Cartoon Modern

Continuing this week’s theme of focusing on one cartoon—1952’s PINK AND BLUE BLUES—here are two layout drawings from the film. Whereas I have some questions as to whether the model sheets I posted yesterday are actually Ted Parmelee’s work, these drawings definitely look like his artwork, as he had an easily recognizable manner of drawing noses, eyes and eyebrows that comes through in these sketches.

(click on image for larger version)

This week I thought I’d do something a bit different and focus on the artwork of a single animated short, starting with the two model sheets below. The short is PINK AND BLUE BLUES, a 1952 Mister Magoo effort that was nominated for an Oscar. The film was directed by Pete Burness, designed and laid out by Ted Parmelee, and backgrounds painted by Bob McIntosh, who’s been discussed here before.

Most people recognize Parmelee as the director of UPA’s THE TELL-TALE HEART, but visually that film was almost entirely Paul Julian’s work. Parmelee himself was a solid designer who had a distinctive drawing style. Unfortunately, Parmelee was another of those artists who passed away far too young, from a heart attack in the mid-1960s, and information about his life is difficult to find. The lengthiest writing about him can be found in the bio printed in Keith Scott’s THE MOOSE THAT ROARED. There’s also a number of his TV commercial designs for Ray Patin Productions printed in my book CARTOON MODERN. To the best of my knowledge, the two PINK AND BLUE BLUES model sheets below are his work as well.

(click on image for larger version)