Britain’s first Oscar-winning animator Bob Godfrey, whose work ranged from the children’s TV cartoon Roobarb and the BAFTA-winning Henry’s Cat to mock-erotic films like Kama Sutra Rides Again, died Thursday at the age of 91. Born in Australia (née Roland Frederick Godfrey), he was educated in England where he began his career as a graphic artist in the 1930s. During World War II he served in the Royal Marines and afterward seized an opportunity to work in animation that eventually lead to a collaborative animated film produced in 1952 at a cost of £10 and entitled The Big Parade. Godfrey’s crew — Jeff Hale, Keith Learner, and later Nancy Hanna and Vera Linnecar — decided to set up their own studio, making some of the first commercials for ITV. The Guardian described him as the godfather of British animation. In addition to winning the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for his 1975 musical comedy Great,...
- 2/23/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.