MGM Animation/Visual Arts

MGM Animation/Visual Arts was an American animation studio established in 1962 by animation director/producer Chuck Jones and producer Les Goldman as Sib Tower 12 Productions. Its productions include the last series of Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts, the TV specials Horton Hears a Who and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and the feature film The Phantom Tollbooth, all released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

For the 1937–1957 studio, see Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio. For the studio established in 1993, see Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation.

MGM Animation/Visual Arts
Formerly
Sib Tower 12 Productions (1962–1965)
IndustryAnimated features and short films
PredecessorMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
SuccessorMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation
Founded1962 (1962)
Founder
DefunctDecember 1970 (1970-12)
Headquarters
Culver City, California
,
U.S.
ParentMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer

History

The studio was founded in 1960 as "S I B Productions, Inc.", which evolved into "Sib Tower 12, Inc."[1] It was founded in 1962 when Chuck Jones was fired from Warner Bros. Cartoons,[2] where he had served for over 30 years directing the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. A number of animators who had worked under Jones during his Warner Bros. career, notably Michael Maltese, followed him to Sib Tower 12, as did voice actor Mel Blanc. Sib Tower 12 Productions received a contract from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to produce a new series of Tom and Jerry cartoons, which proved successful. MGM purchased the Sib Tower 12 studio and renamed it MGM Animation/Visual Arts in 1964.[3] This studio continued with Jones' Tom and Jerry shorts until 1967.

In addition to the Tom and Jerry cartoons, Jones worked on one other short, The Dot and the Line (1965), an abstract piece based upon a children's book by Norton Juster. It won the 1965 Academy Award for Animated Short Film.

The studio also turned to television, producing two highly acclaimed TV specials based on books by Dr. Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which aired in 1966, and Horton Hears a Who! in 1970.

The studio's most ambitious work was its 1970 feature film The Phantom Tollbooth, adapted from another Norton Juster book.

After the studio closed in late 1970, Chuck Jones went on to found Chuck Jones Film Productions which produced television specials based on the stories of Rudyard Kipling and of The Cricket in Times Square series. In 1993, MGM opened a new animation studio, MGM Animation.

Filmography

Theatrical cartoon shorts

Television shows

Television specials

Feature films

See also

Notes
  1. "Business Search - Business Entities - Business Programs | California Secretary of State". businesssearch.sos.ca.gov. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. "What's Up Doc: Paying Homage To The Man Who Brought Bugs Bunny To Life - The Late Chuck Jones". George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. CBC. September 21, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  3. Lemay, Brian. "History of Animation: 1961 - 70". Retrieved from http://www.brianlemay.com/History/timeline1961-1970.html on September 10, 2006.

References
  • Maltin, Leonard, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons, New York: NAL Books, 1987, ISBN 0-452-25993-2
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