Iwao Takamoto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iwao Takamoto
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | April 29, 1925 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Died | January 8, 2007 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupation | Animator, television producer, film director, storyboard artist, writer |
| Employer |
|
| Spouse(s) |
Jane M. Baer
(m. 1957; div. 1959)Barbara Farber
(m. 1964) |
| Children | 1 |
Iwao Takamoto (born April 29, 1925 – died January 8, 2007) was a talented Japanese-American animator, TV producer, and film director. He started his amazing career at Walt Disney Animation Studios. There, he helped design characters for classic movies like Cinderella (1950) and Lady and the Tramp (1955).
Later, Iwao Takamoto joined Hanna-Barbera Productions. This is where he designed many famous characters. Can you guess who? He created Scooby-Doo and Astro from The Jetsons! He also became a director and producer for many popular cartoons.
Contents
Early Life and Animation Career
Iwao Takamoto was born in Los Angeles, California. When he was 15, he finished high school in Los Angeles.
During World War II, Iwao's family, like many Japanese-Americans, had to move to a special camp called Manzanar. This happened in the early 1940s. While at the camp, Iwao learned how to draw. Two other people in the camp, who used to be art directors in Hollywood, taught him.
After the war ended, Iwao wanted to work in cartoons. He didn't have a fancy art portfolio. Instead, he made a sketchbook of "everything I saw." This sketchbook helped him get a job at Disney studios.
In 1945, he was hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He worked as an assistant animator. Iwao helped create characters for many beloved Disney films. These included Cinderella (1950), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).
Working at Hanna-Barbera
Iwao Takamoto left Disney in 1961 and joined Hanna-Barbera Productions. He took on many different roles there. He is most famous for designing characters.
He designed the original look for many characters you might know. These include Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons dog, Astro. He also designed Penelope Pitstop. The idea for Scooby-Doo being a Great Dane dog came from someone at Hanna-Barbera who owned one!
Iwao also worked as a producer at Hanna-Barbera. He helped oversee shows like The Addams Family, Hong Kong Phooey, and Jabberjaw. He even directed animated movies. Some of these were Charlotte's Web (1973) and Jetsons: The Movie (1990).
Iwao Takamoto became the Vice-President of Creative Design at Hanna-Barbera. He was in charge of designing many products related to their cartoons. In 1996, he won the Winsor McCay Award. This award celebrates a lifetime of great work in animation. In 2005, he received the Golden Award from the Animation Guild. This honored his more than 50 years in animation.
After Hanna-Barbera joined with Warner Bros. Animation in 1996, Iwao became the Vice President of Special Projects for Warner Brothers Animation.
Personal Life
Iwao Takamoto married Jane M. Baer in 1957. They met while working on Disney's Sleeping Beauty. They had one son named Michael. In 1964, Iwao married Barbara Farber. They were married for 44 years until his death. Barbara had a daughter named Leslie from a previous marriage.
Death and Legacy
Iwao Takamoto passed away on January 8, 2007. He was 81 years old. He is buried in Los Angeles. A special message was added to the end of the Scooby-Doo movie Chill Out, Scooby-Doo! to remember him.
Iwao Takamoto received several important awards. These include the Winsor McCay Award and a special honor from the Japanese American National Museum.
His life story was published in a book in 2009. It was called Iwao Takamoto: My Life with a Thousand Characters. His stepdaughter also wrote a book about him in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Iwao Takamoto para niños
