"Animaniacs" Recording Session: April 11, 1995

I doodled the faces of Yakko, Wakko and Dot during the voice recording (and singing) session for "The Big Wrap Party" segment of Animaniacs at Monterey Post in Burbank, California, back on April 11, 1995.  Hard to believe it was 20 years ago!   

I tend to draw during almost every recording session, so these sketches aren't unusual.  What's unique about this set of doodles is that I had everyone at the session sign it.  

So, scattered around these notepad drawings of Yakko, Wakko and Dot are the signatures of just a few of the people who gave voice and sound to the "Animaniacs" series:  engineers Harry Andronis and Patrick Rodman; recording assistant Kelly Foley; casting director Leslie Lamers;  voice director Andrea Romano;  series composer and music director Richard Stone; and the voices of Yakko, Wakko and Dot, namely Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell and Tress MacNeille.  What a group!  I feel very fortunate to have worked with these great talents, and so glad to continue working with Rob, Jess and Tress, among others, on Disney's "The 7D." 

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!

Animaniacs and Freakazoid Emmys -- 1996

This ad appeared in the trade papers, including Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the week after the Emmy ceremonies in May, 1996.   

"HISTERIA!" Animating Crew Photos -- #3

Another pair of "animating" crew photos from "Histeria!" 

These two pictures feature Richard Stone and his music gang, along with some of the members of our voice recording team.  Julie Bernstein is down front, flanked by Steve Bernstein to the right, Rich Stone to the left.   On the far left, that's "Road Rovers" composer Gordon Goodwin and music editor Tom Lavin.

 

Animaniacs: "Little Drummer Warners"

One of my favorite shorts of the series, "Little Drummer Warners" casts Yakko, Wakko and Dot as shepherds "abiding in the field at night" in this rendition of the Christmas story that offers up a jazzy swing version of "Little Drummer Boy."  Many thanks to Richard Stone, Steve Bernstein and Julie Bernstein for making the music work so well.  This cartoon was beautifully directed by Lenord Robinson.  Earl Kress and I worked on the script, and the vocal performances by Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille and Jim Cummings, among others, are outstanding.