Frank A. Smith (August 31, 1911 – February 23, 1975) was an American cartoonanimator and film director. He was the father of actor and film director
Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith (born October 30, 1953) is an American actor, writer, and director of film and television, based in British Columbia. He is known for his roles in ''American Graffiti'' (1973), ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), '' Never Cry Wo ...
Gladstone, Michigan
Gladstone is a city in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. First settled in 1877, Gladstone's original name was Minnewasca. The population was 4,973 at the 2010 census.
U.S. Highways 2 and 41 run concurrently t ...
, Smith left home in his teens with the dream of working in films. Not having any money, he made his way across country to Hollywood by hitching rides illegally on freight trains. After some time of living as a hobo, he finally reached Hollywood in 1930.
Smith eventually was hired on as an animator at the Fleischer Studios in the late 1930s. He worked on several feature films with that studio, including '' Gulliver's Travels'' (1939) and various short films including ''
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.Betty Boop''. He then joined UPA studios, working alongside Robert Cannon,
John Hubley
John Kirkham Hubley (May 21, 1914 – February 21, 1977) was an American animation director, art director, producer and writer known for his work with the United Productions of America (UPA) and his own independent studio, Storyboard, Inc. (late ...
and others. His films at UPA included the
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology) ...
-winning ''
Gerald McBoing-Boing
''Gerald McBoing-Boing'' is an animated short film about a little boy who speaks through sound effects instead of spoken words. It was produced by United Productions of America (UPA) and given wide release by Columbia Pictures on November 2, 1950. ...
'' (1951).
For three years Smith directed and produced films in Paris, France, for Cineaste Productions, winning many awards. His work in the 1960s included commercials and short films for
Playhouse Pictures
''Playhouse'' (german: Schauspielhaus) is a common term for a theatre. Specifically it may refer to:
Venues Australia
* Dunstan Playhouse, at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, South Australia
* The Playhouse, at the Arts Centre Melbourne ...
, followed by a long association with director/producer
Bill Melendez
José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Melendez (November 15, 1916 – September 2, 2008) was an American character animator, voice actor, film director and producer. Melendez is known for working on the ''Peanuts'' animated specials. Before ''Peanuts'', he p ...
, animating many of the ''
Peanuts
''Peanuts'' is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run extended from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. ''Peanuts'' is among the most popular and infl ...
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' is a 1966 American prime time animated television special based on the comic strip ''Peanuts'' by Charles M. Schulz.
A Halloween special, it was the third ''Peanuts'' special (and second holiday-themed ...
Snoopy Come Home
''Snoopy, Come Home!'' is a 1972 American animated musical comedy-drama film directed by Bill Melendez and written by Charles M. Schulz based on the ''Peanuts'' comic strip. The film marks the on-screen debut of Woodstock, who had first appear ...