Animator Michael Sporn Passes Away
He was not on the list.
Pioneering American animator Animator
Michael Sporn passed away Saturday after suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Sporn produced and directed a number of animated specials and commercials
from his New York based studios. Many of his works were known for their underlying
social commentary and messages. He was also known for films aimed at educating
children rather than just entertaining them.
Sporn was the director of more
than thirty television specials for broadcast outlets as diverse as HBO, PBS,
Showtime and CBS. Sporn also had a long association with Weston Woods Studios,
directing such shorts as The Man Who Walked Between The Towers and The Mysterious
Tadpole. Despite the creation of Michael Sporn Animation, Inc. in 1982, the
association continued. The short Doctor DeSoto (1984) was such a collaboration,
and resulted in Sporns’ only Academy Award nomination in 1985. The short
was written by William Steig.
Sporn also directed Steig’s Abel’s
Island 1988) from the PBS anthology series “Long Ago & Far Away”, which
was nominated for an Emmy Award; The Amazing Bone (1985), winner of a CINE
Golden Eagle; and the aforementioned The Man Who Walked Between The Towers
(2005), which was the winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in
Children’s Video and Best Short Children’s Film award from the Ottawa International
Animation Festival.
He was 67 when he died, and is survived
by his wife, actress and director Heidi Stallings. At the time of his death,
was producing and directing Poe, an animated feature based the life of Edgar
Allan Poe.
Animation department (54 credits)
2011 Between the Lions (TV Series) (director -
1 episode)
- High School Class (2011) ...
(director: animation segment)
2011 I Can Be President: A Kid's-Eye View (TV
Movie documentary) (director of animation)
2006 Reading to Your Bunny (Video short)
(animator)
2005 Between the Towers (Short) (animator)
2004 Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
(TV Short documentary) (animation director)
2002 'Twas the Night (TV Movie) (animation
director)
2002 Courage the Cowardly Dog (TV Series)
(animation director - 1 episode)
- Remembrance of Courage
Past/Perfect (2002) ... (animation director: 'Past' Sequence - uncredited)
2002 I, Crocodile (Short) (animator)
2001 Goodnight Moon (animation director)
2000 Yo! Yes? (Short) (animator)
1999 Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales
(TV Short) (animation director)
1999 Leo the Late Bloomer (Short) (animator)
1999/III Life (Short) (animator)
1998 Kids Are Punny (TV Movie) (animation
director)
1998 Sesame Street: The Great Numbers Game
(Video short) (animator)
1997 Champagne (Documentary short) (animator)
1996 How Do You Spell God? (TV Short)
(animation director)
1995 Going, Going, Almost Gone! Animals in
Danger (TV Short) (animation director)
1995 The Land of the Four Winds (Video short)
(animator)
1994 Whitewash (TV Short) (animator)
1993 The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A
Christmas Tale (TV Short) (animator)
1993 The Talking Eggs (TV Movie) (animator)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Poems (Video)
(animator)
1992 Nightingale (TV Movie) (animator)
1992 A Child's Garden of Verses (TV Movie)
(animator) / (layout artist)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes
(Video) (animator)
1992 Sesame Street (TV Series) (character
animator - 1 episode)
- Oscar's GO Sign (1992) ...
(character animator: Crocodile Smiles Song - specific segments)
1991 Max's Chocolate Chicken (Short)
(animator)
1991 The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Short)
(animator)
1991 Ira Sleeps Over (TV Short) (animator)
1991 Jazztime Tale (TV Movie) (animator)
1991 The Emperor's New Clothes (TV Short) (animator)
/ (background artist) / (character designer)
1990 The Little Match Girl (TV Movie)
(animator) / (background artist)
1990 Earthday Birthday (TV Movie) (animator)
1990 The Red Shoes (TV Short) (animator)
1989 What's Under My Bed? (Short) (animator)
1989 The Story of the Dancing Frog (TV Short)
(animator)
1988 Max's Christmas (Short) (animator)
1988 Abel's Island (Video short) (animator)
1987 Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: The Musical - The
House on East 88th Street (TV Movie) (animator)
1986 The Mysterious Tadpole (Short) (animator)
/ (rendering artist)
1985 The Amazing Bone (Short) (animator)
1984 Doctor DeSoto (Short) (animator)
1983 Braingames (TV Series) (animation
director)
1982 Morris's Disappearing Bag (Short)
(animator)
1982 Andrea Doria: The Final Chapter (TV Movie
documentary) (sequence animator)
1981 Why We Need Doctors: No Measles, No Mumps
for Me (Short) (animator)
1981 The Trolls and the Christmas Express (TV
Short) (animator)
1980 Byron B. Blackbear and the Scientific
Method (Short) (animator)
1977 A Doonesbury Special (Short) (animator -
uncredited)
1977 Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical
Adventure (assistant animation supervisor: New York)
1976 People, People, People (Short) (animator
- uncredited)
1976 Everybody Rides the Carousel (animator)
1974 Voyage to Next (Short) (assistant
animator) / (ink and paint artist)
Director (48 credits)
2013 Poe
2006 Reading to Your Bunny (Video short)
2005 Between the Towers (Short)
2004 Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
(TV Short documentary)
2002 Mona Mon Amour (Short)
2002 The Night Before Christmas: A Mouse Tale
(TV Movie)
2002 I, Crocodile (Short)
2000 Yo! Yes? (Short)
1999 Leo the Late Bloomer (Short)
1997 Champagne (Documentary short)
1997 The Ten Commandments (Video)
1997 White Fang (Video short)
1995 The Land of the Four Winds (Video short)
1994 Whitewash (TV Short)
1993 The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A
Christmas Tale (TV Short)
1993 The Talking Eggs (TV Movie)
1992 Monty (Short)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Poems (Video)
1992 The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas
(Short)
1992 Nightingale (TV Movie)
1992 A Child's Garden of Verses (TV Movie)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes
(Video)
1991 Max's Chocolate Chicken (Short)
1991 The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Short)
1991 Ira Sleeps Over (TV Short)
1991 Jazztime Tale (TV Movie)
1991 The Emperor's New Clothes (TV Short)
1990 The Little Match Girl (TV Movie)
1990 The Marzipan Pig (TV Movie)
1990 Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (TV
Short)
1990 Earthday Birthday (TV Movie)
1990 The Red Shoes (TV Short)
1989 Baby's Storytime (Video)
1989 The Hunting of the Snark (Short)
1989 What's Under My Bed? (Short)
1989 The Story of the Dancing Frog (TV Short)
1988 Max's Christmas (Short)
1988 Abel's Island (Video short)
1987 Santabear's High Flying Adventure (TV
Short)
1987 Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: The Musical - The
House on East 88th Street (TV Movie)
1986 The Mysterious Tadpole (Short)
1985 The Amazing Bone (Short)
1984-1985 Braingames (TV Series) (4 episodes)
1984 Doctor DeSoto (Short)
1983 Reading Rainbow (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Louis the Fish (1983) ... (segment
"At the Library")
1982 Morris's Disappearing Bag (Short)
1981 Why We Need Doctors: No Measles, No Mumps
for Me (Short)
1980 Byron B. Blackbear and the Scientific
Method (Short)
Producer (40 credits)
2013 Poe (producer)
2011 I Can Be President: A Kid's-Eye View (TV
Movie documentary) (producer)
2005 Between the Towers (Short) (producer)
2002 Mona Mon Amour (Short) (producer)
2000 Yo! Yes? (Short) (producer)
1997 Champagne (Documentary short) (producer)
1997 The Ten Commandments (Video) (producer)
1997 White Fang (Video short) (producer)
1995 The Land of the Four Winds (Video short)
(producer)
1994 Whitewash (TV Short) (producer)
1993 The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A
Christmas Tale (TV Short) (producer)
1993 The Talking Eggs (TV Movie) (executive
producer) / (producer)
1992 Monty (Short) (producer)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Poems (Video)
(producer)
1992 The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas
(Short) (producer)
1992 Nightingale (TV Movie) (producer)
1992 A Child's Garden of Verses (TV Movie)
(producer)
1992 Nonesense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes
(Video) (producer)
1991 Max's Chocolate Chicken (Short)
(producer)
1991 The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Short)
(producer)
1991 Ira Sleeps Over (TV Short) (producer)
1991 Jazztime Tale (TV Movie) (producer)
1991 The Emperor's New Clothes (TV Short)
(producer)
1990 The Little Match Girl (TV Movie)
(producer)
1990 The Marzipan Pig (TV Movie) (producer)
1990 Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (TV
Short) (producer)
1990 Earthday Birthday (TV Movie) (producer)
1990 The Red Shoes (TV Short) (producer)
1989 The Hunting of the Snark (Short)
(producer)
1989 What's Under My Bed? (Short) (producer)
1989 The Story of the Dancing Frog (TV Short)
(producer)
1988 Max's Christmas (Short) (producer)
1988 Abel's Island (Video short) (producer)
1987 Santabear's High Flying Adventure (TV
Short) (producer)
1987 Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: The Musical - The
House on East 88th Street (TV Movie) (producer)
1986 The Mysterious Tadpole (Short) (producer)
1985 The Amazing Bone (Short) (producer)
1984 Doctor DeSoto (Short) (producer)
1981 Why We Need Doctors: No Measles, No Mumps
for Me (Short) (producer)
1980 Byron B. Blackbear and the Scientific
Method (Short) (producer)
Art department (7 credits)
2002 Courage the Cowardly Dog (TV Series)
(storyboard artist - 9 episodes)
2002 I, Crocodile (Short)
(storyboard artist)
1999 Leo the Late Bloomer (Short) (storyboard
artist)
1992 Nightingale (TV Movie) (storyboard
artist)
1992 A Child's Garden of Verses (TV Movie)
(exteriors)
1991 The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Short)
(storyboard artist)
1991 The Emperor's New Clothes (TV Short)
(storyboard artist)
Miscellaneous Crew (8 credits)
1989 Family Business (title designer)
1988 Running on Empty (title designer)
1987 Making Mr. Right (title designer)
1985 Desperately Seeking Susan (title
designer: Animation Inc.)
1984 Garbo Talks (title designer)
1982 Andrea Doria: The Final Chapter (TV Movie
documentary) (title designer)
1981 Prince of the City (title designer)
1977 Simple Gifts (TV Movie) (production
coordinator)
Writer (7 credits)
2002 Courage the Cowardly Dog (TV Series)
(written by - 1 episode)
- Remembrance of Courage
Past/Perfect (2002) ... (written by - segment "Remembrance of Courage
Past")
1992 The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas
(Short) (screenplay by)
1991 Ira Sleeps Over (TV Short) (adaptation)
1989 The Story of the Dancing Frog (TV Short)
(screenplay)
1988 Abel's Island (Video short) (screenplay)
1987 Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: The Musical - The
House on East 88th Street (TV Movie) (screenplay)
1980 Byron B. Blackbear and the Scientific
Method (Short) (screen adaptation)
Art director (1 credit)
2002 Harold and the Purple Crayon (TV Series) (1
episode)
- Cowboy Harold (2002)
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