Jack Stokes (director)

John Albert "Jack" Stokes (2 April 1920 - 20 March 2013)[2] was a British animation director best known for his work on the 1968 Beatles film Yellow Submarine.

Jack Stokes
Born
John Albert Stokes[1]

(1920-04-02)2 April 1920
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK
Died20 March 2013(2013-03-20) (aged 92)
England, UK
OccupationAnimator, Animation director
Years active1963 - 2001
Spouse(s)Jill
ChildrenJacqueline and Hilary

Life and career

Jack Stokes began his training at Southend College of Art.[1] After serving in the RAF during the Second World War, he was fortunate to be taken on as a trainee animator at the Gaumont British Animation studio which had recently opened at Moor Hall, Berkshire. Such opportunities were almost unknown in Britain in the post-war years.

By the early 1960s he had established his own studio, Stokes Cartoons, producing work for cinema and television. It was during this time that he began working with the Canadian film-maker George Dunning, and with his friend John Coates who ran another London animation studio, TVC. In 1965 TVC produced an animated series for US television entitled simply The Beatles which, although it was very successful in the United States was never shown on British television.[3] Following on from this, Stokes was commissioned to create animations for the title sequences of the Beatles' 1967 film, Magical Mystery Tour. Then in 1968, along with Bob Balser, he created his most well-known animations, from the work of illustrator Heinz Edelmann, for the film Yellow Submarine, directed by Dunning.

Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s he worked on a number of films and television series, including episodes of Roobarb and adaptations of Beatrix Potter's The Tailor of Gloucester and Charles Kingsley's The Water Babies.[4]

He retired in his 80s, and died on 20 March 2013, aged 92.[2]

Filmography
Feature Films
Year Title Animation Director
1968 Yellow Submarine Animation Director
1969 Moon Zero Two Animator (title sequence - uncredited)
1971 Tiki Tiki Animator
1975 Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle Additional Animator
1978 The Water Babies Storyboard Artist
1981 Heavy Metal Sequence Director, Animator (segment "Den")
1985 Asterix and Caesar Layout Artist, Storyboard Artist
1987 The Big Bang Layout Artist
1991 The Princess and the Goblin Additional Animator
1992 The Magic Voyage Character Animator, Storyboard Artist
1997 Prince Valiant Animation Director, Animation Layout Artist, Animator
2001 A Christmas Carol Animator
Short Films
Year Title Credit
1962 The Ever-changing Motor Car Animator
1963 The Apple Animator
1964 Paynes Poppets: Back Row Director
1964 Paynes Poppets: In French Director
1965 Kindred Spirit Animator
1966 Rock 'n Roll Music Director
1967 Insydoutsydin Director, Writer
1967 Scotch All Director
1972 Boom Bom Boom Director
1974 The Little Mermaid Effects Animator
1996 Famous Fred Special Effects
Television
Year Title Credit
1965-

1969

 The Beatles Director, Designer
1974 Roobarb Animator, Unit Director
1984-

1985

 The Family-Ness Director
1992-

1998

 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Director
1996-

1999

 Percy the Park Keeper Storyboard Artist
1997- Kipper Storyboard Artist
Television Movies
Year Title Credit
1983 David Macaulay: Castle Animation Director, Layout Artist, Storyboard Artist
1989 Granpa Key Animator
1991 Father Christmas Key Animator
1995 The Wind in the Willows Additional Storyboard Artist
1996 The Willows in Winter Key Animator
1998 The Bear Layout Artist
1999 Santa's Special Delivery Director
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References
  1. Mainwood, Roger (27 March 2013). "Jack Stokes obituary". The Guardian website. London: Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  2. "Beatles animator dies aged 92". 3 News NZ. 4 April 2013.
  3. Hieronimus, Robert R. (11 September 1999). "The Hidden Stories Behind 'Yellow Submarine'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 111 (37): 25. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. Hieronimus, Robert R. (July 1998). "The Creators of The Beatles' 'Yellow Submarine': Where Are They Now?". Animation World Magazine. AWN, Inc. 3 (4). Retrieved 28 March 2013.
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