Genndy Tartakovsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Genndy Tartakovsky
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Tartakovsky at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2023
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| Born |
Gennady Borisovich Tartakovsky
January 17, 1970 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | California Institute of the Arts |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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| Spouse(s) |
Dawn David
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 3 |
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Gennady Borisovich "Genndy" Tartakovsky (born January 17, 1970) is an American animator, writer, producer, and director. He is famous for creating some of the most popular animated shows on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. His best-known creations include Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Primal.
He also created the series Star Wars: Clone Wars and Sym-Bionic Titan. For Sony Pictures Animation, he directed the first three Hotel Transylvania movies. Tartakovsky was also a key member of the team that made The Powerpuff Girls. His animation style is known for its fast-paced action and for telling stories with very little talking.
Over his career, Tartakovsky has won many awards for his work, including five Emmy Awards and three Annie Awards.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Genndy Tartakovsky was born in Moscow, which was then part of the Soviet Union, on January 17, 1970. His parents were Jewish. His father was a dentist for government officials and the Soviet national ice hockey team. His mother was an assistant principal at a school. He has an older brother named Alexander.
When Genndy was young, his family moved to Italy. It was there that he first became interested in art, inspired by a neighbor's daughter. "I remember, I was horrible at it," he later said. "For the life of me, I couldn't draw a circle."
His family moved to the United States when he was seven. They were worried about unfair treatment because they were Jewish. The family first lived in Ohio and later moved to Chicago. In Chicago, Genndy discovered American comic books, which had a big influence on him. School was hard at first because other kids saw him as a foreigner.
When he was 16, his father sadly died of a heart attack. After this, Genndy's family moved into government-funded housing, and he started working while still in high school.
His family wanted him to become a businessman, but Genndy discovered a love for animation. He studied film at Columbia College Chicago. Then, he moved to Los Angeles to study animation at the famous California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). At CalArts, he became friends with Rob Renzetti and Craig McCracken, who would also become famous animators. One of his student films at CalArts later became the idea for Dexter's Laboratory.
Career in Animation
Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network
A major turning point in Tartakovsky's career came when his friend Craig McCracken got a job at Hanna-Barbera studios. McCracken recommended that the studio hire Tartakovsky and Rob Renzetti. At Hanna-Barbera, Tartakovsky got the chance to turn his student film into the hit series Dexter's Laboratory.
He also helped produce The Powerpuff Girls and was the animation director for The Powerpuff Girls Movie. Both Dexter's Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls were nominated for many Emmy Awards.
In 2001, Tartakovsky created another classic show, Samurai Jack. This action-packed series won an Emmy Award in 2004. Because of his success, Star Wars creator George Lucas asked him to direct Star Wars: Clone Wars. This animated series told the story of what happened between the movies Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The show was a huge success and won three Emmy Awards.
Directing Movies and New Shows
In 2011, Tartakovsky began working at Sony Pictures Animation. There, he directed his first full-length movie, Hotel Transylvania (2012). The movie was a big hit, and he went on to direct the sequels Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018). He also wrote the fourth film, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.
In 2015, Tartakovsky took a break from Sony to create a final season of Samurai Jack for Adult Swim. The new season aired in 2017 and gave a conclusion to the hero's story.
After returning to Sony, he began working on new projects. He also created another series for Adult Swim called Primal, which started in 2019. The show is about a caveman and a dinosaur trying to survive together. It has won two Emmy Awards.
In 2023, his newest series, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, premiered. Tartakovsky has said this show brings together many of the ideas he has worked on throughout his career. He also signed a deal with Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation to create new shows for them.
Personal Life
Tartakovsky married Dawn David in 2000. Together, they have three children. He speaks English fluently and also knows some Russian.
Famous Works
Here are some of the most well-known shows and movies Genndy Tartakovsky has created or worked on.
Television Shows
- Dexter's Laboratory (1996–2003): Creator and director of the classic cartoon about a boy genius with a secret lab.
- The Powerpuff Girls (1998–2002): A supervising producer and director for the show about three super-powered sisters.
- Samurai Jack (2001–2004, 2017): Creator of the award-winning series about a samurai sent to a dystopian future.
- Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003–2005): Director of the action-filled animated series set in the Star Wars universe.
- Sym-Bionic Titan (2010–2011): Co-creator of this show about three aliens who protect Earth using a giant robot.
- Primal (2019–present): Creator of the intense series about a caveman and a dinosaur.
- Unicorn: Warriors Eternal (2023): Creator of a series about a group of heroes who are reawakened through time to fight evil.
Movies
- The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002): Served as the animation director.
- Hotel Transylvania (2012): His first time directing a major animated movie.
- Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015): Directed the successful sequel.
- Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018): Directed and co-wrote the third film in the series.
- Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022): Wrote and was an executive producer for the fourth movie.
- Fixed (2025): An upcoming R-rated animated comedy he directed.
See also
In Spanish: Genndy Tartakovsky para niños
