2010 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.
Events
January
February
March
April
- April 5:
- The first episode of Adventure Time is broadcast, gaining generally positive attention. This is the first Cartoon Network original series outside Adult Swim to perceive the LGBT representation in general.
- The first episode of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated airs. This marks the first in the pre-2023 Scooby-Doo series where one of the original characters comes out.
- April 14: The South Park episode "200" is broadcast, which portrays Muhammad, though as a censored image. The episode leads to serious controversy, riots and death threats.
- April 21: The South Park episode "201" is broadcast, which continues the Muhammad storyline from "200" but is notably censored, with several lines of dialogue muted. It was revealed in this episode that Scott Tenorman's father, Jack Tenorman was also Cartman's biological father (who Cartman killed & fed him to Scott back in Season 5's "Scott Tenorman Must Die", along with Scott's mother).
- After their broadcast, both episodes are pulled from syndication, removed from the series' website, and unaired outside the United States.
- April 25: South Park is banned in Sri Lanka due to controversy over the episode "200", which depicted Gautama Buddha snorting cocaine.
May
- May 3: The first episode of Everything's Rosie airs.
- May 6: After more than 12 years of being on the air, King of the Hill aired its final episode in syndication.
- May 16: American Dad! concludes its sixth season on Fox with the episode "Great Space Roaster". The finale was seen by just nearly 5.9 million viewers that night.
- May 20: Shrek receives a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- May 23:
- The Simpsons concludes its 21st season on Fox with the episode "Judge Me Tender", which includes the following guest stars: Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi, Ryan Seacrest, & Rupert Murdoch. The finale was seen by over 5.7 million viewers that night.
- The Cleveland Show concludes its first season on Fox with the episode "You're the Best Man, Cleveland Brown". The finale was seen by over 4.9 million viewers that night.
- The second episode in the Family Guy Star Wars trilogy parody "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side" premiered on Fox. The episode was seen by just over 6.3 million viewers that night.
- May 21: Shrek Forever After is released.
- May 26: The final episode of Kabouter Wesley is broadcast.
June
July
August
September
- September 6: The first episodes of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, NFL Rush Zone, Regular Show and Mad air.
- September 14: The Scooby-Doo direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare releases on DVD.
- September 21: Tinker Bell receives a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- September 26:
- Season 22 of The Simpsons begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "Elementary School Musical", which features the following guest stars: Flight of the Conchords (Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie), Ira Glass, Stephen Hawking, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, & Amber Riley. The season's premiere brought in a total of over 7.8 million viewers that night.
- Season 2 of The Cleveland Show begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "Harder, Better, Faster, Browner". The season's premiere brought in a total of just over 6.6 million viewers that night.
- Season 9 of Family Guy begins on Fox with the premiere of the hour-long special "And Then There Were Fewer", the season's premiere brought in a total of over 9.1 million viewers that night. Beginning with this season, episodes would start being produced in High-definition.
October
- October 2: The first episodes of the Jimmy Neutron spin-off series Planet Sheen and T.U.F.F. Puppy both premiered on Nickelodeon.
- October 3: Season 7 of American Dad! begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "100 A.D.". The season's premiere brought in a total of over 6.1 million viewers that night.
- October 8: Discovery Kids's preschool block, Ready Set Learn, is discontinued.
- October 10:
- Discovery Kids relaunched to The Hub.
- The first episode of ' premiered, which becomes an unexpected success.
- October 25: The first episode of Dragons et Princesses is broadcast.
November
- November 5: The DreamWorks Animation film, Megamind, premieres.
- November 7: Anime producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki drowns at age 75 after falling off the research steamboat Yamato.
- November 8: Film critics protest against MPAA for the irrelevant movie ratings that were given to films years ago, including All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and ', and urged the association to make their change in the future. After controversies with Cars 2 and Rango in 2011, subsequent films are not rated the same again. G-rating became much less frequently used in family-oriented films.
- November 17: South Park concludes its 14th season on Comedy Central with the episode "Crème Fraîche". It was seen by over 2.4 million viewers that night.
- November 19: Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal and Tono Errando's Chico and Rita premieres.
- November 21:
- The Family Guy episode "Brian Writes a Bestseller" premieres on Fox, this episode was disliked by fans due to Brian's new self-absorbed ego and harsh treatment towards Stewie. However, the episode ratings were a success, reeling in a total of over 6.5 million viewers that night.
- The Futurama episode "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" premieres on Comedy Central, guest starring rapper Coolio and environmentalist Al Gore. This was Coolio's third appearance in the series as Kwanzaabot and Al Gore's fourth appearance in the series.
- November 24: Tangled, the 50th animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios, is released.
- November 26: The first episode of Young Justice is broadcast.
- November 29: The first episode of ' is broadcast.
December
Awards
Films released
Television series debuts
Television series endings
Television season premieres
Television season finales
Births
December
- December 15: Zion Broadnax, American actress (voice of Morgan Malto in ').
Deaths
January
- January 1: John Freeman, American animator (Walt Disney Company, Peanuts specials, Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears, DePatie-Freleng), dies at age 93.
- January 8: Art Clokey, American animator, director (Gumby, Davey and Goliath) and actor (voice of Pokey in Gumby), dies at age 88.
- January 10: Barry Blitzer, American television writer (Hanna-Barbera), dies at age 80.
- January 22: Jean Simmons, English actress (voice of Old Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle, Council Member #2 in '), dies at age 80.
- January 27: Zelda Rubinstein, American actress and human rights activist (voice of Atrocia Frankenstone in The Flintstone Comedy Show, Psychiatrist in ', Darkwing Duck's Mother and Negaduck's Mother in the Darkwing Duck episode "The Secret Origins of Darkwing Duck", Madame Zeldarina in the Goof Troop episode "Rally Round the Goof", Patty's mother in the Hey Arnold! episode "Polishing Rhonda"), dies from a heart attack at age 76.
February
- February 4: Te Wei, Chinese comics artist and animator (The Proud General), dies at age 94.
- February 11: Marvin Stein, American comics artist, animator and illustrator, dies at age 85.
- February 18: Fernando Krahn, Chilean artist, comics artist, illustrator and animator (El Crimen Perfecto), dies at age 75.
- February 19: Rudy Larriva, American animator and director (Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA, the opening credits of The Twilight Zone), dies at age 94.
- February 24: Dawn Brancheau, American senior animal trainer (guest starred in the Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman episode "Ruff Pigs Out and Has a Whale of a Time"), drowns from an orca attack at age 40.
March
- March 3: Anatoly Petrov, Russian film director and animator (Happy Merry-Go-Round, Polygon), dies at age 72.
- March 14:
- Cherie DeCastro, American singer (Bird and Animal voices in Song of the South), dies at age 87.
- Peter Graves, American actor (voice of General Warning and the Narrator in The Angry Beavers episode "The Day the World Got Really Screwed Up", Instructor Voice in the Mickey Mouse Works episode "How To Be A Spy", Sheldon Miller in the Minoriteam episode "Tax Day", Mr. Pibb in the American Dad! episode "A.T. the Abusive Terrestrial"), dies from a heart attack at age 83.
- March 16: David J. Steinberg, American actor (portrayed the SpongeBob Hallucination in the live-action segment of the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Atlantis SquarePantis"), commits suicide at age 45.
- March 29: János Kass, Hungarian animator, illustrator, graphic designer and film director (Dilemma), dies at age 82.
- March 30: Jane Webb, American film, radio, and voice actress (Filmation), dies at age 84.
April
- April 6:
- Tom Ray, American animator and film director (Warner Bros. Cartoons, John Sutherland Productions, MGM, DePatie-Freleng, Ralph Bakshi, Chuck Jones, Filmation, Hanna-Barbera, Film Roman) at age 90.
- Eddie Carroll, Canadian actor (voice of Jiminy Cricket since 1973), dies at age 76.
- April 7: Betty Paraskevas, American writer and lyricist (co-creator of The Kids from Room 402, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse), dies from pancreatic cancer at age 80.
- April 15: Michael Pataki, American actor (voice of The Cow in ', George Liquor in Ren & Stimpy, the Chief in Boo Boo Runs Wild, Sewer King in the ' episode "The Underdwellers"), dies from cancer at age 72.
- April 17: Carl Macek, American actor, writer, and producer (Robotech), dies at age 58.
- April 18: Allen Swift, American actor (voice of Simon Bar Sinister and Riff-Raff in Underdog, third voice of Mighty Mouse), dies at age 86.
- April 23: Eiji Kusuhara, Japanese-born British actor (voice of Dr. Kamikazi in Robotboy), dies from cancer at age 63.
May
- May 21: Howard Post, American animator, cartoonist, and comic strip and comic book writer-artist (Famous Studios), dies at age 83.
- May 26:
- Pat Stevens, American actress (second voice of Velma Dinkley in the Scooby-Doo franchise, additional voices in Dynomutt, Dog Wonder and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels), dies from breast cancer at age 64.
- Art Linkletter, Canadian-American radio and television personality (portrayed himself in the prologue of The Snow Queen), dies at age 97.
- May 27:
- Peter Keefe, American television producer (Voltron, Denver the Last Dinosaur, Widget) and co-founder of Zodiac Entertainment, dies at age 57 from throat cancer.
- Payut Ngaokrachang, Thai animator and film director (The Adventure of Sudsakorn), dies at age 81.
- May 28:
- Eddie Barth, American actor (voice of Champ in Rover Dangerfield, Detective Kurt Bowman in ', Frank the Pug in ', Louie and Referee in As Told by Ginger, Gorgonzola in the Biker Mice from Mars episode "A Scent, a Memory, a Far Distant Cheese"), dies from heart failure at age 78.
- Gary Coleman, American actor and comedian (voice of Andy Le Beau in The Gary Coleman Show, Kevin and 42nd Street in Waynehead, various characters in Robot Chicken, voiced himself in The Simpsons episodes "Grift of the Magi", "A Tale of Two Springfields" and "Day of the Jackanapes", and Night of the Living Doo), dies from a brain hemorrhage at age 42.
- May 30: Robert O. Smith, American voice actor (voice of Genma Saotome and Sasuke Sarugakure in Ranma ý, KaijinbÃ
 in Inuyasha), dies at age 67.
June
July
- July 1: Ilene Woods, American actress and singer (voice of the title character in Cinderella), dies at age 81.
- July 15: Peter Fernandez, American actor, voice director and writer (voice of the title character in Alakazam the Great, Buttons Brilliant and Johnny in Gigantor, the title character and Racer X in Speed Racer, Dr. Mariner and Piper in Marine Boy, various characters in Superbook, Max and Grimm the Dragon in Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, Benton Tarantella, Robot Randy, Conway the Contaminationist, The Shadow and Rich Guy in Courage the Cowardly Dog, Headmaster Spritle and Speed Racer Sr. in ', additional voices in Astro Boy, ' and Kenny the Shark), dies from lung cancer at age 83.
- July 17:
- Pres Romanillos, American animator and film producer (Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks), dies at age 47.
- Shirley Silvey, American animator (worked for UPA, Jay Ward), dies at age 82.
- July 24: John Callahan, American cartoonist (creator of Pelswick and John Callahan's Quads!), dies at age 59.
August
- August 7: Alex Johns, American production coordinator (The Ren & Stimpy Show) and producer (Futurama, Olive, the Other Reindeer, The Ant Bully), dies at age 43.
- August 9: George DiCenzo, American actor (voice of Hordak in ', the title character in Blackstar, Otar in Galtar and the Golden Lance, Lou Albano in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling, Ubu in the ' episode "Avatar", Commander in the Animaniacs episode "Puttin' on the Blitz"), dies at age 70.
- August 10: Ben Hurst, American television writer (DIC Entertainment, Tiny Toon Adventures), dies at age 59.
- August 19: Christopher Shea, American former child actor (voice of Linus Van Pelt in A Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown's All Stars!, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, You're in Love, Charlie Brown and He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown), dies at age 52.
- August 23:
- George David Weiss, American songwriter (Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time), dies at age 89.
- KihachirÃ
 Kawamoto, Japanese puppet designer, animator and film director (The Book of the Dead), dies at age 85.
- August 24:
- Mitsuyo Seo, Japanese animator and film director (MomotarÃ
 no Umiwashi, '), dies at age 98.
- Satoshi Kon, Japanese manga artist and animator (Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paranoia Agent, Paprika), dies at age 46 from pancreatic cancer.
- August 31: Mick Lally, Irish stage, film and television actor (voice of Brother Aidan in The Secret of Kells), dies at age 64.
September
- September 1: Cammie King, American actress (voice of young Faline in Bambi), dies at age 76.
- September 3: Robert Schimmel, American comedian (voice of Prisoner in The Simpsons episode "Pokey Mom", himself in the Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist episode "Wild Weekend"), dies in a car accident at age 60.
- September 7: Glenn Shadix, American actor (voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Brain and Monsieur Mallah in Teen Titans, Cluemaster in The Batman episode "Q&A"), dies at age 58.
- September 10: Billie Mae Richards, Canadian actress (voice of the title character in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Tenderheart Bear in The Care Bears), dies at age 88.
- September 11: Harold Gould, American actor (voice of Old Denahi in Brother Bear, Shiro Nishi in Whisper of the Heart, Benjamin in ' episode "The Miracle of Jesus"), dies at age 86.
- September 17: Bill Littlejohn, American animator (worked for and at Van Beuren Studio, Tom & Jerry, Walter Lantz, Jay Ward Productions, Animation Inc., Fine Arts Films, The Ink Tank, the Peanuts Christmas specials), dies at age 96.
- September 22: Jackie Burroughs, English-born Canadian actress (voice of the Spirit in The Care Bears Movie, Katherine in Heavy Metal, Morag in ', Frau Rottenmeier in Heidi), dies at age 71.
- September 29: Tony Curtis, American actor (voice of Stony Curtis in The Flintstones episode "The Return of Stoney Curtis", TV Interviewer in Sparky's Magic Piano, Bernard in Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever), dies at age 85.
October
- October 2: Daria Paris, American production assistant (The Simpsons), dies from cancer at age 60.
- October 16:
- Barbara Billingsley, American actress (voice of Nanny in Muppet Babies), dies at age 94.
- Chao-Li Chi, Chinese actor (voice of Yoru in the ' episode "Night of the Ninja"), dies at age 83.
- October 19: Tom Bosley, American actor (voice of Harry Boyle in Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, B.A.H. Humbug, Esq. in The Stingiest Man in Town, the title character in The World of David the Gnome, Geppetto in Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night, Mr. Winkle in The Tangerine Bear, Howard Cunningham in the Family Guy episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", Santa Claus in the Johnny Bravo episode "Twas the Night"), dies at age 83.
- October 20: Bob Guccione, American photographer and publisher (voiced himself in the Duckman episodes "Pig Amok" and "Love! Anger! Kvetching!"), dies at age 79.
- October 22: Alex Anderson, American cartoonist (co-creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Crusader Rabbit), dies at age 90.
- October 29: Takeshi Shudo, Japanese scriptwriter and novelist (Pokémon), dies at age 61.
November
- November 4: Michelle Nicastro, American actress, singer and musician (voice of Odette in The Swan Princess), dies at age 50 from breast and brain cancer.
- November 7: Yoshinobu Nishizaki, Japanese animator (Mushi Production), and film producer (Space Battleship Yamato), drowns at age 75 after falling off the research steamboat Yamato.
- November 25: Michel Douay, French comics artist, illustrator and animator (worked for Paul Grimault's studio) dies at age 95.
- November 28: Leslie Nielsen, Canadian-American producer (The Secret World of Benjamin Bear), actor and comedian (voice of the Narrator in The Railway Dragon and Katie and Orbie, Boomer in Pumper Pups, the title character in Zeroman), dies from pneumonia at age 84.
December
- December 1: Heidi Guedel Garofalo, American animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Sullivan Bluth Studios, The Chipmunk Adventure, Space Jam, Quest for Camelot, The King and I, Futurama), dies at age 62.
- December 6: Mark Dailey, American-born Canadian actor, television journalist and announcer (voice of Crag in The Ripping Friends, Rokusho, Roks and Eddie in Medabots, Brad Best in Beyblade, Omega Steed in the Spliced episode "Stupid Means Never Having To Say I'm Sorry"), dies at age 57.
- December 15: John Sparey, American animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Crusader Rabbit, Calvin and the Colonel, The Funny Company, Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Hanna-Barbera, Bakshi Animation, ', The Swan Princess, animated the main titles for Bobby's World), scene planner (', The Chipmunk Adventure) and director (', Film Roman), dies at age 83.
- December 25: Aron Abrams, American television producer and writer (King of the Hill, Glenn Martin, DDS, Bob's Burgers), dies at age 50.
- December 30: Michael Allinson, English-American actor (additional voices in Courage the Cowardly Dog), dies at age 90.
See also
References
External links