Shamus Culhane
Birth : 1908-11-12, Wareham, Massachusetts, USA
Death : 1996-02-02
History
Culhane worked for a number of American animation studios, including Fleischer Studios, the Ub Iwerks studio, Walt Disney Productions, and theWalter Lantz studio. He began his animation career in 1925 working for J.R. Bray studios, and is known for promoting the animation talents of his inker/assistant at the Fleischer Studios in the early 1930s, Lillian Friedman Astor, making her the first female studio animator. While at the Disney studio, he discovered while working on Hawaiian Holiday's crab sequence an animation method that involved stewing for multiple days, before drawing the entire thing in rough sketches all at once, straight ahead, without invoking the left side of the brain. He was a lead animator on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, animating arguably the most well-known sequence in the film, the animation of the dwarves marching home singing "Heigh-Ho". The scene took Culhane and his assistants six months to complete. During this time he developed his 'High-speed' technique of using only the right side of the brain and animating with quick dashed-off sketches. In 1944, he collaborated on The Greatest Man in Siam with the layout artist Art Heinemann. In that animation, "the king of Siam bolts past doorways that are distinctly phallic in shape and peers at another that mimics a vagina."[3] Later in his career, Culhane worked briefly in Chuck Jones's unit at Warner Bros, before moving on to being a director for Lantz, where he helmed Woody Woodpecker's 1944 classic, The Barber of Seville, the cartoon famous for one of the first uses of fast cutting, after taking the idea from Sergei Eisenstein. At Lantz, he introduced Russian avant-garde influenced experimental art into the cartoons. In the late-1940s, he founded Shamus Culhane Productions (Culhane had gone by his birthname of James up until this point, before going by its Irish variant Shamus), one of the first companies to create animated television commercials. It also produced the animation for at least one of the Bell Telephone Science Series films. Shamus Culhane Productions folded in the 1960s, at which point Culhane became the head of the successor to Fleischer Studios, Paramount Cartoon Studios. He left the studio in 1967, and went into semi-retirement. Culhane wrote two highly regarded books on animation: the how-to/textbook Animation from Script to Screen, and his autobiography Talking Animals and Other People. Since Culhane worked for a number of major Hollywood animation studios, his autobiography gives a balanced general overview of the history of the Golden Age of American Animation. At his death on February 2, 1996, Culhane was survived by second wife, the former Juana Hegarty, and by two sons from his first marriage to Maxine Marx (the daughter of Chico Marx) which ended in divorce: Brian Culhane of Seattle and Kevin Marx Culhane of Portland, Ore. -From Wikiepedia
Writer
When the animals on their way to Noah's Ark find themselves stranded at the North Pole, an old dragon that has lost its ability to breathe fire sets out to help them.
Director
When the animals on their way to Noah's Ark find themselves stranded at the North Pole, an old dragon that has lost its ability to breathe fire sets out to help them.
Writer
The second of three animated TV specials about the animals of Noah's Ark.
Director
The second of three animated TV specials about the animals of Noah's Ark.
Writer
The first of a trilogy of animated specials about the animals of Noah's Ark.
Director
The first of a trilogy of animated specials about the animals of Noah's Ark.
Director
Common farm animals in the stable of Christ's birth begin to talk and communicate for the first time upon Mary and Joseph's arrival. They realize a miracle is about to take place, but lose their ability to speak following the birth of Christ as they rush to tell all about the Savior's birth.
Director
Two inept crooks have hilarious misadventures as they try to kidnap a opera singer.
Director
Sir Blur, a nearsighted fellow who mistakes something or someone for something else.
Director
Directed by Shamus Culhane, this was a fine animated short about the title character turning his pipes into a musical instrument with a performance that gets such a positive response from some passersby that he gets a contract offer.
Director
About Native Americans Geronimo and Son.
Director
An office drudge goes on a cruise and winds up a castaway on a tropical island. He soon meets his man Friday in the form of a friendly ape.
Director
When dad becomes the astronaut, he gets to take his son to many places, including the carnival. In the end, dad gets sick by the carousel and taken into the hospital.
Director
From a story by legendary Terrytoons animator Jim Tyler, this cartoon by director Shamus Culhane concerns an elephant named Roscoe whose friend thinks he's crazy since Roscoe is able to walk, skate, and stand on water simply because the elephant thinks he can.
Director
The half-blind Sir Blur, who is both knight and mailman, torments a blacksmith with his bumbling.
Director
An astronaut hunts for the unusual creature, the space squid. Currently lost.
Director
The story of Geronimo, an American indian, and his brother.
Director
Honey is baking a cake for Fraidy Bat's birthday. Misunderstanding what he meant when he said "the main ingredient in cake is love", she adds love potion to the cake. Cousin Maggie takes a bite of the cake and precedes to fall in love with Stanley the Wizard, who just showed up at the door. Maggie begins chasing Stanley around the forest while Honey and Fraidy prepare an antidote (which turns out to be Honey's tears). Maggie is turned back to normal; unfortunately Stanley eats a slice of Honey's cake while hiding inside the house and the first person he sees is Cousin Maggie...
Director
Sir Blur stumbles into a kingdom. A king is having trouble getting someone to marry his daughter because she's, to put it mildly, ugly. Guess who stumbles into the contest? Sir Blur was Famous Studios' answer to Mr. Magoo in that he was another nearsighted fellow who mistakes something or someone for something else.
Director
Stanley is tricked by a frog who claims to have been a king.
Director
Sir Blur was Famous Studios' answer to Mr. Magoo in that he was another nearsighted fellow who mistakes something or someone for something else.
Director
Honey Halfwitch meets a Giant.
Director
Jose goes to a restaurant and is told by the waiter that an all-you-can-eat buffet is $5. Jose only has a penny which he uses to get three peanuts from a candy machine. A bird comes by and eats them all.
Producer
A scientist and a writer explain the various meteorological phenomena to Meteora, the goddess of weather, while giving an insight into the technology involved in predicting them and warning about the threat of global climate change.
Producer
Part of acclaimed filmmaker Frank Capra's "Wonders of Life" series of science-based films (which won an Emmy Award for Best Editing) teaches kids about the power of gamma rays and radiation.
Animation
Professor Frank Baxter and some animated friends answer questions about blood. what makes it red? Why do little animals' hearts beat so quickly? And so much more.
Animation
Based on the famous book by Jules Verne the movie follows Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world. Which has to be completed within 80 days, a very short period for those days.
Director
Short promotional film for a Saturday Evening Post sales convention.
Director
After a storm strands them on a deserted island, Woody Woodpecker and his wolf friend end up battling themselves in a quest to find food.
Director
In this Walter Lantz Color Cartune---the correct house-name brand for the Woody's, and not Swing Symphony as some Keyworder seems to think---Woody, per usual, is sleeping and idling while the ants and grasshoppers are gathering food for the winter, and Woody even has a nightmare about it. He awakens, under a blanket of snow, to find that both Winter and a hungry wolf are knocking at his door. The wolf has intentions of eating Woody...but Woody also has the same thoughts regarding the wolf.
Director
Andy and his dog, Milo, share their house with an obnoxious rodent who enjoys tormenting the two above anything else. Finally, the two decide the only way they can rid themselves of the pest is for the two to just plain move out. They pack their bags and move to a new house leaving the mouse behind. With no one to torment, the mouse decides life isn't worth living anymore and attempts to end it all until he finally discovers their new address, moves in with them, and resumes tormenting the two.
Director
Woody Woodpecker goes to the park for a game of golf, and quickly gets at odds with some city-workers who are laying a cement walk. His hooks and slices keep landing into the wet cement. But he smooths everything out by putting a couple of cement-trowels on his feet, and gliding over the surface as if it was ice.
Director
A newspaper announces that Ivan Awfulitch, the famous ambassador, is due to have a barbecue with local resident Wally Walrus. Unfortunately, while Wally is preparing the barbecue, the scent of the steaks he is cooking attracts an unwelcome guest in the form of Woody Woodpecker. He steals some of the food through a knothole in the fence then uses a bow and arrow to get the rest.
Director
Woody Woodpecker goes out to dine and accidentally stumbles into a taxidermist's shop, thinking it is a restaurant. The taxidermist, wanting a woodpecker to stuff, doesn't inform Woody otherwise, and drugs the 'meal' he serves Woody. But, before he can stuff Woody, he comes to and knocks the literal stuffing out of the taxidermist.
Director
Boarding house proprietor Wally Walrus takes out an ad in the local paper looking for a sweetheart. Woody reads this and decides he might be able to trick Wally out of some cooking if he dresses up like a girl and answers the ad.
Director
The Pied Piper of Basin Street Release Date: 1/15/45 Direction: James Culhane Story: Ben Hardaway and Milt Schaffer Animation Layout: Art Heinemann Animation: Verne Harding and Pat Matthews Music: Darrell Calker Backgrounds: Philip DeGuard Featuring: Jack Teagarden Notes: Production Number: D-10 A Swing Symphony cartoon. The Pied Piper is a caricature of Jimmy Durante, while the mayor is a caricature of Lou Costello. Michael Fitzgerald incorrectly lists this cartoon as a November 1944 release.
Director
Andy Panda is the painter and his dog, Butch, is the pointer, and Andy is trying to paint a portrait of Butch doing what a bird-dog is supposed to do...standing still and pointing to the game-bird. But Butch won't stand still. Andy's solution is to rig a gun to go off if Butch moves a muscle. Butch gamely resists all temptations to move but a couple of spiders carry him off in their web, with the gun going off repeatedly and peppering Butch's posterior.
Director
Planning a vacation, Woody reads in the newspaper about Swiss Chard Lodge which promises lots of good food (which, as Woody says, is his "favorite dish"). He heads over to said lodge but, upon arriving, is told by owner Wally Walrus that he must make reservations ahead of time... which he has not. Wally throws the pest out but Woody is able to re-enter the premises disguised as none other than Santa Claus. He robs Wally of his food but, once alone with his sack, discovers quite a surprise inside.
Director
A crowd gathers at the beach to witness vacationer Wally Walrus thrashing Woody Woodpecker. Wally explains, in flashback, why he is trying to rid himself of Woody... it seems he went to the beach for his day off and, unfortunately, the obnoxious woodpecker had the same idea disrupting Wally's peace and quiet with his antics, even disguising himself as a swami to fool Wally into "finding" him. Back to the present, Wally concludes his story and hurls Woody into the ocean but not without bringing the entire dock down with him, sending Wally and the crowd into the drink themselves!
Director
An alley cat attempts to steal the goldfish Andy Panda just bought from a pet shop, but the fish proves too clever for him.
Director
At the Sandwich Islands, which includes the "deviled egg" island, the "hot dog on a bun" island, and the "hamburger" island (with a sign, "Hold the Onions"), we see a man on the "tunaville" island surveying the area with a telescope. He notices a crate full of musical instruments wash ashore and alerts the others. The tribe finds these instruments strange and unusual at first but eventually really get the hang of them, particularly one member who plays a hot piano, his playing being somewhat interrupted by a pestiferous crab.
Director
Woody is standing outside the Seville Barber Shop looking at the ads. Wanting a "victory haircut", he decides to enter the shop only to find the owner has stepped out for a physical. Woody decides to cut his own hair ("I cut my own teeth") but unfortunately is mistaken for the owner when two other customers enter, one an Indian who wants a quick shampoo and the other, a construction worker who wants "the whole works" and, unfortunately, gets it.
Director
Andy Panda wants roast chicken for his Meatless Tuesday dinner...but the farmyard rooster isn't being cooperative.
Animation
Woman wonders why her little pet birds keep disappearing. Rudolph the cat knows, but other than burping feathers, he's not saying. But it looks like he's met his match when the woman orders another bird from the pet shop: a little yellow canary named "Petey".
Director
TAKE HEED is a pretty typical wartime bond film.
Director
The annual ghost convention introduces swing music to their tired out old scares.
Animation
Gabby is forced to take care of a strange animal called a Kango.
Animation Director
William Tell shoots an arrow, barely missing Popeye, then tells Popeye that he has just lost his son in an unfortunate arrow incident. Tell then defies the High Governor and is ordered to shoot an apple off his son's head; Popeye stands in for his son.
Animation
Gulliver washes ashore on Lilliput and attempts to prevent war between that tiny kingdom and its equally-miniscule rival, Blefiscu, as well as smooth the way for the romance between the Princess and Prince of the opposing lands. In this he is alternately aided and hampered by the Lilliputian town crier and general fussbudget, Gabby. A life-threatening situation develops when the bumbling trio of Blefiscu spies, Sneak, Snoop, and Snitch, manage to steal Gulliver's pistol.
Animation
While trying to collect autographs at a Hollywood studio, Donald meets a number of movie stars, and runs afoul of a security guard.
Animation
Mickey and Pluto go hunting for quail. Pluto scares away the first ones they see; Mickey scolds him, then relents. He shows Pluto how to be a pointer, and they set off after another quail, but Mickey accidentally jumps on a bear's nose, and thinks it's Pluto. Meanwhile, Pluto finds the quail and points. The babies climb on board and start picking at his hairs, but Pluto's been told not to move. Mickey finally comes across Pluto, who by now is covered by small animals, and realizes he's being followed by a bear. Mickey tries to reason with the bear, and backs off a cliff, onto Pluto.
Animation
Donald Duck is at the beach and tries to ride a rubber horse. He notices Pluto sleeping at the shore and decides to have some fun with him by sending the rubber horse over to Pluto which completely mesmerizes him. Meanwhile, a tribe of ants abduct Donald's picnic lunch. Donald lays out fly paper to stop the ants. Pluto follows one of the ants and, of course, he and later Donald become enmeshed in the fly paper
Animation
Donald's cousin Gus Goose arrives unexpectedly. Despite the note from his mother saying "he don't eat much," he's soon eating Donald out of house and home.
Animation
Donald shows his nephews the moves that won him his hockey trophy. But the boys have a few moves of their own.
Animation
Rather out of place at a swanky dog show, Pluto flirts with Fifi, a dainty Pekingese. The judge orders Mickey and Pluto to leave, but when a fire breaks out Pluto rescues Fifi and is proclaimed a hero.
Animation
Donald and Goofy are trappers in the frozen south (Antarctica) with different approaches. Donald sees a penguin and dresses as one to lure her to the chopping block; Goofy baits a trap with fish (then acts like a walrus to capture one that steals his bait bucket).
Animation
A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest in the land," and Snow White's beauty surpasses her own.
Animation
Pluto wants to chase the sausage man, but Fifi convinces him to look after their five rambunctious puppies instead. The puppies end up in the basement, where they tangle with a compressed air tank, paint, a jug of hooch, and other hazards. Fifi returns and finds a drunk Pluto, paint on everyone, and gets very angry.
Animation
Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto experience all that Hawaii has to offer. Donald tries hula dancing, Pluto explores the beach and Goofy takes up surfing!
Animation
Plumber Donald is using a large magnet in his work. When he drops it, it causes trouble for Pluto, especially after Pluto swallows it. Things begin clinging to him, especially his metal dog dish.
Animation
Mickey is ringmaster of a circus for orphans. Donald has a trained sea lion act, and does a bit of juggling himself. Mostly, though, he fights with a baby sea lion who keeps stealing both the fish and the show. Donald then finds himself and Mickey in an unrehearsed high wire act, which kicks into high gear when one of the orphans electrifies the wire. They end by doing a high dive into the seals' tank.
Animation
Mickey and Donald take a truckload of mouse boys on a picnic. The boys delight in tormenting Donald, first by filching the picnic food, then giving him a flower with a bee inside (Donald eventually gets the whole hive after him), and finally a sandwich with another bee in it.
Director
[Animated] short of kittens taking unfair advantage of a well meaning dog, who actually is functioning as their protector.
Co-Director
Old Mother Hubbard is the laundress for the king, but when she finds her cupboard bare, her dog travels to the palace where he winds up performing for the king.
Co-Director
Mammy gives Little Black Sambo a quick scrub on the washboard, then pats him down with baby powder, black baby powder, before sending him off to play. She warns him about the tiger...
Co-Director
A tailor aides his king, who is threatened by a giant and a swarm of bees.
Co-Director
Early color animated short of an adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
Co-Director
Aladdin is a child laborer who works for a guy that exchanges "new lamps for old". This guy swaps a "new" lamp for 2-3 replacement old lamps, then brings back the old lamps for Aladdin to polish and make look like new. One day Aladdin sees a princess riding by as he looks out the window, and he falls for her. But then he must return to his lamp polishing...
Animation
Flip The Frog goes head-to-head with a swami-type magician, both trying to top each other (with some funny results). This all happens after the latter pulls a disappearing act with Flip's girlfriend.
Animation
Bimbo's minding his baby brother, but neighbor Betty Boop (with dog's ears) wants him to come over and play.
Animation Director
Bimbo's minding his baby brother, but neighbor Betty Boop (with dog's ears) wants him to come over and play.
Co-Director
The Herring is murdered, and detective Bimbo is trying to find his killer.
Co-Director
Three distinct segments: 1) A dog is taking a music lesson from a lion when a mouse starts playing as well. 2) The "Bouncing Ball" segment, consisting of the words to the title song. 3) Some kooky animation of an "Instrument Orchestra," in which the instruments are playing themselves, and a whole cast of animals march to the last chorus.
Animation
Fleischer Studios giving "Please Go 'Way and Let Me Sleep" the 'Screen Song' bouncing ball treatment.
Animation
A humanized dog comes from a bar and fights with his shadow in the dark just before a bouncing ball comes on and the singer warbles "I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark".
Animation
Animated-live action short. An artist is quietly painting landscapes of the countryside when he wanders into an abandoned house which Dinky tries to fool him into thinking it's haunted.
