Willis Pyle Animations

The story of little Gerald McCloy, a child could not talk but make sounds, is the story of one of the most extraordinary success of the animation of the fifties. Success not only for his excellent performance at the box office, but because it marked the confirmation of a studio, UPA, and a style of animation that, in varying degrees, influenced the work of other studies in the following years.

"Gerald McBoing Boing (UPA, 1951), violated all the formulas to use in industry and transformed the way of presenting an item on the display card, the stylized graphics over realism for use in Disney and elements of the story the simple gag humor.

Gerald McBoing Boing (UPA, 1951)

The origin of this short is equally unusual. The script is based on the narration of a poem by Ted "Dr. Seuss "Geisel and recorded to disk by Hal Perry. The tape was already in itself strange, because it consisted almost exclusively of voices and sound effects. Geisel and Steve Bosustow, UPA producer, agreed to produce an animated short about the poem, entrusting the management of it to Bobe Cannon.

Original drawings by Jules Engel

Cannon undertake an imaginative and unique work in a simple, linear style fully fund plans, but very effective. There is no depth or detail in the design, which suggest more than show, the story is the absolute protagonist of the cartoon. Bill Hurtz, designer of the short, tells the story:

"We work with a concept in which the style came directly from the story. In Gerald McBoing Boing try to get the absolute simplicity.How far can a few lines tell the story? Elemental As we become?. We developed a pattern of action that was continuous. When a character in the street turns and returns home the next cut shows him climbing the stairs, and follows in his room. We also design a movie without walls. There were no lines that demarcate the walls and ceiling.Furniture elements are positioned only in relation to the action. "

The film is beautifully animated by Bill Melendez, Rudy Larriva, Pat Matthews, Willis Pyle, Frank Smith. The designers of color, Jules Engels and Herb klynn make excellent use of it. Spot colors predominate. They are used psychologically, darkening as the rejection Gerald becomes more evident. Often the characters are not colored background still visible through them.