ORESTES CALPINI

Amazing Animators No. 21

 ORESTES CALPINI

Orestes Calpini nasce il 17 marzo 1911 a New York da Adolfo (Adolph) Maffiola Calpini (nato nel 1878), nato in Italia, e da Maria Sierra (nata nel 1885), nata in Messico. Orestes è il quarto di undici figli. I suoi fratelli e le sue sorelle sono Hemia (1908-1988), Ruby (nata nel 1909), Amita (1910-1981), Artemio (1920-2003), Orlando J. (1921-2001), Dorenio (1923-1943), Marcello (nato nel 1924), Thalia (1924-2003), Italo (nato nel 1927), e Silvio Louis (1928-1980). Nel 1924 i Calpini risiedono a Wanaque, nel New Jersey.

Intorno al 1932 entra allo studio di animazione dei fratelli Fleischer, dedicandosi inizialmente ai cortometraggi di Betty Boop, e diviene animatore a pieno titolo nel 1933, lavorando ora i cortometraggi di Popeye nel gruppo diretto da Willard Bowsky. Alla metò del 1938 lo studio Fleischer si trasferisce a Miami, Florida, e anche Calpini vi si trasferisce da Haskell, New Jersey, con la moglie Marjorie McCormick e la figlia Leonora Maria (nata nel 1937). Nel 1939 anche la madre di Calpini e altri sei tra fratelli e sorelle si sono trasferiti a Miami, mentre il padre risulta abitare ora a Richmond, nello stato di New York.

Tra il 1939 e il 1942 Calpini è capo-animatore per i cortometraggi di Popeye, oltre che per Gulliver's Travels e per i cortometraggi di Superman. È anche animatore per il lungometraggio Mr. Bug Goes to Town. Nel frattempo i Calpini hanno avuto altre due figlie, Sandy e Oreann Elena (1942-2006).

Quando lo studio Fleischer viene rilevato dalla Paramount nel 1942, cambiando denominazione in Famous Studios, Calpini resta come capo-animatore, dedicandosi principalmente ai cortometraggi di Popeye e di Little Lulu. È accreditato per l'ultima volta il 20 febbraio 1948, il che significa che la sua collaborazione con i Famous Studio termina alla fine del 1947.

Calpini è anche prolifico autore di fumetti. Nel 1945 disegna una storia per la Better/Standard Publications, ma le sue principali collaborazioni sono con Punch and Judy Comics per la Hillman Publications tra il 1944 e il 1951, con Starry Eyes e Fatsy McPig. Firma alcune storie "Ore. Cal.". Il grosso della produzione fumettistica di Calpini viene realizzato tramite il Jason Comic Art studio. Nel 1946 disegna anche Nellie the Nurse per la Marvel.

A quanto sembra, torna a dedicarsi all'animazione nel 1961, lavorando alla serie televisiva Out of the Inkwell per i Famous Studios. Sebbene si sia ormai ritirato, collabora con il TeleTactics studio realizzando pubblicità animate per la TV ancora nel 1974.

Calpini scompare nel dicembre 1974 all'età di 63 anni.

Orestes Calpini was born March 17, 1911 in New York to Italian-born Adolfo (Adolph) Maffiola Calpini (born 1878) and Mexican-born Maria Sierra (born 1885). Orestes was the fourth-born of eleven children, his siblings being Hemia (1908-1988), Ruby (born 1909), Amita (1910-1981), Artemio (1920-2003), Orlando J. (1921-2001), Dorenio (1923-1943), Marcello (born 1924), Thalia (1924-2003), Italo (born 1927), and Silvio Louis (1928-1980). By 1924 the Calpinis were residing in Wanaque, New Jersey.

In about 1932 he joined the Fleischer animation studio, starting on the Betty Boop shorts, and became a full-fledged animator in 1933, now working on the Popeye shorts in Willard Bowsky's unit.

In mid-1938 the Fleischer Studio moved to Miami, Florida, and Calpini moved there too from Haskell, New Jersey with his wife Marjorie McCormick and their daughter Leonora Maria (born 1937). In fact by 1939 Calpini's mother and seven children had also moved to Miami, whereas his father was now residing in Richmond, New York.

From 1939-42 Calpini was a directing animator on the Popeye shorts, as well as on Gulliver's Travels and on the Superman shorts, also animating on the Mr. Bug Goes to Town feature. In the meantime the Calpinis had another two daughters, Sandy and Oreann Elena (1942-2006).

When the Fleischer studio was acquired by Paramount in 1942, becoming Famous Studios, Calpini stayed as a directing animator, mainly contributing to the Popeye and Little Lulu shorts. His last screen credit appeared on February 20, 1948, which means that Calpini last animated at Famous in late 1947.

Calpini was also a prolific comics writer/artist. He drew a story for Better/Standard Publications in 1945, but he mostly contributed to Hillman Publications' Punch and Judy Comics from 1944-51, on Starry Eyes and Fatsy McPig. He signed the first few stories "Ore. Cal." Most of Calpini's comic book work was done through the Jason Comic Art studio. He also drew Nellie the Nurse for Marvel in 1946.

Apparently he went back to animation in 1961, working on Famous Studios' Out of the Inkwell TV series. Though retired, he collaborated with the TeleTactics studio on TV commercials as late as 1974.

Calpini passed away in December 1974 at age 63.

FILMOGRAFIA / FILMOGRAPHY

NOTE: All dates in this section are day/month/year

Studio: FLEISCHER c.1932-1942

Animatore/Animator

14/07/1933 Popeye the Sailor [Betty Boop - Popeye]

30/08/1935 You Gotta Be a Football Hero [Popeye]

24/07/1936 Let's Get Movin' [Popeye]

21/08/1936 Happy You and Merry Me [Betty Boop]

23/10/1936 Hold the Wire [Popeye]

22/01/1937 The Paneless Window Washer [Popeye]

20/08/1937 I Never Changes My Altitude [Popeye]

26/11/1937 Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves [Popeye]

17/06/1938 Plumbing Is a "Pipe" [Popeye]

18/11/1938 A Date to Skate [Popeye]

21/04/1939 Small Fry [Color Classic]

18/07/1941 Gabby Goes Fishing [Gabby]

15/08/1941 It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day [Gabby]

04/12/1941 Mr. Bug Goes to Town

Animatore capo/Directing animator

12/04/1940 Me Feelins Is Hurt [Popeye]

21/06/1940 Nurse-Mates [Popeye]

16/08/1940 Wimmin Hadn't Oughta Drive [Popeye]

19/09/1941 I'll Never Crow Again [Popeye]

27/03/1942 The Bulleteers [Superman]

28/08/1942 Terror on the Midway [Superman]

Regista/Director

22/11/1939 Gulliver's Travels

Studio: FAMOUS 1942-1947

Animatore, Regista/Animator, Director

05/03/1943 Jungle Drums [Superman]

27/08/1943 Cartoons Ain't Human [Popeye]

18/02/1944 Henpecked Rooster [Henry the Hen-Pecked Rooster]

28/04/1944 Suddenly It's Spring [Raggedy Ann]

18/08/1944 It's Nifty to Be Thrifty [Little Lulu]

22/06/1945 Snap Happy [Little Lulu]

00/00/1945 Daffydilly Daddy [Little Lulu]

30/03/1945 Scrappily Married [Noveltoon - Henry the Hen-Pecked Rooster]

20/04/1945 Beau Ties [Little Lulu - alternate release date 29/12/1944]

07/06/1946 Old MacDonald Had a Farm [Noveltoon - alternate release date 31/05/1945]

18/10/1946 Sudden Fried Chicken [Noveltoon - Herman the Mouse]

20/02/1948 Little Brown Jug [Screen Song]

Animatore/Animator

21/07/1944 Spinach Packin' Popeye [Popeye - Archive footage]

11/08/1950 Popeye Makes a Movie [Popeye - Archive footage]

Animatore, Regista, Sceneggiatore/Animator, Director, Writer

09/05/1947 The Enchanted Square [Raggedy Ann]

Regista/Director

00/00/1962 A Haunting We Will Go [TV series: Out of the Inkwell]

Studio: TELE TACTICS c.1974

Animatore/Animator

TV Commercials

FUMETTOGRAFIA /COMICOGRAPHY

COMIC BOOKS

Editore/Publisher: HILLMAN

Billy Boy and Boogie - Punch and Judy Comics Vol3#5 (1951).

Bucky the Mule - Punch and Judy Comics Vol2#8, 11, 12 (1947).

Copertine/Cover art - Punch and Judy Comics Vol1#7-12, Vol2#1-12, Vol3#3, 5, 6, 9 (1946-47/1951).

Fatsy McPig - Punch and Judy Comics Vol1#5, 10, Vol2#3, 6-8, 11, Vol3#1-3 (1945-47/1951).

Punch and Judy - Punch and Judy Comics Vol2#11, Vol3#3 (1947/1951).

Starry Eyes - Punch and Judy Comics Vol1#1-6, 10, 11, Vol2#1, 3, 6, 7, Vol3#1, 2 (1944-47/1951).

Starry Eyes and Her Pal "Pinkie" - Punch and Judy Comics Vol1#1 (1944).

Editore/Publisher: MARVEL

Nellie the Nurse - Nellie the Nurse (1946).

Editore/Publisher: SPOTLIGHT PUBLISHERS

Pvt. Pinto - Latest Comics #2 (1945).

Editore/Publisher: STANDARD (aka BETTER)

Blackie and Bingo - (1945).