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Aug 11th, 2008 mon
August 11th, 2008

Spent a wonderful night last night at the Motion Picture Academy in Hollywood. The panel was a tribute to composer Normand Roger and animator Frederic Back. They screened Crac!, Every Child, Petrov's Old Man and the Sea and Michael Dudok DeWitt's Father and Daughter. All amazing films scored by Roger, who also did the sound effects. BLISS!

Frederic mentioned that since Man Who Planted Trees debuted in 1987, it has inspired people to plant over three million trees. Pretty good for a cartoon!

Now, on to Siggraph!! I'm appearing at the FJIORG competition on Monday. On tuesday night,John Lasseter will interview Fredric and screen The Man who Planted Trees at Siggraph. On weds at 10:30AM I will chair the tribute to Frank & Ollie, that will include Andreas Deja, Don Hahn, Kevin Koch, Randy Cartwright, Dave Burgess and Ted Thomas.
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Lately, I still run into people who ask if I'm still involved with my old partners Gang of 7 Animation. So for an update: I quit them in June 2006 and have had nothing to do with them since. I am not aware if they are even still in business. So the answer is no.
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Quiz: Why are police called cops?

Yesterday’s Quiz answered below: Has Antonio Banderas done any other voices for animation other than Puss in Boots in Shrek?
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History for 8/11/2008
Birthdays: Antonio Salieri, Frederick Ludwig Jahn 1778- founder of the Gymnastics Movement, Alex Haley, Jack Haley, Rev Jerry Falwell, Claus Von Bulow, Hulk Hogan- real name Terry Bollier- he’s 57,Dick Browne the creator of Hagar the Horrible, Steve Wozniak the co-founder of Apple Computers, Lloyd Nolan, Mike Douglas, Patti Duke Austin

Today is the Feast day of Saint Claire of Assisi, who followed Saint Francis into renouncing the world and formed the sisterhood of nuns called the Poor Claires. Their rule of poverty was so harsh that the Vatican criticized them for being too poor and making everyone else in the Church look bad.

1866 - World's 1st roller skating rink opens (Newport RI)

1896 - Harvey Hubbell patents electric light bulb socket with a pull chain.

1932- Rin Tin Tin died. The German shepherd was the first animal movie star and for awhile was the mainstay of struggling little Warner Bros studio. Jack Warner called him “our little rent check.”


1949- Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone With the Wind" was hit by a taxicab and died 5 days later.

1956- Abstract Artist Jackson Pollack, known as Jack the Dripper, died when he drunkenly drove his car into a tree near East Hampton. 1957- The Toyota Car Company of Japan introduces itself to the United States with a car called the Toyopet. It's first years sales are so bad they almost gave up on the U.S.

1962- actor Sir Lawrence Olivier founded the National Theatre in London.

1965- BURN, BABY, BURN- THE WATTS RIOTS- 6 days of urban warfare began when an angry crowd attacked some LAPD apprehending a drunken black motorist named Marquette Frye. 34 deaths, 1000 injured. This was the first of similar riots, which erupted in a number of U.S. cities that year including Detroit, Newark and Washington D.C.

1972- San Antonio Texas holds it’s first Cheech & Chong Day.

1984- COLD WAR CHUCKLES- President Ronald Reagan was asked to do some sound checks for a nationwide radio address. He said into the mike: "Today we have passed legislation that will ban Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes..."
The joke got out to the press and didn't do much to calm new cold war tensions.

1997- LA police wrestle down and arrest actor Christian Slater. They encountered him in a cocaine delirium shouting “The Germans are coming to kill us all!”

2001-First day shooting on the film Hero, directed by Zyiang Yi Mou.

2002- The Parliament of the Republic of Turkmenestahn passed a bill renaming the months of the year for their President Saparmurat Niyazov the Turkmenbashi- Father of all the Turkmen. He was made president for life in 1999. Mr Niyazov had ruled the country since he was appointed Communist Party chief in 1985 when it was still part of the Soviet Union. He quickly developed a cult of personality, suppressing legitimate political opposition. Much of the cash for grandiose palaces and statues is thought to stem from deals involving Turkmenistan's rich oil and gas reserves. He has also issued a decree officially extending adolescence until the age of 25 and postponing old age officially until age 85. Saparmurat Niyazov died in 2006.
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Yesterdays Quiz: Has Antonio Banderas done any other voices for animation other than Puss in Boots in Shrek?

Answer: Antonio is the voice of the big bee in the Nasonex commercials. He said he’s amazed that at times he gets more recognition and celebrity over the commercial, than his movie roles.


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