STEVE MUFFATTI
Amazing Animators No. 18
STEVE MUFFATTI
Stephen P. Muffatti nasce a New York nell'ottobre 1909 da Stephen Muffatti Sr. e Angelina Cuneo, immigrati italiani. La famiglia comprende anche I fratelli Anthony (1907-2000) e Louis D. (1912-2007), e la sorella Mary (nata nel 1918).
Dal censimento del 1930 risulta che il padre di Muffatti è scomparso, e che la famiglia risiede ora a Brookfield, nella contea di Fairfield, nel Connecticut. Steve frequenterà il college per due anni.
Intorno al 1932, Muffatti debutta nell'animazione presso lo studio di Amadee Van Buren, contribuendo ai cortometraggi di Cubby e ad altri shorts.
Intorno al 1937 si è trasferito allo studio dei fratelli Fleischer, dove è animatore per vari cortometraggi. Nell'autunno del 1938 lo studio e il suo staff si spostano a Miami, in Florida, dove Muffatti lavora al lungometraggio Gulliver's Travels e a vari cortometraggi, compresi quelli che hanno per protagonista Superman. Risiede a Miami con la moglie Adeline (nata nel 1910).
Nel 1942 lo studio Fleischer viene rilevato dalla Paramount, cambiando denominazione in Famous Studios, e Muffatti resta al suo posto. Viene tuttavia arruolato l'11 maggio 1943 presso Camp Blanding, in Florida.
Poco prima realizza un paio di storie a fumetti con "animali buffi" per i Sangor Studios, che firma "Steve". Saranno pubblicate nel 1943 dall'American Comics Group.
Congedato nel 1946, riprende il lavoro come capo-animatore e sceneggiatore, contribuendo ai Noveltoons, e ai cortometraggi con Little Lulu, Little Audrey, Popeye e Casper presso lo studio Famous/Paramount di New York, dove è anche co-creatore di Richie Rich.
Tra il 1948 e il 1959, Muffatti disegna storie a fumetti per la St. John Publishing e poi per la Harvey Comics con I personaggi dei cartoni animati Little Audrey, Casper, Little Lotta e Richie Rich (è il primo disegnatore di quest'ultima serie).
Nel 1950-51 Muffatti disegna la striscia quotidiana di Little Audrey, distribuita dal King Features Syndicate e firmata "Al Buck".
Nel periodo 1956-60, Muffatti continua il suo lavoro di animatore e regista per Transfilm e Trans-Lux-Oriolo, prima di aprire un proprio studio al 521 Est della 14a Strada, dove produce soprattutto cortometraggi pubblicitari per la TV.
Nel 1960 Muffatti firma un accord per realizzare storyboard e animazione per le aperture e gli inserti del programma sponsorizzato da Mattel Matty's Funday Funnies, con i personaggi Matty e Belle.
Secondo il numero del 1° aprile 1960 di Motion Picture Daily, "Muffatti è stato nominato regista dei cortometraggi pubblicitari per la Terrytoons, divisione della CBS Films, Inc. L'annuncio è stato dato da William M. Weiss, vice-presidente e general manager della Terrytoons. Weiss ha anche dichiarato che Eli Bauer si trasferirà dagli studi Terrytoons di New Rochelle alla sede di New York per incaricarsi di sceneggiatura, layout e design degli spot sotto la direzione di Muffatti".
Intorno al 1962, Muffatti è uno dei registi della serie TV Beetle Bailey, prodotta dallo studio Famous/Paramount.
Sfortunatamente, scompare l'11 settembre di quello stesso anno a soli 51 anni. È sepolto presso il Mount Saint Mary Cemetery a Queens, New York.
Stephen P. Muffatti was born in October 1909 in New York to Stephen Muffatti Sr. and Angelina Cuneo, both Italian immigrants. The family
also included brothers Anthony (1907-2000) and Louis D. (1912-2007), and sister Mary (born 1918).
By 1930 Muffatti's father had passed away, and the family was now living in Brookfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Steve attended college for two years.
In about 1932, Muffatti made his debut in animation at the Amadee Van Buren studio, working on Cubby and other shorts.
By 1937 he had moved to the Fleischer studio, animating on several shorts. By the fall of 1938 the studio moved to Miami, Florida, where Muffatti worked on the Gulliver's Travels feature cartoon, as well as on several shorts, including those starring Superman. He lived in Miami with his wife Adeline (born 1910).
In 1942 the Fleischer studio had been acquired by Paramount, becoming Famous Studios, and Muffatti went on working for them. He
was drafted on May 11, 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida. Before leaving, he managed to write and draw a couple of funny animal comic book stories for Sangor Studios, which he signed "Steve". They were published in 1943 by the American Comics Group.
Back to civilian life in 1946, he went on as head animator and story-man, working on Noveltoons, Little Lulu, Little Audrey, Popeye, and Casper shorts at the Famous/Paramount New York Studio, where he co-created Richie Rich.
From 1948-59, Muffatti drew comic book stories for St. John Publishing and then for Harvey Comics featuring the Harvey characters Little
Audrey, Casper, Little Lotta, and Richie Rich (he was the first artist on this latter series).
In 1950-51, Muffatti drew the Little Audrey daily newspaper strip, distributed King Features Syndicate and signed "Al Buck".
During 1956-60, Muffatti animated and directed for Transfilm and Trans-Lux-Oriolo before opening his own studio in at 521 East 14th Street to produce animated TV commercials.
In 1960 Muffatti signed up to do storyboards and animation for the openings and bumpers of theMattel-sponsored Matty's Funday Funnies show, featuring Matty and Belle.
According to the Motion Picture Daily issue for April 1, 1960, "Muffatti was appointed director of commercials for Terrytoons, a division of CBS Films Inc. It was announced by William M. Weiss, Terrytoons vice-president and general manager. At the same time, Weiss said that Eli Bauer will move from Terrytoons' New Rochelle Studios to the New York office to take charge of story, layouts and design of commercials under Muffatti."
Around 1962, Muffatti was one of the directors on the Beetle Bailey TV show produced by Famous/Paramount.
Unfortunately he passed away that same year on September 11. He was buried at Mount Saint Mary Cemetery in Queens, New York.
FILMOGRAFIA / FILMOGRAPHY
NOTE: All dates in this section are day/month/year
Studio: VAN BEUREN c.1932-1936
Animatore e regista / Animator, director
6/10/1933 Cubby's Picnic [Cubby]
01/12/1933 Gallopin' Fanny [Aesop's Fable]
26/01/1934 Sinister Stuff [Aesop's Sound Fable]
10/08/1934 Along Came a Duck [Burt Gillett's Toddle Tales]
14/09/1934 Parrotville Fire Department [Rainbow Parade]
Animatore, regista e sceneggiatore / Animator, director, story
29/12/1933 Croon Crazy [Aesop's Fable]
Animatore / Animator
23/02/1934 Goode Knight [Aesop's Fable]
Studio: FLEISCHER c.1937-1942
Animatore / Animator
22/12/1939 Gulliver's Travels
05/07/1940 Wedding Belts [Stone Age]
27/06/1941 Twinkletoes - Where He Goes, Nobody Knows [Animated Antics]
15/03/1942 Electric Earthquake [Superman]
Animatore, direttore dell'animazione / Animator, animation director
20/06/1941 Fire Cheese [Gabby]
26/09/1941 Superman [Superman]
21/11/1941 The Mechanical Monsters [Superman]
Studio: FAMOUS/PARAMOUNT 1942-1943/1946-1953/1962
Animatore / Animator
16/10/1942 Showdown [Superman]
30/07/1943 Secret Agent [Superman]
08/08/1947 The Wee Men [Noveltoon]
21/11/1947 Super Lulu [Little Lulu]
19/03/1948 We're in the Honey [Noveltoon]
09/04/1948 The Bored Cuckoo [Noveltoon]
01/07/1949 Campus Capers [Noveltoon]
12/08/1949 Tar with a Star [Popeye]
14/10/1949 Leprechaun's Gold [Noveltoon]
18/11/1949 Song of the Birds [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
26/05/1950 Tarts and Flowers [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
18/08/1950 Goofy Goofy Gander [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
13/10/1950 Casper's Spree Under the Sea [Casper]
10/11/1950 Voice of the Turkey [Noveltoon]
12/01/1951 One Quack Mind [Noveltoon - Baby Huey]
30/03/1951 Boo-Hoo Baby [Casper]
27/04/1951 Hold the Lion Please [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
04/05/1951 Land of Lost Watches [Noveltoon]
18/05/1951 Alpine for You [Popeye]
19/10/1951 Let's Stalk Spinach [Popeye]
26/10/1951 Audrey the Rainmaker [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
11/04/1952 Ghost of the Town [Casper]
23/05/1952 Law and Audrey [Little Audrey]
12/09/1952 Pig-a-Boo [Casper]
24/10/1952 True Boo [Casper]
19/12/1952 The Case of the Cockeyed Canary [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
17/07/1953 Surf Bored [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
29/05/1953 North Pal [Casper]
Sceneggiatore / Story
18/03/1949 The Lost Dream [Noveltoon - Little Audrey]
Regista / Director
00/00/1963 Labor Shortage [TV Series - Beetle Bailey]
Studio: TRANSFILM c.1956
Regista / Director
00/00/1956 Opportunities Unlimited
Studio: TRANS-LUX-ORIOLO 1958-1959
Animatore / Animator
00/00/1959 Felix the Cat [TV Series]
Studio: MUFFATTI c.1960-1967?
Animatore, regista, sceneggiatore, storyboards / Animator, director, story, storyboards
00/00/1960-00/00/1967? TV Commercials
00/00/1960 Matty's Funday Funnies [Show openings and bumpers featuring Matty and Belle]
FUMETTOGRAFIA / COMICOGRAPHY
Editore / Publisher: AMERICAN COMICS GROUP
Bow-Wow Beagle - (1943).
Leroy and Buster - Ha Ha Comics #1 (10/1943).
Editore / Publisher: CROYDON
Kitty Cat - Merry-Go-Round Comics #1 (1946).
Editore / Publisher: HARVEY
Copertine / Cover art - Casper, the Friendly Ghost #25 (1954); Funny 3-D #1 (1953); Little Audrey #1- -53 (1952-57).
Casper, the Friendly Ghost - Casper, the Friendly Ghost #8, 16, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 37, 41 [chine/inks: Warren Kremer] et al (1952-57).
Little Audrey - Harvey Hits #25, 35 (1959/60); Little Audrey #8, 25, 27, 28, 30, 33, 40 et al (1952-57).
Lotta - Little Dot #5, 9 et al (1954-55).
Richie Rich - Little Dot #1-4 et al (1953-55).
Shaggy - Rags Rabbit #17-19 (1954).
Spooky - Casper #10 (1953).
Tiny - Little Audrey #8, 33, 42 et al (1952-55).
Editore / Publisher: ST. JOHN
Copertine / Cover art - Little Audrey #1-13, 20, 22 (1948-51).
Little Audrey - Little Audrey #1- -22 (1948-51).
FUMETTI PER QUOTIDIANI / NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS
Editore / Publisher: KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, INC.
Little Audrey - Strisce quotidiane / Daily strip Dec 18 1950-Dec 1951 [solo disegni / art only].
DISEGNI PUBBLICITARI / ADVERTISING ART
Editore / Publisher: FAMOUS STUDIOS
2/10/1953 Popeye the Ace of Space
