The Columbia Crow's Nest - A Look at the Cartoons of Charles Mintz, Screen Gems, and UPA



An Introduction

      Columbia Pictures had a cartoon division?
That's right, Columbia did indeed have its own animation department. It all began with a man named Charles B. Mintz who was the husband of Margaret J. Winkler, the first female film distributor and cartoon producer. Mintz had successfully snagged Bill Nolan's variation of George Herriman's Krazy Kat and in 1929 sought distribution from Columbia Pictures. When Mintz became indebted to Columbia in 1939, he lost his studio to them. The studio would now be known as "Screen Gems".

      Mintz died in 1940, his production manager, Jimmy Bronis became his successor and after Bronis came Mintz's brother-in-law, George Winkler. Later Columbia got rid of Winkler and brought in former Disney storyman and Warner Bros. cartoon director, Frank Tashlin. Under Tashlin, the studio experienced a considerable talent boom. However, Tashlin was ousted and replaced by Dave Fleischer. Later Fleischer too would depart and his other successors would make little impact on the studio. Probably the most successful characters to emerge from the "Screen Gems" period were the Fox and the Crow, a duo consisting of a refined, sophisticated Fox and a chiseling, street-wise Crow.

      The "Screen Gems" studio closed in 1946 and Columbia was soon looking for new talent. So, Steve Bosustow and his creative staff of "United Productions of America," came to Columbia. Columbia agreed to let UPA produce cartoons through them and it proved to be the smartest decision, animation-wise, that the studio would ever make. Throughout the late 1940s and the 1950s, UPA would earn several Oscars for the fruits of their efforts and would introduce such endearing characters as the nearsighted Mister Magoo (voiced by Jim Backus) and Gerald McBoing Boing. In 1959, UPA would cease distributing cartoons theatrically through Columbia. Its new head, Henry G. Saperstein decided to venture into the new medium of television. The studio would close its doors permanently in 1964.

      So now, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to "The Columbia Crow's Nest" on Golden Age Cartoons.com, an in-depth analysis of the cartoons of Charles Mintz, Screen Gems and UPA. Browse around and enjoy!



All images are © Columbia/Tri-Star and Sony Entertainment. This page is not associated in any way with either of the previously mentioned corporations.
This document cannot be republished under any or all circumstances, without consent of the webmaster.
HISTORY:
Part One: Charles Mintz
Part Two: Screen Gems
Part Three: UPA
Part Four: Conclusion

CHARACTER
PROFILES:

Mister Magoo
The Fox and the Crow
Scrappy
Gerald McBoing Boing
Other Characters

TITLES AND THEMES:
Scrappy and Krazy Kat
Color Rhapsodies
Barney Google
Phantasies
Fables
The Fox and the Crow
Li'l Abner
Flippy
Mister Magoo
Ham and Hattie
Loopy De Loop
Reissue Titles

OTHER FEATURES:
Screen Shots
What Restoration Can Do
Fox and Crow Production Artwork
The Columbia Ency-Crow-Pedia
Frequently Asked Questions
Credits and Bibliography

Also be sure to visit...

Cartoon Research

MichaelBarrier.com

Scrappyland

UPA: Mavericks, Magic, and Magoo

Bill Paolucci's Gerald McBoing Boing Page