JOHN GENTILELLA
Amazing Animators No. 20
JOHN GENTILELLA
John Gentilella nasce il 12 febbraio 1914 a New York da Agdin e Carmela Gentilella, entrambi italiani. È il primogenito, seguìto da Matthew (n. 1915), Carmine (n. 1918), Albert (n. 1920), Rudolph (n. 1922), e Thressa (n. 1924).
Frequenta la Art Students League a New York.
Gentilella debutta nell'animazione nel 1932, prima come intercalatore e poi come animatore per on la serie Aesop's Fables presso lo studio di Amadee Van Beuren sotto la supervisione di Burt Gillett. Nel 1936 si trasferisce allo studio Fleischer per un anno prima di animare allo studio Terrytoons dal 1937 al 1943, dove
contribuisce al primo cortometraggio con Super Mouse (poi noto come Mighty Mouse).
Sposa Fanny e la coppia ha un figlio, John Jr., nato nel 1940.
Alla fine del 1943 si unisce ai Famous Studios della Paramount dove, spesso accreditato come "Johnny Gent" o "Johnnie Gent," è uno dei migliori animatori di Popeye (Braccio di Ferro) nel gruppo capeggiato da Tom Johnson. La dinamica animazione di Gentilella è perfetta per le scene di azione e per gli scontri tra Popeye e Bluto. Inoltre anima e talvolta dirige numerosi cortometraggi di Little Lulu, Little Audrey e Noveltoon.
Per due brevi periodi è disegnatore di fumetti, prima per i Sangor Studios, dove disegna "animali buffi" per l'editrice ACG nel 1944, così come fanno diversi altri animatori dello studio Fleischer/Famous. Intorno al 1952 disegna Mighty Mouse per la St. John Publications.
Alla fine del 1956 lascia i Famous Studios per tornare da Terrytoons, dove resta per quattro anni, animando e dirigendo la maggior parte delle loro serie - John Doormat, Clint Clobber, Gaston Le Crayon, Silly Sidney e Heckle and Jeckle. Anima inoltre diversi episodi del Deputy Dawg TV Show e dirige episodi del Tom Terrific TV Show.
Gentilella lavora sempre a New York, anche per gli studi situati a Hollywood. Risiede al 775 Est della 230a Strada nel Bronx.
Gli anni Sessanta lo vedono animare e dirigere presso lo studio Trans-Lux/Oriolo le serie TV di Felix the Cat e Mighty Hercules; di nuovo alla Terrytoons per Hector Heathcote e Deputy Dawg; alla Paramount per le serie TV di Popeye e Beetle Bailey, tra le altre; da Hanna-Barbera per The Flintstones; da Hal Seeger per Milton the Monster e Batfink; da Steve Krantz per la serie TV di Spider-Man. È regista per la CBS e lavora da indipendente per vari studi realizzando pubblicità animate per la TV.
Negli anni settanta è animatore da Krantz per I lungometraggi di Fritz the Cat; da Hubley per Dig e per sequenze delle serie TV The Electric Company e Sesame Street (una di queste ultime, The Parrot, gli vale il premio ASIFA East Award nel 1973). Collabora poi con Filmation, Hanna Barbera (per il lungometraggio Charlotte's Web) e Focus Entertainment. Tra il 1974 e il 1989 è supervisore dell'animazione presso il New York Institute of Technology. Contribuisce a film educative quali Tubby the Tuba, Measure for Measure e Strawberry Fields, oltre a lavorare a diversi progetti di ricerca sulla computer animation.
Continua a collaborare da indipendente con studi quali Ruby-Spears, Ralph Bakshi (per i lungometraggi Hey, Good Lookin' e Cool World), DIC, Bagdasarian (per The Chipmunks Adventure), e anima videogiochi video per Gottlieb and Don Bluth. Nei primi anni Novanta contribuisce alla serie TV della Disney DuckTales prima di ritirarsi all'età di 78 anni.
Gentilella è membro della National Cartoonists Society ed è presidente della Screen Cartoonist Guild nel 1944, 1945, 1948, 1951 e 1952. Vince un Golden Award nel 1984. Scompare a Morrisville, in Pennsylvania, il 23 dicembre 1997. La moglie Fanny è scomparsa nel giugno 1995 a Westchester, New York, all'età di 83 anni.
Popeye model sheet, 1950
John Gentilella was born February 12, 1914 in New York to Agdin and Carmela Gentilella, both from Italy. He was the first born, followed by Matthew (born 1915), Carmine (born 1918), Albert (born 1920), Rudolph (born 1922), and Thressa (born 1924).
He attended the Art Students League in New York.
Gentilella made his debut in animation in 1932, doing in-betweens and later animating on the Aesop's Fables series at the Amadee Van Beuren Studio under Burt Gillett's direction. In 1936 he moved to the Fleischer
Studio for one year before animating at Terrytoons from 1937-43, where he contributed to the very first Super Mouse (later Mighty Mouse) short.
He married Fanny and had a son, John Jr., who was born in 1940.
In late 1943 he joined Paramount's Famous Studios where, often credited as "Johnny Gent" or "Johnnie Gent," he was one of the best Popeye animators in Tom Johnson's unit. Gentilella's dynamic animation was perfect for action scenes and fights between Popeye and Bluto. He also animated and occasionally directed on several Little Lulu, Little Audrey and Noveltoon shorts.
He did two brief stints as a comic book artist, the first one at Sangor Studios, drawing funny animals for ACG in 1944, as did several other Fleischer/Famous animators. In about 1952 he drew Mighty Mouse for St. John Publications.
In late 1956 he left Famous and went back to Terrytoons, where he stayed for four years, animating and directing on most of their series - John Doormat, Clint Clobber, Gaston Le Crayon, Silly Sidney, and Heckle and Jeckle. He also animated several episodes of the Deputy Dawg TV show and directed episodes of the Tom Terrific TV show.
Gentilella always worked from New York, even for Hollywood studios. He resided at 775 East 230 St. in the Bronx.
The 1960s had him animate and direct at Trans-Lux/Oriolo on the Felix the Cat and Mighty Hercules TV series; once again at Terrytoons on Hector Heathcote and Deputy Dawg; at Paramount on the Popeye and Beetle Bailey TV series, among others; at Hanna-Barbera on The Flintstones; at Hal Seeger on Milton the Monster and Batfink; at Krantz on the Spider-Man TV series. He directed at CBS and freelanced for various studios on TV
commercials.
In the 1970s he animated at Krantz on the Fritz the Cat features; at Hubley on Dig and on sequences for the Electric Company and Sesame Street TV shows (one of the latter, The Parrot, earned him the ASIFA East Award in 1973). He then did stints or freelance work for Filmation, Hanna Barbera (on the Charlotte's Web feature) and Focus Entertainment. From 1974-1989 he was supervisor of animation at the New York Institute of Technology. He worked on such educational films as Tubby the Tuba, Measure for Measure and Strawberry Fields, as well as on computer animation research projects.
He continued freelancing for such studios as Ruby-Spears, Ralph Bakshi (on the Hey, Good Lookin' and Cool World features), DIC, Bagdasarian (on The Chipmunks Adventure feature), and animated video games for Gottlieb and Don Bluth. In the early 1990s he freelanced for Disney TV's DuckTales before retiring at age 78.
Gentilella was a member of the National Cartoonists Society and served as president of the Screen Cartoonist Guild in 1944, 1945, 1948, 1951 and 1952. He won a Golden Award in 1984. He passed away in Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1997. Fanny had passed away in June 1995 in Westchester, New York, at age 83.
FILMOGRAFIA / FILMOGRAPHY
NOTE: All dates in this section are day/month/year
Studio: VAN BEUREN 1932-1936
Intercalatore, Animatore/Inbetweener, Animator
1932-1936 Aesop's Fables
Studio: FLEISCHER 1937-1938
Animatore/Animator
1937-1938 Unknown shorts
Studio: TERRYTOONS 1938-1943
Animatore/Animator
09/09/1938 The Goose Flies High [Gandy Goose]
27/12/1939 The Tempermental Lion
18/04/1941 Uncle Joey
16/10/1942 The Mouse of Tomorrow [Super Mouse]
17/03/1944 The Champion of Justice [Mighty Mouse]
Studio: FAMOUS 1943-1956
Animatore/Animator
31/05/1944 Lulu Gets the Birdie [Little Lulu]
26/05/1944 The Anvil Chorus Girl [Popeye]
21/07/1944 Spinach Packin' Popeye [Popeye]
22/09/1944 Moving Aweigh [Popeye]
08/12/1944 She-Sick Sailors [Popeye]
29/12/1944 Lulu's Birthday Party [Little Lulu]
26/01/1945 Pop-Pie a la Mode [Popeye]
04/05/1945 A Lamb in a Jam [Noveltoon - Blackie & Wolfie]
08/06/1945 For Better or Nurse [Popeye]
31/05/1946 Klondike Casanova [Popeye]
28/06/1946 Sheep Shape [Noveltoon - Blackie & Wolfie]
09/08/1946 Rocket to Mars [Popeye]
16/08/1946 Rodeo Romeo [Popeye]
27/12/1946 The Island Fling [Popeye]
13/06/1947 I'll Be Skiing Ya [Popeye]
12/09/1947 The Royal Four-Flusher [Popeye]
24/10/1947 Wotta Knight [Popeye]
19/12/1947 All's Fair at the Fair [Popeye]
30/01/1948 Olive Oyl for President [Popeye]
20/08/1948 Spinach vs Hamburgers [Popeye]
31/12/1948 Symphony in Spinach [Popeye]
18/03/1949 The Lost Dream [Little Audrey]
23/03/1949 Popeye's Premiere [Popeye]
15/04/1949 Little Red School Mouse [Noveltoon]
22/07/1949 A Balmy Swami [Popeye]
28/10/1949 Barking Dogs Don't Fite [Popeye]
27/01/1950 How Green Is My Spinach [Popeye]
17/03/1950 Gym Jam [Popeye]
06/10/1950 Quick on the Vigor [Popeye]
26/01/1951 Vacation with Play [Popeye]
20/04/1951 Thrill of Fair [Popeye]
14/12/1951 By Leaps and Hounds [Noveltoon]
16/05/1952 Swimmer Take All [Popeye]
29/08/1952 Popalong Popeye [Popeye]
03/04/1953 Philharmaniacs [Kartune]
12/06/1953 Toreadorable [Popeye]
30/10/1953 Shaving Muggs [Popeye]
02/07/1954 Bride and Gloom [Popeye]
10/12/1954 Gopher Spinach [Popeye]
20/05/1955 Beaus Will Be Beaus [Popeye]
22/07/1955 Car-azy Drivers [Popeye]
13/01/1956 Hill-billing and Cooing [Popeye]
08/06/1956 Out to Punch [Popeye]
05/04/1957 The Crystal Brawl [Popeye - Archival Footage]
Studio: TERRYTOONS 1957-1960
Animatore/Animator
00/06/1957 Shove Thy Neighbor [John Doormat]
00/01/1957 Topsy T.V. [John Doormat]
00/02/1958 It's a Living [Dinky]
00/09/1958 Old Mother Clobber [Clint Clobber]
00/10/1958 Gaston's Easel Life [Gaston Le Crayon]
00/11/1958 Signed, Sealed, and Clobbered [Clint Clobber]
00/12/1958 Sidney's Family Tree [Terry-Toon - Silly Sidney]
00/01/1959 Clobber's Ballet Ache [Clint Clobber]
30/01/1959 The Animal Fair [Archive footage]
00/02/1959 Tale of a Dog [Terry-Toon]
28/04/1959 The Flamboyant Arms [Clint Clobber]
00/06/1959 Gaston's Mama Lisa [Gaston Le Crayon]
00/08/1959 The Fabulous Firework Family [Terry-Toon]
00/09/1959 Wild Life [Heckle and Jeckle]
00/10/1959 Hashimoto-San [Terry-Toon - Hashimoto-San]
00/11/1959 Signed, Sealed and Clobbered [Clint Clobber]
18/12/1959 Shotgun Shambles [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
01/01/1960 The Space Varmint [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
00/01/1960 Thousand Smile Check [Terry-Toon]
15/01/1960 Li'l Whooper [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
18/01/1960 Seize You Later Alligator [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
22/01/1960 Welcome Mischa Mouse [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
29/01/1960 Cotton Pickin' Picnic [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
05/02/1960 Henhouse Hassle [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
00/03/1960 Foofle's Picnic [Terry-Toon]
03/04/1960 Tusk Tusk [Terry-Toon]
24/04/1960 Thousand Smile Check-Up [Heckle and Jeckle]
30/04/1960 National Spoof Day [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
30/05/1960 The Bird Burglar [TV series: Deputy Dawg]
23/06/1960 Mint Men [Heckle and Jeckle]
00/07/1960 Stunt Men [Heckle and Jeckle]
00/07/1960 Trapeze Please [Heckle and Jeckle]
00/10/1960 Tin Pan Alley Cat
23/11/1960 The Wayward Hat [Terry-Toon]
Regista/Director
00/00/1957-00/00/1957 Tom Terrific [TV Series]
Studio: TRANS-LUX/ORIOLO 1960-1961
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1960 Relax-a-Lawn Chair [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1960 Supertoy [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1960 The Baby Pill [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1961 Redbeard the Pirate [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1961 A Museum, the Professor and Rock Bottom [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1961 The Vacation Mirage [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1961 The Wizard and Sir Rock [TV series: Felix the Cat]
00/00/1961 North Pole Jail Hole [TV series: Felix the Cat]
Studio: TERRYTOONS 1961-1962
Animatore/Animator
00/07/1961 The Unsung Hero [Hector Heathcote]
00/00/1962 Shotgun Shambles [Deputy Dawg]
00/00/1962 He-Man Seaman [Hector Heathcote]
00/00/1962 Big Chief No Treaty [Deputy Dawg]
Studio: PARAMOUNT 1961-1963
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1961 The Medicine Man [TV series: Popeye]
00/00/1961 Giddy Gold [TV series: Popeye]
00/00/1961 My Fair Olive [TV series: Popeye]
00/07/1961 Trick or Tree [Noveltoon]
00/08/1961 Bopin' Hood
00/11/1961 Abner the Baseball
00/12/1961 The Plot Sickens [Modern Madcaps]
01/01/1962 Home Sweet Swampy [Beetle Bailey]
00/02/1962 Popcorn and Politics [Modern Madcaps]
01/05/1962 Hero's Reward [Beetle Bailey]
01/09/1962 Take Me to Your Gen'rul [Beetle Bailey]
00/12/1962 Fiddlin' Around [Noveltoon]
00/02/1963 Good Snooze Tonight [Noveltoon]
00/03/1963 One Weak Vacation [Modern Madcaps]
00/09/1963 Harry Happy [Modern Madcaps]
Studio: TRANS-LUX/ORIOLO 1962-1963
Animatore, Capo Animatore/Animator, Directing Animator
01/01/1963 Hercules Comes to Earth [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1963 Hercules and the Silver Arrows [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1963 Hercules and the Stolen Ring [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1963 Hercules vs. Teron: The Evil Spirit [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1963 Sun Diamond of Helios [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1963 Hercules Saves Helena [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
00/00/1964 Hercules Saves the Kingdom [TV series: The Mighty Hercules]
Studio: HANNA-BARBERA 1963
Animatore/Animator
08/01/1965 Fred's Second Car [TV series: The Flintstones]
29/01/1965 Moonlight and Maintenance [TV series: The Flintstones]
12/02/1965 Deep in the Heart of Texarock (1965) [TV series: The Flintstones]
Studio: HAL SEEGER 1964-1965
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1965 The House-Fly Guest/Fortune Kooky/Goon Platoon [TV series: Milton the Monster]
00/00/1965 Crumby Mummy/Stage Plight/Fort Fangenstein [TV series: Milton the Monster]
00/00/1965 Dunkin' Treasure/Ferocious Fly/Monstrous Monster [TV series: Milton the Monster]
00/00/1965 Safari Harry/Nuggets to You/Batnap [TV series: Milton the Monster]
09/10/1965 Trick or Treatment [TV series: Milton the Monster]
20/01/1967 Batfink on the Rocks [TV series: Batfink]
01/03/1967 Crime College [TV series: Batfink]
07/04/1967 Crimes in Rhymes [TV series: Batfink]
12/05/1967 The Super Trap [TV series: Batfink]
08/06/1967 Presto-Chango-Hugo [TV series: Batfink]
14/06/1967 Yo Yo a Go Go [TV series: Batfink]
15/08/1967 Hugo Here, Hugo There [TV series: Batfink]
Studio: CBS c.1966-1967
Regista/Director
Studio: [FREELANCE] 1967-1970
Animatore, Regista/Animator, Director
00/00/1967-00/00/1970 TV Commercials
Studio: KRANTZ 1968-1973
Animatore/Animator
14/09/1968-14/06/1970 Spider-Man [TV series - 32 episodes]
25/01/1972 Fritz the Cat
26/06/1974 Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
Studio: JOHN HUBLEY 1969- -1973
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1972 Dig [for 20th Century Fox]
23/10/1972-00/00/1973 Spell Binder [TV series: The Electric Company]
00/00/1973 The Parrot [TV series: Sesame Street]
Studio: FILMATION 1972
07/10/1972 Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter [TV series: The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie]
Studio: HANNA-BARBERA 1972
Animatore/Animator
01/03/1973 Charlotte's Web
Studio: FOCUS ENTERTAINMENT 1973
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1974 The Mad Magazine TV Special
Studio: NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 1974-1989
Animation Supervisor
01/04/1975 Tubby the Tuba
Studio: RUBY-SPEARS 1978-1980
Animatore/Animator
09/09/1978-23/12/1978 Fangface [TV series]
00/00/0000 Rickety Rocket
24/02/1979 The Horse That Played Center Field [TV Series: ABC Weekend Specials]
Studio: BAKSHI 1981
Animatore/Animator
01/10/1982 Hey, Good Lookin'
Studio: GOTTLIEB 1982
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1982 Q*bert [Video Game]
Studio: DON BLUTH 1983
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1983 Space Ace [Video Game]
Studio: DIC 1985-1986
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1985-00/00/1985 Dragon's Lair [TV series]
Studio: BAGDASARIAN 1986
Animatore/Animator
22/07/1987 The Chipmunk Adventure
Studio: NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 1989
Animation Supervisor
00/00/1989 Measure for Measure [Educational Film]
Studio: DISNEY 1989-1991
Animatore/Animator
00/00/1990-00/00/1992 DuckTales [TV series]
Studio: BAKSHI 1992
Animatore/Animator
10/07/1992 Cool World
FUMETTOGRAFIA / COMICOGRAPHY
COMIC BOOKS
Editore/Publisher: AMERICAN COMICS GROUP (alias CRESTON, LaSALLE)
Geek the Goat - Giggle Comics #4 (1944).
Editore/Publisher: ST. JOHN
Mighty Mouse (c.1952).