Events in 1944 in animation.
Events
January
February
March
- March 2: 16th Academy Awards:
- Hanna-Barbera's Tom and Jerry short The Yankee Doodle Mouse, produced by MGM, wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, the first of seven Oscars the franchise will win over the years.
- George Pal wins the Academy Honorary Award.
- March 10: Jack Kinney's Goofy short How to Play Golf, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, is first released.
- March 25: Chuck Jones' war-time cartoon The Weakly Reporter premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions.
- March 31: Jack King's Donald Duck cartoon Donald Duck and the Gorilla, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, is first released. Also starring Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
April
May
- May 6:
- Hanna-Barbera's Tom and Jerry cartoon The Million Dollar Cat premieres, produced by MGM's Cartoon Studio.
- Frank Tashlin's Porky Pig cartoon Swooner Crooner premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions. Also starring caricatures of the following famous singers as Roosters: Frank Sinatra, Nelson Eddy, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, Cab Calloway, and Bing Crosby.
- May 20: Bob Clampett's Russian Rhapsody premieres, a wartime propaganda short produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, in which a group of gremlins ridicule Adolf Hitler.
- May 27: Friz Freleng's Daffy Duck and Porky Pig cartoon Duck Soup to Nuts premieres, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions.
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Films released
Births
January
- January 2: Vincent Davis, Australian-American animator (Fred Wolf Films, Gallavants, The Wuzzles), storyboard artist (DIC Entertainment), character designer (The Mouse and His Child), lip sync artist (Camp Candy), sheet timer (Fluppy Dogs, DuckTales, DIC Entertainment, The Mask, Life with Louie, Warner Bros. Animation, Holly Hobbie & Friends), art director (The Real Ghostbusters), production designer (The Mouse and His Child), writer (Cow and Chicken, Grim & Evil), director (Fred Wolf Films, The Little Clowns of Happytown, DuckTales, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Film Roman) and producer (Garfield and Friends, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, Grim & Evil), (d. 2009).
- January 3: Albert Jelenic, Croatian-born American voice actor and father of Michael Jelenic (voiced himself in the Teen Titans Go! episodes "The Self-Indulgent 200th Episode Spectacular", "The Power of Shrimps", and "Where Exactly on the Globe Is Carl Sanpedro"), (d. 2019).
- January 5: J.R. Horne, American actor (voice of Stan of the Swamp in Wallykazam!, additional voices in Courage the Cowardly Dog), (d. 2016).
- January 10:
- Frank Sinatra Jr., American singer, songwriter, actor and conductor (voiced himself in the Family Guy episodes "Brian Sings and Swings", "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" and "Bookie of the Year"), (d. 2016).
- William Sanderson, American actor (voice of Karl Rossum in ', J.S. Ibsen in Jumanji, Perkalus in the Bravest Warriors episode "Mexican Touchdown").
- January 11: Maciej DamiÃÂcki, Polish actor (Polish dub voice of Doc Brown in Back to the Future), (d. 2023).
- January 12: Joe Frazier, American professional boxer (voiced himself in The Simpsons episodes "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" and "Homer's Paternity Coot"), (d. 2011).
- January 19: Shelley Fabares, American actress (voice of Martha Kent in the DC Animated Universe and ').
- January 22: Pamela Salem, British actress (voice of the Queen in Hellsing Ultimate), (d. 2024).
- January 28: Bobby Ball, British comic, actor, singer and television host (voice of Wayne the Zebra in the Rex the Runt episode of the same name), (d. 2020).
February
- February 2: Geoffrey Hughes, English actor (voice of Paul McCartney in Yellow Submarine), (d. 2012).
- February 6: Barry Bruce, American animation director and designer (Will Vinton Studios, Return to Oz, Sesame Street), (d. 2021).
- February 13:
- Jerry Springer, English-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, and politician (portrayed himself in the Happy! episode "What Smiles Are For", voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror IX"), (d. 2023).
- Stockard Channing, American actress (voice of Lydia Waterman in The Cleveland Show episode "A Cleveland Brown Christmas", Mrs. Holloway in the King of the Hill episode "The Company Man", first voice of Barbara Gordon in Batman Beyond).
- Sal Bando, American former professional baseball player (voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Regarding Margie"), (d. 2023).
- February 18: Anthony Jackson, English actor (voice of Dai Station, Evans the Song, Mr. Dinwiddy in Ivor the Engine, Nug and Mr. Blossom in The Dreamstone), (d. 2006).
- February 19: Donald F. Glut, American writer (Hanna-Barbera, Marvel Productions).
- February 25: Kristina Holland, American actress (voice of April Stewart in The Funky Phantom, Stephanie in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, Alice Boyle in Wait Till Your Father Gets Home), (d. 2023).
- February 29: Dennis Farina, American actor (voice of Frank Russo in The Looney Tunes Show episode "Daffy Duck, Esquire", Wildcat in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Cat and the Canary", himself in the Family Guy episode "The Most Interesting Man in the World"), (d. 2013).
March
- March 16: Granville Van Dusen, American actor (voice of Race Bannon in The New Adventures of Jonny Quest, Jonny's Golden Quest, and Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, Dash O'Pepper in the Freakazoid! episode "Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet").
- March 24: R. Lee Ermey, American actor and Marine drill instructor (voice of Sarge in the Toy Story franchise, Sky Marshall Sanchez in ', General Thorton in Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, Colonel O'Malley in ', Jack in Shark Bait, Wildcat in ', General Tsin in ', Colonel Leslie Hapablap in The Simpsons, General Sims in Kim Possible, Sergeant Goonther in The Angry Beavers episode "Fancy Prance", Sergeant Hobo 678 in the Invader Zim episode "Hobo 13", Madison in the Rocket Power episode "Saving Lt. Ryan", Colonel Thrift in the Fillmore! episode "South of Friendship, North of Honor", Drill Sergeant in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy episode "Here Thar Be Dwarves", Sarge in the My Life as a Teenage Robot episode "Last Action Zero", Bunny in the Father of the Pride episode "One Man's Meat Is Another Man's Girlfriend", Warden in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "The Inmates of Summer"), (d. 2018).
- March 31: Myfanwy Talog, Welsh actress (voice of narrator in Wil Cwac Cwac, Potholer and Linda in the SuperTed episode "SuperTed and the Pothole Rescues", Princess Amaranth in Alias the Jester, Mrs. Clonkers in The BFG), (d. 1995).
April
May
- May 1: Theresa Plummer-Andrews, English animation television producer (CBBC), (d. 2021).
- May 4:
- Russi Taylor, American voice actress (voice of Gonzo, Camilla and Robin in Muppet Babies, Huey, Dewey and Louie and Webby Vanderquack in DuckTales, Phantasma in Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School and the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode "Monster Party", Martin Prince, ÃÂter, Sherri and Terri in The Simpsons, the title character in Widget, Fernando "Ferny" Toro and Annie Winks in Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, young Donald Duck in the DuckTales episode "Last Christmas!", continued voice of Minnie Mouse and Pebbles Flintstone), (d. 2019).
- Walker Boone, Canadian actor (voice of Mario in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, Peppy Wolfman in Totally Spies! The Movie, Farmer in Daisy, A Hen into the Wild), (d. 2021).
- May 5:
- John Rhys-Davies, Welsh actor (voice of Man Ray in SpongeBob SquarePants, Cassim in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Macbeth in Gargoyles, Thor in Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk, Woolie the Mammoth in Cats Don't Dance, Ranjan's Father in The Jungle Book 2, Galahad in ', King Hugo in The Legend of Prince Valiant, Charles Brickens in A Flintstones Christmas Carol, Professor Beasthead in the Freakazoid! episode "Tomb of Invisibo", Hades in the Justice League episode "Paradise Lost", Baron Waclaw Jozek in the ' episode "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy", Captain Proteus in the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! episode "Demon of the Deep", Sokwe in The Lion Guard episode "The Lost Gorillas", Tympanni in the Animaniacs episode "Piano Rag").
- Roger Rees, Welsh actor and director (voice of Rathburn and Lord Theobine in The Legend of Prince Valiant, Prince Malcolm in Gargoyles, Betty in P. J. Sparkles, Edward in Return to Never Land, Ikon in the Phantom 2040 episode "The Sins of the Fathers: Part One", the Piper in the Extreme Ghostbusters episode "The Pied Piper of Manhattan"), (d. 2015).
- May 11: Nigel Lambert: English voice actor (voice of Mr. Curry in The Adventures of Paddington Bear, Sebastian the Raven and Messenger in The Princess and the Pea, Crapoux in ', Justtice Offers 1, 2 and 3 in Justin and the Knights of Valour), (d. 2024).
- May 12: Vitaly Peskov, Russian caricaturist, illustrator, animator and film director, (d. 2002).
- May 14: George Lucas, American film director, producer, screenwriter, and entrepreneur (Twice Upon a Time, The Land Before Time, ', Strange Magic, voiced himself in ', founder of Industrial Light & Magic).
- May 16: Danny Trejo, American actor (voice of Newtralizer in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bane in Young Justice, Stronghold in ', Cabrakan in Maya and the Three, Jasper in Storks, El Moco in The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Griswald in ', Wreck and Malice Marauder in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, Vasquez in Big City Greens, Tronos in ', Bobby Daniels in The Ghost and Molly McGee, Venom in the Phineas and Ferb episode "", Ram-Man in the ' episode "Comes with Everything You See Here").
- May 19: Peter Mayhew, English-American actor (voice of Chewbacca in '), (d. 2019).
- May 25: Frank Oz, American actor, filmmaker, and puppeteer (voice of Yoda in the Star Wars franchise, Jeff Fungus in Monsters, Inc., Subconscious Guard Dave in the Inside Out franchise).
- May 30: Meredith MacRae, American actress (voice of Francine Langstrom in ', Rachel Quest in Jonny's Golden Quest), (d. 2000).
June
- June 2: Marvin Hamlisch, American composer and conductor (voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Gone Abie Gone"), (d. 2012).
- June 8: Don Grady, American actor, composer and musician (', '), (d. 2012).
- June 20: Gillian Hanna, Irish actress (voice of Betty McArthur in The Amazing World of Gumball, Midwife and Aunty Flo in Ethel & Ernest), (d. 2019).
- June 24: Julian Holloway, British actor (voice of Odlaw in Where's Wally?, Bradford Milbanks in James Bond Jr., Captain Zed in Captain Zed and the Zee Zone, Digby in ', Siegfried Fischbacher in Father of the Pride, Prime Minister Almec and Admiral Kilian in ', Death in Regular Show), (d. 2025).
- June 27: Will Jennings, American lyricist (Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night, The Land Before Time, '), (d. 2024).
- June 29: Gary Busey, American actor (voice of Mad Dog in the King of the Hill episode "Soldier of Misfortune", Coach Red Harris in the Tom Goes to the Mayor episode "Wrestling", Alternate Universe Peabody in The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show episode "The Wrath of Hughes", himself in The Simpsons episode "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister" and the American Dad! episode "She Swill Survive").
July
- July 4: Susan Kellermann, American actress (additional voices in Courage the Cowardly Dog).
- July 8: Jeffrey Tambor, American actor (voice of Big Nose in the Tangled franchise, King Neptune in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Santa Claus in Super Sleuth Christmas Movie, Carl Murphy in Monsters vs. Aliens, Glossaryck in Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Mr. Calvin Curdles in Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo, King Peppy in Trolls, Captain Flarty in the Bob's Burgers episode "Mutiny on the Windbreaker").
- July 22: Peter Jason, American actor (voice of Manny in The New Batman Adventures, Coach Creager in Batman Beyond, Coach in Hair High, Exterminator in The Secret World of Arrietty, Nix in Mixels, Mason in the ' episode "It's Never Too Late", Royal Treasurer in the ' episode "The Emperor's New Clothes", Bobby Nacht in the Pinky and the Brain episode "Hoop Schemes", Farmer MacDonald in the Jackie Chan Adventures episode "The Amazing T-Troop"), (d. 2025).
- July 23: Pepe Serna, American actor (voice of Mr. Sanchez in The PJs, Shifflet in the Justice League episode "Hearts and Minds", Stevedore in The Zeta Project episode "The Next Gen").
- July 30: Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican composer (Squidbillies) and actor (himself in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "Speck"), (d. 2025).
August
- August 4: Richard Belzer, American actor (voice of Loogie in the South Park episode "The Tooth Fairy's Tats 2000"), (d. 2023).
- August 7: John Glover, American actor (voice of Riddler in the DC Animated Universe, Dyson in ', King Edward in The Legend of Prince Valiant episode "The Blackest Poison", Rasputin in the Animaniacs episode "Nothing but the Tooth").
- August 9: Sam Elliott, American actor (voice of Ben in Barnyard, Butch in The Good Dinosaur, Fleetwood Yak in Rock Dog, Trusty in Lady and the Tramp, White Wine Narrator, Skito and Reporter in Robot Chicken, Wild West in Family Guy, Axe Cop's Dad in the Axe Cop episode "Axe Cop Saves God", Big John Tanner in the American Dad! episode "Kiss Kiss Cam Cam", himself in the Robot Chicken episode "Endgame" and the Family Guy episode "Girl, Internetted").
- August 11: Ian McDiarmid, Scottish actor (voice of Palpatine in the Star Wars franchise).
- August 18: Bodo Wolf, German actor (German dub voice of Reggie Bellafonte in Surf's Up, Professor Von Schlemmer in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog), (d. 2023).
- August 27: G.W. Bailey, American actor (voice of Rusty in Home on the Range).
September
- September 3: David Landsberg, American actor (voice of Woody in The Buford Files, Mr. Griff in Stanley), (d. 2018).
- September 6:
- Frank Mouris, American animator (Frank Film).
- Swoosie Kurtz, American actress (voice of Minka Kropotkin in Rugrats, Martha Kent in ', Michelle Naidell in The Wild Thornberrys episode "The Wild Snob-berry").
- September 12:
- B. J. Ward, American actress (voice of Scarlett in ', the title character in Jana of the Jungle, Princess Allura in Voltron, Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk, continued voice of Betty Rubble and Velma Dinkley).
- Barry White, American singer and songwriter (voice of Samson and Brother Bear in Coonskin, himself in The Simpsons episodes "Whacking Day" and "Krusty Gets Kancelled"), (d. 2003).
- September 19: Bob Hathcock, American animator (Hanna-Barbera), storyboard artist (The Smurfs, Garbage Pail Kids, Sonic the Hedgehog, Duckman), sheet timer (Sonic the Hedgehog, Mighty Max, Beethoven, Exosquad, Freakazoid!, Duckman, Jumanji, The Mask), producer and director (Hanna-Barbera, Garbage Pail Kids, Disney Television Animation, Klasky Csupo, Adelaide Productions, Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures, Maryoku Yummy).
- September 25: Michael Douglas, American actor and producer (voice of Guy-Am-I in Green Eggs and Ham, Patrick Henry in Liberty's Kids, Waylon in the Phineas and Ferb episode "That's the Spirit", Hank Pym / Yellowjacket in the What If...? episode "What If... the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?").
October
- October 3: Roy Horn, German-American magician, entertainer and producer (Father of the Pride), (d. 2020).
- October 7: Jill Frappier, English-Canadian actress (voice of Luna in the original English dub of Sailor Moon).
- October 8: Thom Huge, American voice actor and producer (voice of Jon Arbuckle, Roy Rooster, Binky the Clown, and other various characters in the Garfield franchise).
- October 9: John Entwistle, English musician and member of The Who (voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "A Tale of Two Springfields"), (d. 2002).
- October 14: Udo Kier, German actor (voice of Professor Pericles in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Mister Toad in Beware the Batman, Music Master in the Justice League episode "Legends", Bert in The Batman episode "Q&A"), (d. 2025).
- October 15: Haim Saban, Israeli-American media proprietor, investor, and producer of records, film, and television (co-founder of Saban Entertainment).
- October 22: David W. Allen, American stop-motion animator (When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Laserblast, The Howling, ', Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Puppet Master), (d. 1999).
- October 23: Mike Harding, English musician, comedian, author, and poet (Cosgrove Hall Films).
- October 28: Dennis Franz, American retired actor (voice of Captain Klegghorn in ', himself as Homer Simpson in The Simpsons episode "Homer Badman").
- October 29: Nicola Cuti, American comic book artist, animator (Defenders of the Earth, ', BraveStarr, Disney Television Animation, The Brothers Flub), art director (Exosquad) and background artist (Double Dragon, Problem Child, The Critic, Street Fighter, Biker Mice from Mars, ', Dilbert, The Cramp Twins), (d. 2020).
November
- November 2: Michael Buffer, American ring announcer (voice of Ring Announcer in the South Park episode "Damien" and the Phineas and Ferb episode "Raging Bully", Stoker Announcer in Rumble, himself in The Simpsons episode "The Homer They Fall", Celebrity Deathmatch, and the ' episode "A Dissertation On The American Justice System By People Who Have Never Been Inside A Courtroom, Let Alone Anything About Law, But Have Seen Way Too Many Legal Thrillers").
- November 4: Linda Gary, American actress (voice of Queen Salena in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Teela, the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Evil-Lyn, and Queen Marlena in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Grandma Longneck in The Land Before Time franchise, Entrapta, Madame Razz, Scorpia, Shadow Weaver, and Glimmer in ', Chromia in The Transformers, Aunt May in seasons 1-3 of Spider-Man, Nora Crest in ', Dr. Abby Sinian in '), (d. 1995).
- November 10: Tim Rice, English lyricist (Aladdin, The Lion King, The Road to El Dorado).
- November 17:
- Gary Goldman, American film producer, director, animator, writer and actor (Walt Disney Company, Don Bluth).
- Danny DeVito, American actor (voice of Philoctetes in Hercules, the title character in The Lorax, Swackhammer in Space Jam, Grundle King in ', Herb Powell in The Simpsons, Satan in Little Demon, Merv Stampington in the Big City Greens episode "Long Goodbye").
- Lorne Michaels, Canadian-American television writer and film producer (The Coneheads, Frosty Returns, The Awesomes, The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special, Saturday Morning All Star Hits!).
- November 18: Susan Sullivan, American actress (voice of Hippolyta in the DC Animated Universe, Mrs. Frederickson in ').
- November 21: Harold Ramis, American actor, (voice of Zeke in Heavy Metal), comedian, director and writer (Rover Dangerfield), (d. 2014).
- November 25: Ben Stein, American actor, comedian, and political commentator (voice of Head Pixie in The Fairly OddParents, Trivia in Hercules, Dr. Arthur Neuman in ', Pip Pumphandle in Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, H.A. Futterman in the Freakazoid! episode "Relax-O-Vision", Rosebud in the Earthworm Jim episode "The Great Secret of the Universe").
- November 27: Bruce Adler, American actor and singer (singing voice of the Peddler in Aladdin and Aladdin and the King of Thieves), (d. 2008).
December
- December 9: Clive Endersby, Canadian actor and television writer (Nelvana, ', Toad Patrol, The Eggs, Faireez, Horrid Henry, Mr Moon, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, My Big Big Friend).
- December 11: Teri Garr, American actress (voice of Mary McGinnis in Batman Beyond, Molly Quinn in Aloha, Scooby-Doo!, Selena in The Legend of Prince Valiant, Vanessa Le Pert in the Duckman episode "It's the Thing of the Principal", Laney in the King of the Hill episode "Bill of Sales", Sandy Gordon in the What's New, Scooby-Doo? episode "Toy Story Boo"), (d. 2024).
- December 12: Sandy Benenati, American ink and paint artist (Wizards), production assistant and animation checker (Ruby-Spears Enterprises, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network Studios).
- December 17: Bernard Hill, English actor (voice of The Judge in ParaNorman, Bottom in the ' episode "A Midsummer's Night Dream", Theseus in Midsummer Dream), (d. 2024).
- December 26: Jane Lapotaire, English actress (voice of Sarah in the ' episode "Abraham"), (d. 2026).
- December 31: Neil Ross, English-American actor (voice of Lieutenant Kellaway in ', Keith and Pidge in Voltron, Green Goblin in Spider-Man, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four, Fin Fang Foom and Howard Stark in Iron Man, Cyclops in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Clyde in Pac-Man, Benton Quest in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, various characters in The Transformers and ').
Specific date unknown
Deaths
July
November
See also
References
External links