] that he was an experienced director, a false claim. In Avery's own words:

Later in 1935, Avery applied for a job at [[Leon Schlesinger Productions]]. Avery reportedly managed to convince producer [[Leon Schlesinger]] that he was an experienced director, a false claim. In Avery's own words:

{{blockquote|quote='Hey, I'm, a director.' Hell! I was no more a director than nothing, but with my loud mouth, I talked him into it.}}

{{blockquote|quote='Hey, I'm, a director.' Hell! I was no more a director than nothing, but with my loud mouth, I talked him into it.}}

===Creation of Looney Tunes stars===

===Creation of Looney Tunes stars===

Avery, with the assistance of Clampett, Jones, and the new associate director [[Frank Tashlin]], laid the foundation for a style of animation that rivaled [[The Walt Disney Company|The Walt Disney Studio]] as the leader in animated short films, and created a group of cartoon characters that are still known today. Avery, in particular, was deeply involved. He crafted gags for the shorts, and sometimes provided voices for them (including his trademark belly laugh) and held such control over the timing of the shorts that he would add or cut frames out of the final negative if he felt a gag's timing was not quite right.

Avery, with the assistance of Clampett, Jones, and the new associate director [[Frank Tashlin]], laid the foundation for a style of animation that rivaled [[Walt Disney Productions]] as the leader in animated short films, and created a group of cartoon characters that are still known today. Avery, in particular, was deeply involved. He crafted gags for the shorts, and sometimes provided voices for them (including his trademark belly laugh) and held such control over the timing of the shorts that he would add or cut frames out of the final negative if he felt a gag's timing was not quite right.

''[[Porky's Duck Hunt]]'' (1937) introduced the character of [[Daffy Duck]], who possessed a new form of "lunacy" and zaniness that had not been seen before in animated cartoons. Daffy was an almost completely crazy "darn fool duck" who frequently bounced around the film frame in double-speed, screaming "Hoo-hoo!" in a high-pitched, sped-up voice provided by voice artist [[Mel Blanc]], who, with this cartoon, also took over providing the voice of [[Porky Pig]]. Avery directed two more Daffy Duck cartoons: ''[[Daffy Duck & Egghead]]'' and ''[[Daffy Duck in Hollywood]]''. Egghead was a character inspired by comedian [[Joe Penner]] and first appeared in Avery's ''[[Egghead Rides Again]]''.{{Sfn|Sigall|2005|p=30}}{{sfn|Sigall|2005|p=35-37}}{{Cite book |title=Seven Minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon |last=Klein |first=Norman |publisher=Verso Books |year=1993 |isbn=978-1859841501 |pages=21}}

''[[Porky's Duck Hunt]]'' (1937) introduced the character of [[Daffy Duck]], who possessed a new form of "lunacy" and zaniness that had not been seen before in animated cartoons. Daffy was an almost completely crazy "darn fool duck" who frequently bounced around the film frame in double-speed, screaming "Hoo-hoo!" in a high-pitched, sped-up voice provided by voice artist [[Mel Blanc]], who, with this cartoon, also took over providing the voice of [[Porky Pig]]. Avery directed two more Daffy Duck cartoons: ''[[Daffy Duck & Egghead]]'' and ''[[Daffy Duck in Hollywood]]''. Egghead was a character inspired by comedian [[Joe Penner]] and first appeared in Avery's ''[[Egghead Rides Again]]''.{{Sfn|Sigall|2005|p=30}}{{sfn|Sigall|2005|p=35-37}}{{Cite book |title=Seven Minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon |last=Klein |first=Norman |publisher=Verso Books |year=1993 |isbn=978-1859841501 |pages=21}}