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Famous Studios

From Alfawiki
Famous Studios
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation
PredecessorFleischer Studios
Founded1942
FounderSam Buchwald, Seymour Kneitel, Isadore Sparber
Defunct1967
FateClosed by Paramount Pictures
SuccessorParamount Cartoon Studios (renamed in 1956)
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Key people
Sam Buchwald, Seymour Kneitel, Isadore Sparber, Dan Gordon, Howard Post, Ralph Bakshi
ProductsAnimated shorts and series including Popeye the Sailor, Superman, Screen Songs, Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Honey Halfwitch, Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, Noveltoons, Modern Madcaps
Number of employees
Around 50 (at its height)

Famous Studios—which adopted the name Paramount Cartoon Studios in 1956—served as the animation branch of Paramount Pictures between 1942 and 1967. It emerged following Paramount’s acquisition of Fleischer Studios after the founders Max Fleischer and Dave Fleischer departed in 1942. The studio continued producing well-known series such as Popeye the Sailor, Superman, and Screen Songs. Additionally, it created original characters and series including Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Honey Halfwitch, Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, along with the Noveltoons and Modern Madcaps collections.

The "Famous" designation originates from the Famous Players Film Company, which was part of the 1912 merger that formed Famous Players–Lasky Corporation, the predecessor to Paramount. Paramount’s music publishing division, Famous Music, controlled the rights to the original scores from Fleischer/Famous cartoons, while its Canadian cinema circuit operated under the name Famous Players.

Today, ownership of the Famous Studios cartoon catalog is divided among three major entities through various subsidiaries:

The studio’s leadership initially included founders Sam Buchwald, Seymour Kneitel, and Isadore Sparber. Influential creatives such as Dan Gordon, Howard Post, and Ralph Bakshi also contributed significantly to its artistic direction. Famous Studios first operated out of Miami, Florida before moving to New York City, employing around fifty people at its height.

Dissolution of Fleischer Studios

Fleischer Studios was a leading animation company recognized for iconic characters like Betty Boop and Popeye the Sailor. In 1938, due to union conflicts and during production of its inaugural feature film, Gulliver's Travels (1939), the studio relocated from New York City to Miami, Florida. Although Gulliver's Travels achieved commercial success, the expensive relocation combined with increased operational costs placed financial pressure on the company. This situation forced reliance on advances and loans provided by distributor Paramount Pictures to sustain short film production and begin work on a second feature titled Mr. Bug Goes to Town.

Growing discord between co-founders Max and Dave Fleischer led to a breakdown in communication. On May 25, 1941, Paramount assumed full control of Fleischer Studios, requiring signed resignations from both brothers for discretionary use. After the disappointing performance of Mr. Bug Goes to Town in December 1941, Max Fleischer informed Paramount he could no longer collaborate with Dave. Subsequently, Paramount executed the resignation agreements, terminating the Fleischers’ management role.

The studio was rebranded as Famous Studios by Paramount but retained as a distinct entity. Management shifted toward business executive Sam Buchwald as executive producer, storyboard artist Isadore Sparber, and head animator Seymour Kneitel, who was Max Fleischer’s son-in-law; these three shared oversight and directing responsibilities. Animator-director Dan Gordon briefly worked with the studio before being dismissed. Although the Fleischers had left by late 1941, Famous Studios was officially incorporated on May 25, 1942, following expiration of Paramount’s contract with Fleischer Studios. The studio’s debut release was the Popeye short You're a Sap, Mr. Jap, which premiered on August 7, 1942.

Early years

Following Paramount's acquisition, Famous Studios underwent downsizing and moved its operations to New York by early 1943. Many personnel from the Fleischer period remained, including voice talents Jack Mercer and Mae Questel, story writer Carl Meyer, and animators such as Myron Waldman and David Tendlar. While head animators took on responsibilities akin to directors, credited directors like Kneitel, Sparber, Gordon, and Bill Tytla mainly fulfilled supervisory roles. Sammy Timberg served as musical director until 1944 before Winston Sharples took over.

Famous Studios continued producing established franchises such as Popeye the Sailor and Superman, both derived from licensed comic book characters. Due to diminishing audience interest and high production costs, the Superman series ended in 1943 and was succeeded by Little Lulu, adapted from the comic strip featured in the Saturday Evening Post. That same year marked Popeye’s transition to Technicolor, alongside the debut of Noveltoons, a collection of standalone cartoons reminiscent of Fleischer’s Color Classics and Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes.

The Noveltoons series introduced characters who would become iconic, including Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. Created in the late 1930s by writer Seymour Reit and animator Joe Oriolo, Casper evolved into Famous Studios’ most lucrative original property following its acquisition during World War II.

In 1947, Paramount halted royalty payments to Marge Buell, creator of Little Lulu, and developed a similar character named Little Audrey as a replacement. That year also saw the revival of Fleischer’s Screen Songs, featuring sing-along cartoons with a "bouncing ball." The series was rebranded as "Kartune Musical Shorts" in 1951 but concluded in 1953 after Max Fleischer asserted trademark rights over the "bouncing ball." Only two further musical shorts were produced: 1954’s Candy Cabaret and 1963’s Hobo's Holiday.

Although many original staff members remained, Famous Studios’ output notably diverged from Fleischer’s artistic vision. Critics such as Leonard Maltin characterized the studio’s work as formulaic and primarily targeted toward children, lacking the creative depth that distinguished Fleischer’s leadership.

Later period and sales of cartoon libraries

After Sam Buchwald passed away in 1951, production leadership transferred to Seymour Kneitel and Isadore Sparber, with Dave Tendlar promoted to director in 1953. The mid-to-late 1950s marked significant transformations for Famous Studios. In 1955, Paramount sold most of its shorts produced between 1942 and 1950—excluding the Popeye and Superman series—to U.M. & M. TV Corporation for television distribution. The rights to Popeye were acquired by Associated Artists Productions, while licensing for Superman reverted to National Comics following expiration of Paramount’s license. On October 1, 1956, Famous Studios was reorganized into Paramount Cartoon Studios, with Kneitel becoming sole head after Sparber’s departure. Budget reductions resulted in diminished animation quality and a shift away from Technicolor toward more economical color processes; the final Technicolor short was titled Katnip's Big Day. Despite submitting works for Academy Award consideration during this period, none received nominations.

In 1959, Paramount sold its cartoon library from 1950 to 1959 along with character rights to Harvey Comics. Efforts to replace well-known characters with new creations such as Jeepers and Creepers and The Cat did not achieve success. Nevertheless, outsourcing television animation projects from King Features and Harvey Films provided additional revenue streams, including productions featuring Casper (originally developed by Paramount), Popeye, and Little Lulu. Paramount was among several studios contracted by King Features to produce TV cartoons like Popeye and the King Features Trilogy. Notably, the 1961 release of the Noveltoons short Alvin's Solo Flight represented one of only two new Little Lulu cartoons after a thirteen-year gap. Additionally, twelve shorts from the King Features Trilogy were theatrically released in 1962 under the title Comic Kings. In 1963, Paramount sold pre-March 1962 cartoons to Harvey for one dollar as part of an agreement to produce twenty-six new Casper cartoons for $78,000.

Following Seymour Kneitel's death in 1964, Howard Post—a veteran of comic books—assumed control of the studio. He launched series such as Swifty and Shorty and Honey Halfwitch, directing notable shorts including The Story of George Washington and A Leak in the Dike. Post departed amid internal disputes; his successor was Shamus Culhane, a former Fleischer Studios animator. Culhane completed Post’s pending projects while introducing innovative films that departed from previous stylistic norms. In 1966, the studio subcontracted production of The Mighty Thor cartoons from Grantray-Lawrence Animation. Culhane’s 1967 short film My Daddy, the Astronaut became Paramount’s first entry showcased at an animation festival. When Paramount declined to produce episodes for Grantray-Lawrence’s second series, Spider-Man, Culhane resigned; Ralph Bakshi took over mid-1967.

In 1967, Paramount overhauled its short-subject offerings by discontinuing black-and-white productions and retiring series like Noveltoons and Modern Madcaps. These were replaced with new programs including Go Go Toons, Merry Makers, and Fractured Fables. Although Bakshi initiated fresh projects during this period, Gulf+Western—the company’s new owners—opted to close the animation studio by late 1967. The final cartoon produced was titled Mouse Trek, part of the Fractured Fables collection, which premiered on December 31, 1967.

Legacy

Although the recent perception of Famous Studios shorts has been varied, they have cultivated a dedicated fanbase within animation enthusiasts and among users of public-domain content. The 1961 cartoon Abner the Baseball holds particular cultural importance and is prominently displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ownership and licensing

During the 1950s, Paramount divested a substantial portion of its film catalog to television syndication firms, resulting in fragmented ownership of cartoons produced by Famous Studios.

U.M. & M. TV Corporation

In January 1956, Paramount sold its Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoons made before October 1950 (excluding Popeye and Superman) to U.M. & M. TV Corporation for $3 million. U.M. & M. was subsequently acquired by National Telefilm Associates (NTA) in 1957, which later changed its name to Republic Pictures. After a brief period under Spelling Entertainment in 1994, Republic Pictures was purchased by Paramount’s parent company Viacom in 1996, effectively returning these properties to Paramount’s portfolio. A number of these cartoons have fallen into the public domain due to expired copyright renewals.

Popeye and Superman

Paramount sold the Fleischer/Famous Studios Popeye cartoons produced between 1933 and 1957 to Associated Artists Productions for $1.25 million in 1956. A.A.P. was bought by United Artists in 1958, which later merged with MGM in 1981, creating MGM/UA. When Turner Broadcasting System acquired MGM/UA's assets in 1986, Turner retained the pre-May 1986 MGM library along with A.A.P.’s holdings, establishing Turner Entertainment Co.. Following Turner’s merger with Time Warner in 1996—now known as Warner Bros. Discovery—Warner Bros. gained control over theatrical rights to Popeye through Turner Entertainment.

The rights to the Superman cartoons reverted to National Comics after Paramount’s contract lapsed in 1947. Although these cartoons are currently in the public domain due to expired copyrights, DC maintains ancillary rights, and authorized releases are distributed by Warner Bros., DC’s parent company since 1969.

Harvey Comics and Harvey Films

In July 1958, Paramount transferred ownership of Famous Studios cartoons created from October 1950 through December 1959—including original characters such as Casper and Baby Huey—to Harvey Comics for $1.7 million. Harvey subsequently launched Harvey Films to oversee these properties, rebranding the cartoons under the name Harveytoons. ABC obtained television distribution rights for a term of thirty years, which reverted back to Harvey in 1989; meanwhile, Paramount retained theatrical distribution rights. In 1963, Paramount sold cartoons produced from January 1960 to February 1962 to Harvey for a nominal fee of $1.

Harvey Comics was acquired by holding company Classic Media in 2001, which was then purchased by DreamWorks Animation in 2012. Comcast's NBCUniversal acquired DreamWorks Animation in 2016, with distribution responsibilities for the cartoons falling under Universal Pictures. Despite NBCUniversal and DreamWorks holding most rights to Harveytoons, Paramount continues to possess theatrical rights and original camera negatives but allows access to film materials for restoration or updating purposes.

Later Cartoons

Paramount retains ownership of the cartoon catalog created from March 1962 through December 1967.

Home Media Releases

Up to 2021, cartoons produced by Famous Studios under Paramount have not been officially issued. Numerous titles have entered the public domain and are accessible via low-resolution DVD and Blu-ray editions. In 2012, Thunderbean Animation undertook restoration efforts and distributed public domain Noveltoons on DVD.

Warner Home Video has issued multiple Popeye cartoon compilations: black-and-white shorts in 2008 and color cartoons from the 1940s beginning in 2018; however, the Famous Studios shorts from the 1950s remain unreleased. Additionally, Warner restored Fleischer and Famous Studios Superman cartoons for inclusion in Superman boxed sets (2006) and individual DVDs (2009), with a Blu-ray edition launched in 2023.

During the 1990s, Harvey Entertainment produced The Harveytoons Show, syndicating most Famous Studios cartoons owned by Harvey, with animation expert Jerry Beck serving as consultant. In 2006, Classic Media released 52 of the series’ 78 episodes on DVD. By 2011, Vivendi Entertainment and Classic Media issued the complete Herman and Katnip cartoon collection on DVD, while Shout! Factory distributed 61 episodes of Casper under license. In November 2021, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment unveiled a three-disc DVD set titled The Best of the Harveytoons Show.

Theatrical Short Film Series

Television Series

Industrial Shorts

  • Electronics On the Job (1943)
  • CSP Is My Choice (1950)

See also

External links

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