Best WB animator?

[bushnader666]

Tough call between Scribner and McKimson for me. Scribner has a wild style that really distinguishes himself, though.

[Joe Tully]

I had the same problem as bushnader but decided to go with Scribner, I think his unique style really helped out the Clampett cartoons and added a lot of humor.

[J Lee]

I'd go with McKimson, since he was the animator that the house style was built off of. The problem was he needed a strong director to bring out his best work, as with the redesign on Bugs that Clampett and other unit members helped with in 1943. During the years McKimson spent directing, the character designs he came up with for his animators (including Scribner) were, at times, not the best choices and in some cases had to be revised.

[Rob]

I'd have to say McKimson, myself.


During the years McKimson spent directing, the character designs he came up with for his animators (including Scribner) were, at times, not the best choices and in some cases had to be revised.

Hey, J,

This is pretty interesting. On what films (and characters) did this happen?

[J Lee]

I'm thinking mainly of the "chunky" Bugs that appeared in some of McKimson's late 1940s cartoons like "A Lad and His Lamp" and "The Grey-Hounded Hare," and the larger front muzzle he gave Sylvester in some other late 40s toons, like "Hop, Look and Listen" or "Pop `em Pop." In both cases, McKimson would revert to earlier designs, sliming Bugs' torso back down by 1950 and also going to a less prominent nose and mouth on Sylvester, similar to the designs already used by the Freleng, Jones and Davis units.

[Larry T]

Tough call for me between Scribner and Hawkins. But since Hawkins also animated at other studios for brief stints, the only one to really count as a faithful animator for Waners would be Mr. Scribner.

That hilarious scene in "Two Gophers From Texas" where the dog says, "Obviously, they did not reckon on me great inner strength" then freezes in the bizarre pose was a good example of Hawkins' work. He's got the same wild, rubbery expression as Scribner, but it's refined and cleaned up somewhat, whereas Rod's work is totally unbridled.

Recently I saw a Columbia Cartoon called "Wacky Wigwams" which was almost totally anmiated by Hawkins, and boy, was I impressed!! If the survey was for favourite animator in whole, I'd have picked Hawkins easily!

I have to admit though, that I also really like the "chunky" Bugs Bunny that John mentioned Robert McKimson developed, like in "Easter Yeggs", "Rebel Rabbit", and "Hurdy Gurdy Hare". However, IMHO, it seems it works better with Bugs and Foghorn Leghorn than it does with Daffy and Sylvester (and personally, the Arthur Davis Sylvester wins hands down with me).

[lislebartman]

My vote is for Virgil Ross, mainly because his style was so graceful and natural in every character he animated. If you watch the cartoon "Two Crows from Tacos", which he also animated with Arthur Davis, you can tell which scenes he animated. Davis' animation was very good, but Virgil's work seems to flow much nicer.

My second choice would be Rod Scribner, of course! His work for Bob Clampett was awesome. His work for McKimson was just as good, but not as manic.;)

[PorkyandDaffy]

Rob Scribner. I agree, his rubbery-animation style really added to Clampett's zany cartoons from the 40's, and he worked very well with McKimson, too.