Our good friend, I. KLEIN, animator, New Yorker cartoonist, etc., has prevailed on his good friend, GRIM NATWICK, to write the accompanying mini-biography for CARTOONIST PROfiles. Ike reminds us that Grim Natwick is well known in the animation profession for his fine work, and is one of the real pioneers in the art. We appreciate greatly the efforts of both of these veterans in bringing us this story.
It was my good fortune to get into animation in the silent days. An animator had to master the art of pantomime. No funny voices or sound effects to get an easy laugh. Not in those days.
More than that the animator was usually part of a two man story group. He often gagged up the plot as he animated.
Animators were scarce. There was no one to tell them how to do it. They sharpened a fist full of pencils, sat down at a drawing board and started animating. It was not easy. But for those times the pay was good. I saved enough in two years to study in Europe for three years. My plan was to be a serious painter.
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