Len Janson is an American writer and director whose career in animated cartoons and live-action motion pictures spanned several decades beginning in the 1960s. He began work as an in-betweener at the Walt Disney cartoon studio. By 1965 he had become a story man with his first screen credit in
Rudy Larriva's ''
Boulder Wham!''. Soon after, he teamed with
Chuck Menville
Chuck Menville (April 17, 1940 – June 15, 1992) was an American animator and writer for television. His credits included '' Batman: The Animated Series'', '' Land of the Lost'', '' The Real Ghostbusters'', ''The Smurfs'', '' Star Trek: The An ...
to produce a series of live-action films which used the pixilation technique.
An example is ''
Stop Look and Listen''. By the early 1970s, Janson and Menville had become major names in the animation industry and welcome storytellers at studios such as
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live-action programming for television from 1963 until 1989. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1962. Filmation's founders and ...
and
Hanna-Barbera. Their partnership ended with Menville's death in 1992. Janson remained active for a few more years, mainly as story editor for ''
Sonic the Hedgehog''. He also wrote episodes of ''
Baywatch Nights
''Baywatch Nights'' is an American police and science-fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the television series, '' ...
''.
Screenwriting
* series head writer denoted in bold
Television
* ''
Dr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...
'' (1964)
* ''
Cattanooga Cats
''Cattanooga Cats'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired on ABC from September 6, 1969, to September 4, 1971.
The show was a package program similar to the Hanna-Barbera/NBC show ''The Banana Splits ...
'' (1969)
* ''
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a fictional American teenager named Sabrina Spellman. Sabrina was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo, and first appear ...
'' (1969-1972)
* ''
Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down
''Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down'' is a 1970 animated showcase for various caricatured Jerry Lewis characters, all based on characters from the 1965 film '' The Family Jewels'', and styled in a fashion similar to ''Archie's TV Funnies' ...
'' (1970)
* ''
Groovie Goolies
''Groovie Goolies'' is an American animated television show that had its original run Saturday mornings on CBS between 1970 and 1971. It was rebroadcast the following season on Sunday mornings. Set at a decrepit castle, the show focused on its mo ...
'' (1970)
* ''
The Flintstone Comedy Hour'' (1972)
* ''
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' is an American animated television series created, produced, and hosted (in live action bookends) by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert and himself. Film ...
'' (1972)
* ''
Lassie%27s Rescue Rangers'' (1972-1973)
* ''
Speed Buggy
''Speed Buggy'' is an American animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera, which originally aired for one season on CBS from September 8, 1973, to December 22, 1973. With the voices of Mel Blanc, Michael Bell, Arlene Golonka, and P ...
'' (1973)
* ''
Star Trek: The Animated Series'' (1973-1974)
* ''
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch'' (1974)
* ''
Hong Kong Phooey
''Hong Kong Phooey'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and originally broadcast on ABC. The original episodes aired from September 7 to December 21, 1974, and then in repeats until 1976. The show w ...
'' (1974)
* ''
Korg: 70,000 B.C.'' (1974)
* ''
Shazam!'' (1974, 1976)
* ''
Wacky and Packy
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live-action programming for television from 1963 until 1989. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1962. Filmation's founders and pr ...
'' (1975)
* ''
The New Adventures of Gilligan
''The New Adventures of Gilligan'' is an American Saturday morning animated series produced by Filmation, which aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 seasons. The show was based on the 1964–1967 sitcom ''Gilligan's Island''. A few years later, Fi ...
'' (1975)
* ''
The Secrets of Isis
''The Secrets of Isis'', originally broadcast as ''Isis'', is an American live-action superhero television series produced by Filmation from 1975 to 1976 for CBS's Saturday morning lineup. The series was renamed ''The Secrets of Isis'' in syndic ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Ark II
''Ark II'' is an American live-action science fiction television series, aimed at children, that aired on CBS from September 11 to December 18, 1976, (with reruns continuing through November 13, 1977 and reruns returning from September 16, 1978, ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle
''Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle'' is an American animated series created by the Filmation studio for Saturday mornings on CBS, starting in 1976. This was the first animated series about the jungle hero. There are 36 episodes produced over four sea ...
'' (1976-1978)
* ''
The New Adventures of Batman
''The New Adventures of Batman'' is an animated series that aired on CBS from February 12 to May 28, 1977, featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman and Robin, and Batgirl. The series was a Filmation and DC Comics production in association with ...
'' (1977)
* ''
Space Sentinels'' (1977)
* ''
Tarzan and the Super 7
''Tarzan and the Super 7'' is a Saturday morning cartoon series, produced by Filmation and originally airing from 1978–1980 on CBS.
The show consisted of separate installments featuring seven groups of adventurers:
* ''Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle ...
'' (1978)
** ''
The Freedom Force''
** ''
Jason of Star Command''
** ''
Manta and Moray''
** ''
Superstretch and Microwoman
Superstretch and Microwoman are a fictional, shape-shifting, husband and wife crime-fighting team, shown as a segment of ''Tarzan and the Super 7'' television series 1978-1980).
Fictional biography
On the surface Chris and Christy Cross were just ...
''
** ''
Web Woman''
* ''
Yogi%27s Space Race'' (1978)
* ''
Buford and the Galloping Ghost'' (1979)
* ''
The New Fred and Barney Show
''The New Fred and Barney Show'' is an American animated television series revival and spin-off of ''The Flintstones'' produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired on NBC from February 3 to October 20, 1979. The series marked the first time Henry Corde ...
'' (1979)
* ''
The New Shmoo'' (1979)
* ''
The Gymnast'' (1980)
* ''
The Flintstone Comedy Show
''The Flintstone Comedy Show'' is an American animated television series revival and spin-off of ''The Flintstones'' produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired on NBC from November 22, 1980 to October 24, 1981. Outside North America, the show was rele ...
'' (1980)
* ''
Space Stars'' (1981)
* ''
The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma'' (1981)
* ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'' (1981)
* ''
The Smurfs
''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and int ...
'' (1981)
** ''The Smurfs Springtime Special'' (1982)
** ''The Smurfs Christmas Special'' (1982)
** ''My Smurfy Valentine'' (1983)
* ''
Mork %26 Mindy/Laverne %26 Shirley/Fonz Hour
''Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour'' is a 1982–1983 American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Ruby-Spears Enterprises in association with Paramount Television, featuring animated versions of characters ...
'' (1982)
* ''
The Biskitts
''The Biskitts'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. The series lasted for only one season; only 13 episodes were produced. '' Shirt Tales'' replaced the show in its ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Benji, Zax %26 the Alien Prince
''Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince'' is a live-action children's science fiction television series created by Joe Camp, the creator of the ''Benji'' film series. The series was produced by Hanna-Barbera and Mulberry Square, and it aired Saturday morn ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Going Bananas'' (1984)
* ''
Kissyfur
''Kissyfur'' is an American animated children's television series which aired on NBC. It was produced by Jean Chalopin and Andy Heyward and created by Phil Mendez for DIC Animation City. The series was based on a half-hour NBC special called ' ...
'' (1985-1986)
* ''
Adderly'' (1986)
* ''
The Real Ghostbusters
''The Real Ghostbusters'' is an American animated television series, a spin-off/sequel of the 1984 comedy film ''Ghostbusters''. The series ran from September 13, 1986, to October 5, 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television and DI ...
'' (1986-1991): head writer (seasons 3–7)
* ''
Little Wizards'' (1987-1988)
* ''
Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters
''The Real Ghostbusters'' is an American animated television series, a spin-off/sequel of the 1984 comedy film ''Ghostbusters''. The series ran from September 13, 1986, to October 5, 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television and DI ...
'' (1988-1989)
* ''
ABC Weekend Special
''ABC Weekend Special'' is a weekly 30-minute American television anthology series for children that aired Saturday mornings on ABC from 1977 to 1997, which featured a wide variety of stories that were both live-action and animated. Similar to b ...
''
** ''P. J. Funnybunny'' (1989)
** ''P. J.’s Unfunnybunny Christmas'' (1993)
* ''
Tiny Toon Adventures
''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated comedy television series that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first collaborative effort of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Land of the Lost'' (1991-1992)
* ''
Solarman'' (1992)
* ''
Sonic the Hedgehog'' (1993-1994)
* ''
Dumb and Dumber
''Dumb and Dumber'' is a 1994 American buddy comedy film directed by Peter Farrelly, who cowrote the screenplay with Bobby Farrelly and Bennett Yellin. It is the first installment in the ''Dumb and Dumber'' franchise. Starring Jim Carrey a ...
'' (1995)
* ''
Baywatch Nights
''Baywatch Nights'' is an American police and science-fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the television series, '' ...
'' (1995-1996)
* ''
Sonic Underground
''Sonic Underground'' (French: ''Sonic Le Rebelle'') is an animated television series co-produced by DIC Productions, L.P., Les Studios Tex S.A.R.L. and TF1. It is the third ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' animated series, and the last to be produced by ...
'' (1999)
* ''
The New Woody Woodpecker Show
''The New Woody Woodpecker Show'' (titled ''The Woody Woodpecker Show'' on-screen) is an American animated comedy television series based on the animated short film series created by cartoonist and animator Walter Lantz. It was developed by ani ...
'' (1999)
* ''
Gadget & the Gadgetinis
''Gadget & the Gadgetinis'' is an animated television series spin-off of the 1983 series ''Inspector Gadget''. The series was a co-production between Fox Kids Europe, DIC Entertainment Corporation, French animation studio SIP Animation, French b ...
'' (2003)
Films
* ''
Stop Look and Listen'' (1967)
* ''
Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies'' (1972)
* ''
The Hanna-Barbera Hall of Fame: Yabba Dabba Doo II'' (1979)
References
External links
*
American animators
American animated film directors
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
American television writers
American male television writers
Hanna-Barbera people
Walt Disney Animation Studios people
{{US-animator-stub