Ralph Bakshi / Blog

February 01, 2009

Podcast #1: Gene Deitch, Terrytoons and Victorian Children's Book Artists

Podcast #1:
Ralph on Gene Deitch, Terrytoons and children's book artists from the Victorian age.

Gene Deitch

**UPDATE** RESPONSE FROM GENE DEITCH TO BAKSHI VIA E-MAIL:

"Hi Ralph, I listened to your recollections about my Terrytoons days, and think it's very perceptive. I don't remember giving you those old children's books or why, but I suppose it was that I felt they were not relevant to our work in those times. I certainly agree with you that all good art never grows old, but at that time I was focussed on what our immediate goals were. The old guys were a problem, because I felt and heard their resentment that a young fart (me) was brought in as creative director instead of one of the studio veterans.
That was obvious to me, and I thought I was doing what I could to appreciated their skills. I never fired any of them, but tried to employ their strengths. Among the ones you mentioned, I was especially fascinated with the uniqueness of Jim Tyer, a truly great. I used him to animated Flebus, and thought that was a great melding of the "old" and the "new." I appreciate your remarks; I think you did a worthy summing up of that remarkable, short, boiling moment of anmation history. Many thanks for the good words you said about me. I am well aware of the mistakes I made. It ended in disaster, but we did leave a mark!

XXX Gene"

**UPDATE** GENE DEITCH AND BAKSHI JAMES HOUND YOUTUBE VIDEOS COLLECTED AND/OR UPLOADED BY CHARLES BRUBAKER:

Terrytoons - the Deitch era

James Hound on YouTube

Bell-Deitch-BKuwahara

Connie Rasinski & Artie Bartsch

Feiffer - Sick Sick Sick