Bill Melendez

José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez (November 15, 1916 – September 2, 2008)[1] was a Mexican–American character animator, voice actor, film director and producer known for his cartoons for Walt Disney Productions (working on four Disney films Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi), Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA and the Peanuts series. Melendez provided the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock in the latter as well. In a career spanning over 60 years, he won six Primetime Emmy Awards and was nominated for thirteen more. In addition, he was nominated for an Oscar and five Grammy Awards. The Peanuts television specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas and What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?, which he directed, were each honored with a Peabody Award.

Bill Meléndez
Born
José Cuauhtémoc Meléndez

(1916-11-15)November 15, 1916
DiedSeptember 2, 2008(2008-09-02) (aged 91)
Other namesC. Melendez
J.C. Melendez
OccupationAnimator, film director, producer, voice actor
Years active1938–2006
Employer
Spouse(s)
Helen Melendez
(
m. 1940)
Children2; including Steven C. Melendez

Early life

A native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Meléndez was educated in American public schools in Douglas, Arizona.[2] He later attended the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles (which would later become California Institute of the Arts).[2]

Disney, Warner Bros., UPA and commercial animation work

On completion of his studies, Meléndez was hired by Disney in 1938 where he worked on what are now considered classics: Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi.[3] Following the 1941 Disney strike, Meléndez was hired by Leon Schlesinger Productions, later known as Warner Bros. Cartoons, where he served as animator on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. He worked in Bob Clampett's unit until Clampett's departure, upon which he moved to the Arthur Davis unit. When the number of animation units at Warner Bros. was reduced from four to three in 1948, Melendez, moved to Robert McKimson's unit for a time.

After animating a few shorts under McKimson's belt, Meléndez was fired by producer Edward Selzer for his political beliefs.[4] Afterwards, he moved over to United Productions of America (UPA) where he animated on cartoons such as Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950). Melendez also produced and directed thousands of television commercials, first at UPA, then Playhouse Pictures and John Sutherland Productions.[5] In 1963, Melendez founded his own studio in the basement of his Hollywood home. Bill Melendez Productions is still active and is currently run by his son Steven C. Melendez.[6] In addition to animation, Melendez was once a faculty member at the University of Southern California's Cinema Arts Department.

Peanuts TV specials, movies and TV shows

Meléndez was the only person Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz trusted to turn his popular comic creations into television specials. He and his studio worked on every single television special and direct-to-video film for the Peanuts gang and Meléndez directed the majority of them. He even provided the vocal effects for Snoopy and Woodstock in every single production, voice acting the characters in the studio by uttering gibberish, and the voices were mechanically sped up at different speeds to represent the two different characters.

According to an article in The New York Times published shortly after his death, Meléndez did not intend to do voice acting for the two characters. "Schulz would not countenance the idea of a beagle uttering English dialogue, Mr. Meléndez recited gibberish into a tape recorder, sped it up and put the result on the soundtrack."[2] He also directed, did the animation for, and provided voice acting in the first four Peanuts theatrical films, A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969), Snoopy, Come Home (1972), Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977), and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (1980), as well as the video games Get Ready for School, Charlie Brown! (1995) and Snoopy's Campfire Stories (1996).[7] The last Peanuts-related production he worked on was He's a Bully, Charlie Brown (2006).

Meléndez and Lee Mendelson, who also worked on the Peanuts specials, films, and TV shows, formed their own production team and did other animated specials. They were responsible for the first two Garfield animated specials, Here Comes Garfield (1982) and Garfield on the Town (1983), as well as Frosty Returns (1992), the pseudo-sequel to Rankin/Bass' Frosty the Snowman (1969).

National Student Film Institute

During the 1980s and 1990s Meléndez served on the advisory board of the National Student Film Institute.[8][9]

Death

On September 2, 2008, Bill Meléndez died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California at the age of 91.[10] He had been in declining health after a fall a year earlier. No cause of death was made public.[2] Melendez was cremated and his ashes were given to his family.

Posthumous return to Peanuts

Archive recordings of his work as Snoopy and Woodstock were used for the film The Peanuts Movie.[11] This makes him the only member of the film's cast to have been involved in a previous Peanuts project, save for Kristin Chenoweth, who won a Tony Award for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown on Broadway.

  • Melendez Films – Animation division : United Kingdom, video and interactive entertainment

Filmography

Films

Year Film Animator Producer Director Actor Role Notes
1940PinocchioYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
FantasiaYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
1941DumboYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
1942BambiYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
1943The Flying JalopyYesNoNoNo
Falling HareYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
An Itch in TimeYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
1945 Draftee DaffyYesNoNoNoAssistant animator
Wagon HeelsYesNoNoNo
1946Book RevueYesNoNoNo
Baby BottleneckYesNoNoNo
Kitty KorneredYesNoNoNo
The Great Piggy Bank RobberyYesNoNoNo
The Big SnoozeYesNoNoNo
1947The Goofy GophersYesNoNoNo
The Foxy DucklingYesNoNoNo
Doggone CatsYesNoNoNo
Mexican JoyrideYesNoNoNo
Catch as Cats CanYesNoNoNo
1948Two Gophers from TexasYesNoNoNo
What Makes Daffy DuckYesNoNoNo
A Hick a Slick and a Chick YesNoNoNo
Nothing But the ToothYesNoNoNo
Bone Sweet BoneYesNoNoNo
The Rattled Rooster YesNoNoNo
Dough Ray Me-ow YesNoNoNo
The Pest That Came to Dinner YesNoNoNo
Odor of the Day YesNoNoNo
The Stupor Salesman YesNoNoNo
Riff Raffy Daffy YesNoNoNo
1949Holiday for DrumsticksYesNoNoNo
Porky ChopsYesNoNoNo
Bowery Bugs YesNoNoNo
Bye, Bye BluebeardYesNoNoNo
A Ham in a RoleYesNoNoNo
1950Punchy de LeonYesNoNoNo
Boobs in the WoodsYesNoNoNo
Spellbound Hound YesNoNoNo
The Leghorn Blows at MidnightYesNoNoNo
The Miner's Daughter YesNoNoNo
An Egg Scramble YesNoNoNo
What's Up Doc?YesNoNoNo
It's Hummer TimeYesNoNoNo
GiddyapYesNoNoNo
Trouble IndemnityYesNoNoNo
A Fractured Leghorn YesNoNoNo
Pop 'im Pop! YesNoNoNo
Gerald McBoing-Boing YesNoNoNo
Bushy Hare YesNoNoNo
Dog Collared YesNoNoNo
Albert in Blunderland YesNoNoNo
1951Hare We GoYesNoNoNo
Bungled Bungalow YesNoNoNo
A Fox in a Fix YesNoNoNo
Corn PlasteredYesNoNoNo
Georgie and the Dragon YesNoNoNo
The Wonder Gloves YesNoNoNo
1952The OompahsYesNoNoNo
Willie the KidYesNoNoNo
MadelineYesNoNoNo
1953Little Boy with a Big Horn YesNoNoNo
Christopher CrumpetYesNoNoNo
Gerald McBoing-Boing's SymphonyYesNoNoNo
1954Ballet-OopYesNoNoNo
It's Everybody's Business YesNoNoNo
1957Energetically YoursYesNoYesNo
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldYesNoNoNo
Gerald McBoing-Boing's SymphonyYesNoNoNo
1969A Boy Named Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1970The Rainbow BearYesNoYesNo
1972Snoopy, Come HomeNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1975Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done NoNoYesNo
Escape to Witch MountainYesNoNoNo
1977Race for Your Life, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1978Tooth BrushingNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1980Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)NoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1992Cool WorldYesNoNoNo
2015The Peanuts MovieNoNoNoYesSnoopy, Woodstockarchival recordings

Television

Year Film Animator Producer Director Actor Role Notes
1956The Gerald McBoing-Boing ShowYesNoNoNo1 episode: The Election/The Fifty-First Dragon/Twirlinger Twins in the Ballet Lesson
1960The Bugs Bunny ShowYesNoNoNoclassic cartoons
1963A Boy Named Charlie BrownYesNoYesYesSnoopy
1965A Charlie Brown ChristmasNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1966Charlie Brown's All Stars!NoYesYesYesSnoopy
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1967You're in Love, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1968He's Your Dog, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner HourYesNoNoNoclassic cartoons
1969Turn-OnYesNoNoNo1 episode
It Was a Short Summer, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
1971Play It Again, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
Babar Comes to AmericaNoYesYesNo
1972You're Not Elected, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1973There's No Time for Love, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
A Charlie Brown ThanksgivingNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1974It's a Mystery, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa ClausNoYesYesNo
1975Be My Valentine, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
You're a Good Sport, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1976It's Arbor Day, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
The Sylvester & Tweety ShowYesNoNoNoclassic cartoons
1977It's Your First Kiss, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1978What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown!NoYesYesYesSnoopy
1979You're the Greatest, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeNoNoYesNoAlso credited for story adaptation
1980She's a Good Skate, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy
Life Is a Circus, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy
1981It's Magic, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
No Man's ValleyNoYesYesNo
1982A Charlie Brown CelebrationNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Here Comes GarfieldNoYesNoNo
1983Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown?NoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
It's an Adventure, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?NoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Garfield on the TownNoYesNoNo
1983–1985The Charlie Brown and Snoopy ShowNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1984It's Flashbeagle, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1985Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock, Spike
The Romance of Betty BoopNoYesYesNo
It's Your 20th Television Anniversary, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSnoopy (non-speaking), Woodstock
1986Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!NoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1987CathyNoYesNoNo
1988Snoopy: The MusicalNoYesNoYesSnoopy (non-speaking), Woodstock
It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie BrownNoYesNoYesSpike
Cathy's Last ResortNoYesNoNo
1988–1989This Is America, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, WoodstockAlso credited as writer for 4 episodes
1989Cathy's ValentineNoYesNoNo
1990You Don't Look 40, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesHimself
Why, Charlie Brown, Why?NoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Merrie Melodies: Starring Bugs Bunny and FriendsYesNoNoNoclassic cartoons
1991Snoopy's ReunionNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Snoopy's Siblings
1992It's Spring Training, Charlie BrownYesYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
It's Christmastime Again, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
Frosty ReturnsNoYesYesNo
1994You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1995That's Warner Bros.!YesNoNoNoclassic cartoons
1997It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
2000Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great YearsNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
It's the Pied Piper, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
2002A Charlie Brown ValentineNoYesYesYesSnoopy
Charlie Brown's Christmas TalesNoYesNoYesSnoopy, Woodstock
2003Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock, Spike
2006He's a Bully, Charlie BrownNoYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
2008Peanuts Motion ComicsNoNoNoYesSnoopyarchival recordings

Video games

Year Film Animator Producer Director Actor Role Notes
1995Get Ready for School, Charlie Brown!YesYesYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
1996Snoopy's Campfire StoriesYesNoYesYesSnoopy, Woodstock
2015The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand AdventureNoNoNoYesSnoopy, Woodstockarchival recordings
gollark: Although they tend to run under lots of privilege limiting these days.
gollark: What about for specific network programs like webservers?
gollark: Much more flexible than just having hardcoded user-annoying programs.
gollark: Just make your remote access thing have a programmable backend so you can automatically do stuff on remote computers.
gollark: OR WOULD YOU?

References

  1. "Peanuts' animator Melendez dies". BBC. September 4, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  2. Melendez NYT Obituary
  3. "Bill Melendez, Comics Creator, Businessman and Peanuts Animator". thecartoonists.ca.
  4. "Robert McKimson's "A Ham in a Role"". cartoonresearch.com.
  5. Solomon, Charles (September 4, 2008). "Animator of 'Peanuts' TV specials and voice of Snoopy". The Los Angeles Times.
  6. "Bill Melendez Prod. Inc". billmelendez.tv.
  7. "Bill Melendez at Moby Games". Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  8. Editor (June 10, 1994). National Student Film Institute/L.A: The Sixteenth Annual Los Angeles Student Film Festival. The Directors Guild Theatre. pp. 10–11.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  9. Editor (June 7, 1991). Los Angeles Student Film Institute: 13th Annual Student Film Festival. The Directors Guild Theatre. p. 3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  10. "'Peanuts' animator Bill Melendez dies at 91". TODAY.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  11. Russ Fischer. "New 'Peanuts' Movie First Look: Charlie Brown and Snoopy Head Back to the Big Screen". Slashfilm.
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