Happy New Year!

Here's hoping you have a great 2015!

Happy New Year 2015 from Big Fat New Year's Baby and Father Time -- "Histeria!"

The People Who Made "Tiny Toons" and "Animaniacs" -- Part Four

Above, left to right:  Colin Wells, who provides the voice of Colin, the kid who tells us about Randy Beaman on Animaniacs; the Executive Producer of Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and Pinky & the Brain, Steven Spielberg;  and Nate Ruegger, the voice of Baby Plucky on Tiny Toons, Skippy Squirrel on Animaniacs, and Froggo on Histeria!   (Photo circa 1994)

On the right, Paul Strickland, Tiny Toon Adventures' Production Manager, with his wife Robin Carmichael Strickland, on the left.  Paul, Robin and I worked together at Hanna-Barbera in the 80's.  (Circa 1993)

Above, our fearless Executive Producer, Steven Spielberg, center, at one of our yearly wrap parties.  Behind him, standing, is Luke Ruegger, the voice of "The Flame," Bumpo the bassett and "The Brave Little Trailer" on Animaniacs and the voice of Big Fat Baby and Billy the Kid on Histeria!  Flanking Steven are two of Luke's closest childhood pals, Wesley and Ryan Hasting. (Circa 1995)

From 1996:  Charles Visser went from storyboard artist to series director on Animaniacs and Pinky & the Brain.  Today, along with Alfred Gimeno and Jeff Gordon, Charles is a director of Disney's  new animated series, The 7D.

 
Visiting the Animanics/Pinky and the Brain/Histeria composers at the Warner Bros. Studio Clint Eastwood Sound Stage.  Left to right:  that's me next to series composer The Great Stonini, Richard Stone, and two of his closest and most talented musical collaborators, composers Julie and Steve Bernstein.  

Above, four more stars from Warner Bros. Animation, circa 1997.   Top left:  Bob Doucette -- designer, artist (Animaniacs, Tiny Toons),  show creator (Detention), director and producer (Road Rovers and Histeria).  Top right:  Harry Andronis --  the brilliant and beloved recording engineer of Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Batman: the Animated Series, Histeria and most other series produced by Warner Bros. Animation in the 90's.  In the center:  the one and only Tress MacNeille -- the voice of Babs Bunny, Dot Warner, Hello Nurse and countless other characters at Warner Brothers animation, at Disney, on The Simpson and everywhere in the cartoon universe.  And standing in front:  Cody Ruegger, the inspiration for all the Baby Plucky cartoons ("Water go down the hole"), the voice of The Little Bluebird on Animaniacs, and the voice of Loud Kiddington on Histeria!

Miss Information from "Histeria!" -- by Bob Doucette

This stunning portrait of Miss Information was painted by the producer of  the Histeria television series, Bob Doucette.   You can see more of Bob's brilliant artwork at http://bobdoucette.com.  

Miss Information was Histeria's tour guide through history.  The role was performed by the hilarious comedienne and voice over artist Laraine Newman.    If you want to see and hear Laraine in action, you'll find her impressive list of credits at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0628170/ .

"HISTERIA!" Animating Crew Photos -- #1

Here's the first in a batch of crew photos from the Warner Bros. animated television series "Histeria" (1998). 

Name those crew members! 

Animaniacs Movie Poster #7: "This Means Warners"

From 1999:  The last of the preliminary movie posters designed by Bob Doucette for proposed Animaniac feature films. 

Animaniacs Movie Poster #6: "Revolutionary Warners"

Here's another early draft of a movie poster for a proposed Animaniacs feature film:  "Revolutionary Warners."  While we plotted out an outline in which the Warners played an instrumental role in the battle for independence, Bob Doucette designed this patriotic promo piece. 

Animaniacs Movie Poster #5: "Hooray for Hollywood"

Here's another preliminary poster for a proposed Animaniacs feature film.  I love the Hirschfeld-like caricatures Bob Doucette drew into the margins.  Many of the elements of this story found their way into the Animaniacs two-parter, "Hooray for North Hollywood." 

The challenge:  1.  Name all the celebrities pictured.  2.  Name the celebrities who are still alive.  3.  If they were all still alive, who would be the youngest?

Animaniacs Movie Poster #4: "Little Orphan Warners"

Another early draft of a poster, drawn by Bob Doucette, for a proposed Animaniacs feature film.  This was Yakko, Wakko and Dot's take on "Oliver Twist."  Bob's designs are fabulous.  I love seeing the pencilwork on all of these efforts.  

This particular poster took a bit more time to restore than the others.  I found it folded up at the bottom of an apparently non-leakproof box.

Animaniacs Movie Poster #3: "Wandering Warners We"

Another preliminary movie poster designed by Bob Doucette for a series of  "Animaniacs" movie concepts that were developed in the late 90's.  Paul Rugg had his hand in the development of this scenario, and the treatment is hilarious.  Yakko, Wakko and Dot play troubadours sent on a mission by the King to track down his heir, the princess, in order to save the kingdom.  In "Wandering Warners We," the fourth Warner sibling is introduced:  the profoundly untalented "Lakko."  (Before the midpoint of the movie, Lakko is unceremoniously fired from the production by his brothers and sister due to an abject lack of timing and charisma.) 

 

Animaniacs Movie Poster #2 : "The Road to Bohemia"

In the late 90's, we worked up a bunch of different feature film concepts for "Animaniacs."  Then Bob Doucette drew preliminary movie posters for some of the more promising ideas.  

Various elements from "The Road to Bohemia" found their way into the feature-length "Animaniacs" cartoon that we ultimately made:  "Wakko's Wish."

Animaniacs Christmas Movie

Back in the late 90's, we developed a bunch of different movie concepts for Yakko, Wakko and Dot.  Bob Doucette drew up preliminary posters for some of these development ideas.  Here's one that featured the Warners working at the North Pole -- and driving Santa's elves crazy.