Lou Scheimer
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Lou Scheimer | |
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Born | Louis Scheimer October 19, 1928 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Died | October 17, 2013 Tarzana, California, U.S. | (aged 84)
Other names | Erik Gunden, Erika Lane |
Alma mater | Carnegie Mellon University |
Occupation(s) | Animator, voice actor |
Years active | 1957–2013 |
Spouse |
Jay Wucher (died 2009) |
Children | 2, including Erika |
Louis Scheimer (October 19, 1928 – October 17, 2013) was an American producer and voice actor who was one of the original founders of Filmation. He was also credited as an executive producer of many of its cartoons.[1]
Early life and education
Scheimer was the son of a
Scheimer graduated from Carnegie Tech University (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1952.
Career
In the mid-1950s, Scheimer was appointed to the position of art director while working at
In 1962, Scheimer, Sutherland and Prescott eventually left True Line, and Scheimer began independently working on commercials. He figured that he could form his own company to produce animation. In September of that year, he, Sutherland and Ira Epstein, who had worked for Harmon but had left the firm, formed Filmation Associates. The company's name was invented because according to Scheimer, "We were working on film, but doing animation." Prescott joined them soon after the company's formation, and the trio were the company's main producers.
In the meantime, Filmation turned their attention to a more successful medium,
Early in Filmation's history, Scheimer also contributed a number of guest or secondary voices for the various productions. Most notably, he provided the voice of Dumb Donald on Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. He was also the voice of Legal Eagle and the Brown Hornet's sidekick Stinger and the voice-over narrator during the opening credits of the majority of Filmation shows and cartoons. In Jason of Star Command and Space Academy, he was consistently heard as generic voices over intercoms. In the live-action series The Ghost Busters, which starred Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch with Bob Burns, he was the voice of Zero, the unseen boss of the main characters.
Scheimer also provided the voices of Stubby on
The Filmation studio had emerged as a leading company in television animation, but it was no longer an independent company. The studio was purchased by the TelePrompTer Corporation in 1969. Westinghouse Electric Corporation, through its Group W Productions division, acquired Filmation along with its purchase of TelePrompTer's cable and entertainment properties in 1981. Despite this, Scheimer continued leading the company.[13] He played a significant role in the creation of the cartoons He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and BraveStarr. As well as the executive producer, he was also co-credited for the series' musical score under the pseudonym "Erika Lane" (which combined the names of his daughter Erika and son Lane).[14] It had also been used as a character name on the 1967 Filmation series Fantastic Voyage.
He became a
During the second season of He-Man, and all of
In 1989, Westinghouse decided to shut down Filmation and sell the studio's properties. Scheimer effectively went into retirement after the end of his studio. In the late 1990s, he returned to the field of animation. A Dutch investment company, Dreamweavers, NV., approached him with a concept based on an off-kilter Dutchman's renderings of characters aimed at young adults. Scheimer went into production on Robin and the Dreamweavers, an adult animated feature film. Robin, the first human to be born in cyberspace, battles Triple XXX: an evil siren who desires an earthly body, and who gains power through mankind's baser carnal desires. The movie, which has been compared to the majority of Ralph Bakshi's work, was never distributed. Scheimer also provided consultation work for Gang of Seven (G7) Animation.
The Lou Scheimer Gallery at the ToonSeum, a museum of comic and cartoon art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is named in his honor.
Personal life
Scheimer was married to Joanne "Jay" Wucher (1931–2009) until her death. They had one son, Lane (b. 1956), and one daughter, Erika (b. 1960).
Scheimer underwent
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | Journey Back to Oz | Tin Woodman's Guard | Voice role; Uncredited |
1973 | Treasure Island | Bearded Sailor / Pirate | Voice role; Uncredited |
1982 | Mighty Mouse in the Great Space Chase | Mighty Mouse / Various voices[10] | Voice role; Uncredited |
1985 | He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword | Tri-Klops / Broom / Sprag / Sprocker / Garv the Innkeeper / Bard / Messenger / Horde Computer
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Voice role; Credited as "Erik Gunden" |
1987 | Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night | Water Bug / Doorman | Voice role; Uncredited |
1988 | BraveStarr: The Legend | Captain Andrews / Townsman | Voice role; Uncredited |
1989 | Happily Ever After | Mouse | Voice role; Uncredited |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1968-1969 | The Adventures of Batman | Various voices | Voice role; 17 episodes |
1972 | The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Movie Director / Lance / Town Crier | Voice role; Episode: Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies |
1972-1985 | Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids | Dumb Donald / Albert's Father / Stinger / Legal Eagle / Various voices
|
Voice role; 110 episodes |
1973 | Lassie's Rescue Rangers | Duane Johnson / Mr. Johnson | Voice role; Episode: "Lost" |
Mission: Magic! | Mr. Mayor / Reporter | Voice role; Episode: "The City Inside the Earth" | |
1973-1974 | Star Trek: The Animated Series | Dramian Guard / Romulan Crewman / Lemus | Voice role; 3 episodes |
1974-1975 | The New Adventures of Gilligan | Snubby the Monkey | Voice role; 24 voices |
1975-1976 | Shazam! | Narrator / Hercules / Atlas / Zeus / Achilles / Mercury | Voice role; 27 episodes |
1975 | The Ghost Busters | Zero | Voice role; 15 episodes |
1976 | Ark II | Adam / Merry Man / Kitchen Computer | Voice role; 15 episodes |
1976-1979 | Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle | N'Kima / Bol Mangani Guard[9] | Voice role; 36 episodes |
1977 | The New Adventures of Batman | Batcomputer / Clayface/Matt Hagen / Lucky's Henchman / Prison Guard
|
Voice role; 16 episodes |
The Fat Albert Halloween Special
|
Dumb Donald | Voice role; Television movie | |
Space Sentinels | M.O. / Brad / Dr. Kerlin | Voice role; 13 episodes | |
Space Academy | Station Intercome / Fracture the Parrot / Taca | Voice role; 9 episodes | |
The Fat Albert Christmas Special
|
Dumb Donald | Voice role; Television movie | |
1978 | Fabulous Funnies | Dinny / Magic Mirror / Police Officer / Mr. Clangborn | Voice roles; 5 episodes |
1978-1979 | Tarzan and the Super 7 | Spinner / Scarab / Thirsty Egyptian / Police Sergeant / Various voices | Voice roles; 26 episodes |
Jason of Star Command | Narrator / Various voices | Voice roles; 28 episodes | |
1979-1980 | The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle
|
Mighty Mouse / Various voices[10] | Voice role; 16 episodes |
1979-1982 | The New Adventures of Flash Gordon | Gremlin / Robot / Lizard Man | Voice role; 16 episodes |
1980-1981 | Sport Billy | Olympian Computer / Various voices[21] | Voice role; 25 episodes |
1980-1982 | The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour | Les Barton / Trail Boss / Kurt | Voice role; 27 episodes |
The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show | Tom Cat / Jerry Mouse / Spike (wraparound segments, episodes 6-15) / Tuffy / Slick (wraparound segments, episodes 7-15) / Barney Bear (wraparound segments, episode 4, episodes 7-15) / Various voices[22] | Voice role; 15 episodes | |
1981-1982 | Hero High | A.W.O.L. / Narrator | Voice role; 26 episodes |
The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | Mister Mind / Black Adam / Ibac / Narrator | Voice role; 38 episodes | |
The New Adventures of Zorro | Peasant / Coach Driver / Servant | Voice role; 7 episodes | |
Blackstar | Prince Dahl / Vizier / Ice Guard | Voice role; 9 episodes | |
1982 | The Fat Albert Easter Special
|
Dumb Donald / Stinger / Narrator / Seymour / Kaznak / Rabbits / Doctor | Voice role; Television movie |
Gilligan's Planet | Bumper | Voice role; 13 episodes | |
1983-1985 | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | Clawful / Attak Trak / Jitsu / Spikor / Two Bad / Modulok / Various voices
|
Voice role; 130 episodes |
1985 | He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special | Orko / King Randor / Kowl / Rattlor / Horde Prime / Multi-Bot / Monstroid / Father
|
Voice role; Television movie |
1985-1987 | She-Ra: Princess of Power | Spirit/Swift Wind / Kowl / Horde Troopers / Horde Prime / Light Hope / Broom / Grizzlor / Modulok / Multi-Bot / Orko / Various voices
|
Voice role; 93 episodes |
1986 | Ghostbusters | Tracy the Gorilla / Sir Trance-A-Lot / Ansabone / Skelevision / Fuddy / Various voices | Voice role; 65 episodes |
1987-1988 | BraveStarr | Sandstorm / Hog-Tie / Two-Face / Goldtooth / Howler / Dingo Dan / Barker / Diamondback / Doc Clayton / Fleeder's Father | Voice role; 64 episodes |
Filmmaking credits
Year | Title | Producer | Executive producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | The New Adventures of Superman | Yes | No | 4 episodes |
1967 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | Yes | No | 17 episodes |
The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure | Yes | No | 3 episodes | |
1967-1969 | Aquaman | Yes | No | 18 episodes |
1968-1969 | The Adventures of Batman | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
Fantasic Voyage | Yes | No | 17 episodes | |
1968-1971 | The Archie Show | Yes | No | Aka Archie's Funhouse |
1969 | Archie and His New Pals | Yes | No | Television movie |
1969-1971 | The Hardy Boys | Yes | No | |
1969-1972 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Yes | No | 61 episodes |
1970 | Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down | Yes | No | Episode: "Computer Suitor" |
Groovie Goolies | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
1971 | Aesop's Fables | Yes | No | Television movie |
Archie's TV Funnies | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
1972 | Journey Back to Oz | Yes | No | |
The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Yes | No | 3 episodes | |
1972-1973 | The Brady Kids | Yes | No | 22 episodes |
Lassie's Rescue Rangers | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
1973 | Treasure Island | Yes | No | |
My Favorite Martians | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
Mission: Magic! | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
1973-1974 | Star Trek: The Animated Series | Yes | No | 22 episodes |
1974 | Oliver Twist | Yes | No | |
The U.S. Of Archie | Yes | No | 16 episodes | |
1974-1975 | The New Adventures of Gilligan | No | Yes | 24 episodes |
1974-1976 | Shazam! | No | Yes | 28 episodes |
1975 | The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty | Yes | No | 13 episodes |
The Ghost Busters | No | Yes | 15 episodes | |
Wacky and Packy | Yes | No | Episodes: "The New York Sweats" | |
1975-1976 | Uncle Croc's Block | No | Yes | |
The Secrets of Isis | No | Yes | 22 episodes | |
1976 | Ark II | No | Yes | 15 episodes |
1976-1979 | Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle | No | Yes | 36 episodes |
1977 | The New Adventures of Batman | Yes | No | 16 episodes |
The New Archie and Sabrina Hour | No | Yes | ||
The Fat Albert Halloween Special
|
Yes | No | Television movie | |
Space Sentinels | No | Yes | 13 episodes | |
Space Academy | No | Yes | 15 episodes | |
The Fat Albert Christmas Special
|
Yes | No | Television movie | |
1977-1978 | Sabrina, Super Witch
|
Yes | No | |
Archie's Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show | Yes | No | ||
1978 | The Freedom Force | No | Yes | 5 episodes |
Fabulous Funnies | No | Yes | 13 episodes | |
1978-1979 | Tarzan and the Super 7 | No | Yes | 33 episodes |
1978-1979 | Jason of Star Command | No | Yes | 28 episodes |
1979-1980 | The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle
|
No | Yes | |
1979-1982 | The New Adventures of Flash Gordon | No | Yes | 24 episodes |
1979-1985 | Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids | Yes | Yes | 5 episodes |
1980-1981 | Sport Billy | No | Yes | 26 episodes |
1980 | A Snow White Christmas | No | Yes | Television movie |
1980-1982 | The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show | Yes | No | |
The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour | Yes | No | 28 episodes | |
1981 | Blackstar | Yes | No | 13 episodes |
The New Adventures of Zorro | Yes | No | 13 episodes | |
1981-1982 | The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | No | Yes | |
Hero High | No | Yes | ||
1982 | The Fat Albert Easter Special
|
Yes | No | Television movie |
Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All | No | Yes | Television movie | |
Mighty Mouse in the Great Space Chase | Yes | No | ||
Gilligan's Planet | No | Yes | 13 episodes | |
1983-1985 | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | No | Yes | 130 episodes |
1985 | He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword | No | Yes | |
He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special | No | Yes | Television movie | |
1985-1987 | She-Ra: Princess of Power | No | Yes | 93 episodes |
1986 | Ghostbusters | No | Yes | 65 episodes |
1987 | Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night | Yes | No | |
1987-1988 | BraveStarr | Yes | No | 65 episodes |
1988 | BraveStarr: The Legend | Yes | No | |
1989 | Town Musicians of Bremen | Yes | No | |
Happily Ever After | Yes | No | ||
2000 | Robin and the Dreamweavers | Yes | No |
References
- ^ "R.I.P. Animation Legend Lou Scheimer". Science Fiction. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
- ^ Fred Patten (December 19, 2012). "Book Review - 'Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation'". Animation World Network. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-60549-044-1
- ^ Bates, James (February 8, 1989). "Filmation Shuts Plant, Beats Closing Law Deadline by 1 Day". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- Florence, AL. Associated Press. April 27, 1970. p. 2. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
- Portsmouth Times. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 21. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
- Fredericksburg, VA. Associated Press. p. 20. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
- ^ Mangels, Andy (Summer 2018). "Star Trek: The Animated Series". RetroFan (1). TwoMorrows Publishing: 25–37.
- ^ a b "The Animated Tarzan". Cartoon Research. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Obscure Cartoon Spotlight Episode 6: Quackula". Anime Superhero News. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ "R.I.P. Lou Scheimer (Filmation)". DeviantArt. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- ^ "Filmation Tribute to Lou Scheimer". DeviantArt. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- ^ "Group W sells Filmation." Broadcasting, February 13, 1989, pg. 94
- ^ "Cartoon Studio Founder Lou Scheimer Dies". Time. October 21, 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ^ "Lou Scheimer". IMDb. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
- ^ a b "Remembering She-Ra and He-Man: Interview with Lou Scheimer". Animation World Network. November 7, 2006. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ^ "He-Man cartoon producer Lou Scheimer dies aged 84". BBC News. October 22, 2013.
- ^ Inkpot Award
- ^ "Lou Scheimer 2012 Inkpot Award". AniMA Firenze. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Colker, David (October 20, 2013). "Lou Scheimer obituary: Filmation founder Lou Scheimer dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ISBN 9781605490441. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
The English language voices were my son Lane Scheimer as Sport Billy; Joyce Bulifant as Lilly, Queen Vanda and Sportikus' wife, Pandusa; and the great Frank Welker as Willy, Sipe and Sportikus. This was Lane's last voice work for Filmation, I believe. He was in his early 20s, and I think that's about when he got married and took off to be with his family. I did the voice of the Olympian Computer. There were also songs that ended each episode about the theme of the show.
- ISBN 9781605490441. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
Frank Welker did the first six shows for us, but when a Screen Actors Guild strike hit, he couldn't continue work. I had to come in and do all the voices as the producer.
Further reading
- Lou Scheimer & Andy Mangels. Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation, 2nd edn. Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Pub., 2015.
External links
- Lou Scheimer at IMDb
History
- Guide To Animated Star Trek - Filmation Associates
- Animated Views - A Fond Look Back At Filmation (Part 1) (October 31, 2004)
- Animated Views - A Fond Look Back At Filmation (Part 2) (December 10, 2006)
- LouScheimerProductions.com - My Dad: The Trend Setter at the Wayback Machine (archived March 22, 2004)
Interviews
- The Unofficial Isis Appreciation Page - Interview (July 2002)
- Masters Cast - Comic-Con Interview (QuickTime) (July 30, 2006)
- Retro Crush - David Teague Interview
- The-Trades Interview - R.J. Carter (June 11, 2007)