Arthur Gardner Rankin Jr. (July 19, 1924 – January 30, 2014) was an American director, producer and screenwriter, who mostly worked in animation. Co-creator of

Rankin/Bass Productions Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment (founded and formerly known as Videocraft International, Ltd. and Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc.) was an American production company located in New York City. It was known for its seasonal television specials, ...

with his friend

Jules Bass Julius Caesar Bass (; September 16, 1935 – October 25, 2022) was an American director, producer, lyricist, composer and author. Until 1960, he worked at a New York advertising agency, and then co-founded the film production company Videocraft ...

, he created stop-motion and traditional animation features such as ''

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer, using his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on C ...

'', ''

Frosty the Snowman "Frosty the Snowman" is a song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950 and later recorded by Jimmy Durante in that year. It was written after the success of Autry's ...

'', ''

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas music, Christmas song written by John Frederick Coots, J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show ...

'', and the 1977 cartoon special of ''

The Hobbit ''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the ...

''. He is credited on over 1,000 television programs.

Early life

Rankin was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, the son of actors Arthur Rankin and Marian Mansfield. His paternal grandmother was actress

Phyllis Rankin Phyllis McKee Rankin''M'Kee Rankin's House On Fire'', New York Times, April 2, 1891, pg. 8. (August 31, 1874 – November 17, 1934) was a Broadway actress and singer from the 1880s to the 1920s. Early life Phyllis McKee Rankin was the second da ...

, and his paternal step-grandfather, who adopted his father, was actor Harry Davenport, who played Dr. Meade in the film ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

''.

Career

Rankin began his career as an art director for the

American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...

in the 1940s. In 1955, he and

formed the production company Videocraft International to produce television commercials. In 1960, they moved into the area of animation, and in 1968, changed the name of their company to

. The two worked closely together for many years, co-directing and producing a wide array of

stop motion Stop-motion (also known as stop frame animation) is an animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exh ...

animated features and cartoons, which Rankin had referred to as "Animagic". In addition to directing, Rankin primarily created the script and sketched the character concepts, which would be made into the wooden puppets by Japanese artists, including head supervisor and partner,

Tadahito Mochinaga was a pioneer Japanese stop-motion animator. Having done many stop motion films in Japan, he is best known as the animator for Rankin/Bass' " Animagic" productions at his MOM Production Studio in Tokyo throughout the 1960s. He did this work in a ...

. Maury Laws, a musical director for Rankin/Bass, stated that Rankin was inspired by the film ''

King Kong King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. The character has since become an international pop culture icon,Erb, Cynthia, 1998, ''Tracking Kin ...

'', and that Rankin "wanted every detail right" in creating these shorts. Some of the most famous features were the holiday-themed TV specials, such as '' Willy McBean and His Magic Machine'', ''

'', ''

'', '' Rudolph's Shiny New Year'', '' The Year Without a Santa Claus'', ''

'', '' 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'', and '' Jack Frost''. Many of these holiday-themed works are now considered "perennial favorites", according to ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. He is also credited with devising the story for many Rankin/Bass productions, including the feature films '' The Daydreamer'' and ''

Mad Monster Party? ''Mad Monster Party?'' is a 1967 stop-motion animated musical comedy film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions for Embassy Pictures. The film stars the voices of Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett and Phyllis Diller. It tells the story ...

''. In 1977, Rankin and Bass produced a version of

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...

's ''

'', for which they were awarded the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

. The pair also teamed on a wide variety of animated TV series, including ''

ThunderCats ''ThunderCats'' is a media franchise, featuring a fictional group of cat-like humanoid aliens. The characters were created by Tobin Wolf and featured in an animated television series named ''ThunderCats'', running from 1985 to 1989, whic ...

'' and '' SilverHawks''. The pair last teamed on the 1987 TV special based on ''

The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

''. Rankin's last producing credit was on the 1999 animated version of ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...

''.

Later life

Rankin met his wife-to-be, Olga Karlatos, after he cast her in a 1983 television adaption of ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American period ...

'' entitled ''The Sins of Dorian Gray''. Rankin had two sons with his first wife Elizabeth Deland: Arthur Gardner Rankin III, and his brother Todd Rankin. They settled in

Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...

, with Rankin looking to continue to produce stage shows. He noted:

"I could go up to Broadway and run up and down the street and scream, 'I want to write and direct a play!' They'd put me in the nuthouse. If I say that n Bermuda everyone springs into action, 'Oh, please, please.'"

In addition to this, Rankin also taught courses on film and entertainment at Bermuda College.

Death

Rankin died after a brief illness on January 30, 2014, aged 89, in his home at

Harrington Sound Harrington Sound is a large inland body of water in the northeast of the main island of Bermuda. It is surrounded by the main island on all sides, only appearing open to the ocean via a small channel called Flatt's Inlet, Bermuda, Flatt's Inlet ...

. Referring to him as an "animation legend", ''The Hollywood Reporter'' noted that during his career, Rankin worked with actors such as

Jeff Bridges Jeffrey Leon Bridges (born December 4, 1949) is an American actor. He is known for his Leading actor, leading man roles in film and television. In a career spanning over seven decades, he has received List of awards and nominations received by ...

Mia Farrow Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera ''Peyton Place (TV series), Peyton Place'' and gained further recogn ...

, Angela Lansbury,

Alan Arkin Alan Wolf Arkin (March 26, 1934 – June 29, 2023) was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. In a career spanning seven decades, he received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony A ...

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; ; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. Kaye starred ...

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lifeboat (194 ...

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyeb ...

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics. He rec ...

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American Folk music, folk singer and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his o ...

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, Jones is known for his extensive and acclaimed roles on stage and screen. Jones is one of the few perfor ...

, Christopher Lee, Walter Matthau,

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price ...

, and

Flip Wilson Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series '' The ...

. He was buried in Sunnyside, Bermuda's Holy Trinity Church Cemetery.

Filmography

Rankin was credited on over 1,000 TV shows and films. Some selected works include:

Animated feature films

* '' Willy McBean and His Magic Machine'' (1965) * ''

'' (1967) * ''

'' (1977) (TV movie) * ''

The Return of the King ''The Return of the King'' is the third and final volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'', following '' The Fellowship of the Ring'' and '' The Two Towers''. It was published in 1955. The story begins in the kingdom of Gondor, ...

'' (1980) (TV movie) * '' The Last Unicorn'' (1982) * ''

The Flight of Dragons ''The Flight of Dragons'' is a 1982 animated fantasy film produced and directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. loosely combining the speculative natural history book of the same name (1979) by Peter Dickinson with the novel '' The Drag ...

'' (1982) (TV movie) * ''

'' (1987) (TV movie) * ''

'' (1999)

Live-action

* '' King Kong Escapes'' (1968) * '' Marco'' (1973) * '' The Last Dinosaur'' (1977) * '' The Bermuda Depths'' (1977) (TV movie) * '' The Ivory Ape'' (1980) * '' The Bushido Blade'' (1981)

Animated TV specials

* '' Return to Oz'' (1964) (produced as Videocraft) * ''

'' (1964, Burl Ives) (produced as Videocraft) * ''The Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy Show'' (1965) * ''The Ballad of Smokey the Bear'' (1966, James Cagney) * ''Cricket on the Hearth'' (1967, Danny Thomas) * '' The Mouse on the Mayflower'' (1968, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Eddie Albert, Jack Cassidy, Joanie Sommers) * ''

The Little Drummer Boy "The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. First recorded in 1951 by the Austrian Trapp Family, the song was further popularized ...

'' (1968, Jose Ferrer, Greer Garson) * ''

'' (1969, Jimmy Durante) * ''

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas music, Christmas song written by John Frederick Coots, J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show ...

'' (1970, Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney) * '' Here Comes Peter Cottontail'' (1971, Danny Kaye) * '' The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes'' (1972, Danny Kaye) * '' Puss in Boots'' (1972 TV special) * '' The Year Without a Santa Claus'' (1974, Shirley Booth) * '' 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'' (1974, Joel Grey, George Gobel) * '' Frosty's Winter Wonderland'' (1976, Andy Griffith) * '' Rudolph's Shiny New Year'' (1976, Red Skelton) * '' Jack Frost'' (1979, Buddy Hackett) * '' The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold'' (1981, Art Carney)

Animated series

* '' The New Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1960) * '' Tales of the Wizard of Oz'' (1961) * '' The King Kong Show'' (1966–1969) * '' The Tomfoolery Show'' (1970–71) * '' The Reluctant Dragon & Mr. Toad Show'' (1970) * '' The Jackson 5ive'' (1971) * ''

The Osmonds The Osmonds were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed the Osmond Brothers) and a quintet (the Osmonds). The group has c ...

'' (1972) * '' Festival of Family Classics'' (1972–1973) * '' Kid Power'' (1972–1973) * ''

'' (1985–1987) * '' SilverHawks'' (1986) * '' TigerSharks'' (1987)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rankin, Arthur Jr. 1924 births 2014 deaths American animated film directors American animated film producers Animation screenwriters Rankin/Bass Productions DreamWorks Classics people Film producers from New York (state) Artists from New York City Businesspeople from New York City Film directors from New York City 20th-century American businesspeople