Doug Crane

Doug Crane
Born(1935-06-15)June 15, 1935
DiedDecember 17, 2020(2020-12-17) (aged 85)
Alma materThe School of Visual Arts
OccupationAnimator
Years active1957–2007
Notable workHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe
The Smurfs
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
Heavy Metal

Douglas P. Crane (June 15, 1935 – December 17, 2020) was an American animator.

Life and career

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Crane was born on June 15, 1935, in Bronxville, New York. He was one of eight kids in his family. "Often, it could be pretty tough trying to get my two cents into a conversation around the dinner table, It dawned on me that I could get my point across and also vent my frustrations by drawing pictures, usually of myself with my cartoon mouth wide open with balloon blurbs saying stuff like, 'Bobby, Shut Up!' or, 'Betty, Be Quiet!'", he said in a 2012 interview.[1]

After graduating from Eastchester High School in Eastchester, New York, he got a job at Terrytoons in 1957, which was located at New Rochelle, New York. He married his wife, Maureen Hurley, at the time.

Crane took a break from animating during the beginning of his animation career and went to the United States Army in 1958. During his time with the army, he became a cartoonist and created a comic strip that ran in the military newspaper called Tiptoe and Timber. Other things he did while in the army include illustrating recruitment pamphlets, creating and painting floats for base parades, and painting signage for the White Sands Proving Grounds.

After returning from the army, he came back to Terrytoons and opened the Hanna-Barbera East Studios in New York City alongside Red Auguston at the request of Hanna-Barbera co-founder William Hanna. Crane then went on to animate for films, television series, television commercials, half-hour specials. He also drew comic strips and comic books.

Crane worked on Challenge of the Superfriends, The Smurfs, and Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, as well as one episode of the original television series, "Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dead".

He received a Clio Award and a National Television Commercials Award for his work on a Wall Street Journal commercial. He was also an animation professor at his alma mater, School of Visual Arts, formerly known as the Cartoonist and Illustrators School, where he taught classical animation (Professor of Classical Animation) for 15 years. Crane was also invited to teach at the Institute of Animation and Film at the Academy of Art and Design, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.[2]

Crane also spent time as the Artist In Residence at the Thornton-Donovan School in New Rochelle. He also served the Westchester County residents as an Auxiliary police officer, a Grand Knight at the New Rochelle Knights of Columbus, and as the Municipal Arts Commissioner where he planned and carried out the weekend-long 40th Anniversary celebration for Terrytoons in February 1982.[2]

Crane died of cancer at age 85 on December 17, 2020, in Stuart, Florida.[1][3]

Filmography

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Year Title Notes
1957 Flebus Inker
1957 It's a Living Ink & Paint Artist
1957 The Juggler of Our Lady Inker
1958 Dustcap Doormat Ink and Paint
1962 Peanut Battle Animator
1962 The Adventures of Lariat Sam Animator
1962 Where There's Smoke Animator
1962 Riverboat Mission Animator
1962 Rebel Trouble Animator
1963 The Mighty Hercules Animator, 1 episode
1963 The Deputy Dawg Show Animator, 92 episodes
1966 Mighty Thor Animator, 13 episodes
1967 Alter Egoist Animator
1967 Clean Sweep Animator
1967 Brother Bat Animator
1967 A Bridge Grows in Brooklyn Animator
1967 The Opera Caper Animator
1967 Keep the Cool, Baby Animator
1967 Marvin Digs Animator
1967 The Fuz Animator
1967 The Bickersons Animator
1967 Mouse Trek Animator
1967 Mini-Squirts Animator
1968-1970 Spider-Man Animator, 32 episodes
1975 Really Rosie Animator
1975 Chicken Soup with Rice Animator
1977 Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure Animator, Sea and Ships sequence
1977 King of the Beasts Animator, credited as Douglas Crane
1977 I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali Animator
1978 Challenge of the Superfriends Animator, 16 episodes
1978-1979 Godzilla Animator, 19 episodes
1979 The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane Animator
1980 Gnomes Animator
1981 Heavy Metal Animator; Segments: "Den" and Harry Canyon"; credited as Douglas Crane
1981 Super Friends Animator, 2 episodes
1981 Trollkins Animator, 13 episodes
1981 The Smurfs Animator, 26 episodes
1983 The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings Animator
1983-1985 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Animator, 114 episodes
1985 He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword Animator
1985 Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Animator, 2 episodes
1985 She-Ra: Princess of Power Animator, 65 episodes
1985 He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special Animator
1987 Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night Animator
1987-1988 BraveStarr Animator, 65 episodes
1988 BraveStarr: The Movie Animator
1990 Happily Ever After Animator, credited as Douglas P. Crane
1990 The Nutcracker Prince Additional animator
1991 The Pirates of Dark Water Animator, 2 episodes
1992 Fish Police Animator, 1 episode
1992 Benjamin the Elephant Animator, 1 episode
1996 Beavis and Butt-Head Do America Posing artist
1997 Beavis and Butt-Head Layout artist, 1 episode, "Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dead"
1999 Downtown Background designer and Layout artist, 2 episodes
2007 Chicago 10 Animator

References

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