Jim Smith obit

‘Ren & Stimpy’ Artist and Spümcø Co-founder Jim Smith Has Died, Age 70 

He was not on the list.

Storyboard and Layout artist, character designer and musician Jim Smith (born James Carl Jobb) died on Friday, May 2, at age 70. The animation veteran was perhaps best known for co-founding indie studio Spümcø with working partner John Kricfalusi, Bob Camp and Lynne Naylor and co-developing the influential Nickelodeon series The Ren & Stimpy Show in 1991. Smith also co-created Spumco’s follow-up show The Ripping Friends with Kricfalusi (2001-2002).

The Lubbock, Texas-born Smith began his career as a layout and storyboard artist in the early 1980s, working on shows such as The Real Ghostbusters, The Get-Along Gang, Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures and Beany and Cecil. He was also an animator on the famous 1986 Rolling Stone music video Harlem Shuffle, directed by Ralph Bakshi and Kricfalusi and layout artist on Bjork’s 1995 music video, I Miss You, also directed by Kricfalusi.

He worked as a storyboard artist on Bakshi’s feature Cool World (1990), Warner Bros.’ Tiny Toon Adventures (1991) and Batman: The Animated Series (1992). He was also a character designer and storyboard artist on Nickelodeon’s The Ren & Stimpy Show in the 1990s. In the 2000s, his storyboard credits include Oh Yeah! Cartoons, Ice Age,  The Oblongs, Poochini, Ren and Stimpy Rocks, Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, SamuraiJack, The X’s, Tom and Jerry Tales, The Mighty B!, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, and Scooby-Doo: Legend of the Phantasaur.

Smith continued to work as a storyboard artist for Warner Bros. Animation’s The Looney Tunes Show and background artist on Cartoon Network’s acclaimed Over the Garden Wall miniseries.

Smith was also an accomplished musician: He played the guitar on the Ren & Stimpy theme song, alongside Scott Huml and Chris Reccardi.

In a 2007 interview, Smith said, “At first, my inspiration was Jack Kirby, a Marvel Comics artist. But as far as animation, it was always Chuck Jones and Tex Avery. I didn’t really start gettin’ into Clampett ’til I met John… when I came to California. There was never any good prints of Clampett cartoons on TV in Texas. They always just played Chuck Jones and Friz Freling cartoons. But when I met John he showed me all these really cool cartoons. He’d freeze frame them. They were great. I got heavily into Clampett after that. I was always into Disney before….Another real real big influence on me was Frank Frazetta. He was an oil painter who painted a lot of paperback covers in the sixties. He was kind of famous for painting Conan. I think he’s the greatest painter that ever lived. I discovered him at a time when I didn’t really want to be an artist… when I was heavily into my music. But I kept on getting those paperbacks of his and gradually came back around. And I decided to draw for a living!”

His friends and colleagues shared heartfelt remembrances of Smith on social media. Writer Richard Purcel (@dickp2000) who worked with Smith on several projects wrote: “Oh man, we’ve lost another one of my artistic heroes, Jim Smith. I met Jim working my first animation gig on Tiny Toon Adventures where he had already commanded respect as one of the best in the business. He studied classic film composition, taught life drawing. He was a mentor, patient, and humble. His skills were undeniable. Rest in Peace, Jim. You made the world a much better place.”

Spumco co-founder and Ren and Stimpy co-creator Bob Camp wrote:  “Happy Trails to Jim Smith, cartoonist and musician who has gone on to the big cartoon studio in the sky. He was one of the four original Spumco big-shots who co-created The Ren and Stimpy Show and the best draftsman of all of us.”

Director

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

Director

1993

2 episodes

 

Beany and Cecil (1988)

Beany and Cecil

6.5

TV Series

segment director

1988

5 episodes

 

Writer

Phil LaMarr and Mako in Samurai Jack (2001)

Samurai Jack

8.5

TV Series

written by

2003–2004

2 episodes

 

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon' (2003)

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon'

5.3

TV Series

story

2003

1 episode

 

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Time Warp (1994)

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Time Warp

6.6

Video Game

original story: segments - "Haunted House", "Untamed World: A Cartoon"

1994

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

storystorieswritten by ...

1991–1993

14 episodes

 

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)

Tiny Toon Adventures

7.5

TV Series

written by: segment "Boo-Ha-Ha" (uncredited)

1991

1 episode

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

story

1990

 

Actor

Stussy - Bobby Bigloaf

Short

Stussy Bobby Bigloaf (voice)

2012

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

Audience MemberTelevision AnnouncerElectric Fence Voice ...

1992–1993

11 episodes

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

The NarratorThe Dogcatcher (voice)

1990

 

Producer

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

producerspumco big-shot

1991–1993

15 episodes

 

Production Designer

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The Texas RailRoad Killer

3.7

Production Designer

2020

 

Deann Borshay, Angela Davis, Peter Dinklage, Dr. Riyadh, Bonita Dearmond, and Mohamed Bangura in P.O.V. (1988)

P.O.V.

7.9

TV Series

Production Designer

2010

1 episode

 

Art Director

Ren and Stimpy: It's Our House Now!

Art Director

Pre-production

 

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon' (2003)

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon'

5.3

TV Series

Art Director

2003

1 episode

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

Art Director

1991–1996

7 episodes

 

Costume Designer

Yoake No Mariko (2001)

Yoake No Mariko

Video Game

costume designer: spumco

2001

 

Art Department

Bigfoot Littlefoot (2019)

Bigfoot Littlefoot

7.1

TV Series

storyboard artist

2019

1 episode

 

Cans Without Labels (2019)

Cans Without Labels

2.7

Short

storyboard

2019

 

The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown (2015)

The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown

5.4

Video

storyboard cleanup

2015

 

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Over the Garden Wall

8.7

TV Mini Series

background artist

2014

8 episodes

 

Jeff Bergman in The Looney Tunes Show (2011)

The Looney Tunes Show

7.8

TV Series

storyboard artist

2012

1 episode

 

Bratz: Desert Jewelz (2012)

Bratz: Desert Jewelz

4.9

storyboards by

2012

 

YooHoo and Friends (2011)

YooHoo and Friends

6.7

TV Series

storyboard artist

2011

2 episodes

 

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (2011)

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur

6.6

Video

storyboard artist (as James Smith)

2011

 

Mongo Wrestling Alliance (2011)

Mongo Wrestling Alliance

4.0

TV Series

storyboard artist

2011

2 episodes

 

Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo (2009)

Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo

6.8

Video

storyboard artist (uncredited)

2009

 

The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009)

The Haunted World of El Superbeasto

5.8

Video

storyboard artist

2009

 

Tom and Jerry Tales (2006)

Tom and Jerry Tales

7.4

TV Series

storyboard artist

2006–2007

13 episodes

 

The X's (2005)

The X's

5.8

TV Series

storyboard artiststoryboard revisionsstoryboard

2005–2006

15 episodes

 

Phil LaMarr and Mako in Samurai Jack (2001)

Samurai Jack

8.5

TV Series

storyboarded byadditional storyboardprop design ...

2001–2004

28 episodes

 

Go! Go! Hypergrind (2003)

Go! Go! Hypergrind

6.8

Video Game

stage design

2003

 

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon' (2003)

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon'

5.3

TV Series

storyboard artist: Spumco USAstoryboard artistdesigner

2003

8 episodes

 

Billy West in Ren and Stimpy Rocks (2001)

Ren and Stimpy Rocks

TV Series

storyboard artist

2002

1 episode

 

Poochini (2000)

Poochini

6.3

TV Series

storyboard artist (segment "Abandoned")

2002

1 episode

 

The Ripping Friends (2001)

The Ripping Friends

6.3

TV Series

storyboard artist

2001–2002

13 episodes

 

What a Cartoon! (1995)

What a Cartoon!

8.4

TV Series

layout artist

2002

1 episode

 

Zac Moncrief in Baxter and Bananas in Monkey See Monkey Don't (2002)

Baxter and Bananas in Monkey See Monkey Don't

7.6

Short

assistant storyboard artist

2002

 

John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and Ray Romano in Ice Age (2002)

Ice Age

7.5

storyboard artist (uncredited)

2002

 

Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie (2001)

Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie

8.6

TV Movie

character design (uncredited)

2001

 

Oh Yeah! Cartoons (1998)

Oh Yeah! Cartoons

7.3

TV Series

assistant storyboard artist (segment "Baxter and Bananas: Monkey See, Monkey Don't!")

2002

1 episode

 

Weekend Pussy Hunt (2000)

Weekend Pussy Hunt

7.0

TV Series

storyboard bystoryboard artist

2000

10 episodes

 

Björk: Volumen (1999)

Björk: Volumen

8.8

Video

layout: video "I Miss You"

1999

 

Xmas Card

Short

artist

1997

 

The Goddamn George Liquor Program (1997)

The Goddamn George Liquor Program

5.7

TV Series

artist

1997

1 episode

 

Björk in Björk: I Miss You (1997)

Björk: I Miss You

7.7

Music Video

layout

1997

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

storyboard artistcharacter designstoryboards ...

1991–1996

21 episodes

 

Buy One, Get One Free* (1996)

Buy One, Get One Free*

7.4

Short

additional design by (uncredited)

1996

 

Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

Batman: The Animated Series

9.0

TV Series

storyboard

1992

1 episode

 

Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger in Cool World (1992)

Cool World

4.8

story artist

1992

 

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)

Tiny Toon Adventures

7.5

TV Series

storyboard artist

1991

3 episodes

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

designstoryboard artist (uncredited)

1990

 

Beany and Cecil (1988)

Beany and Cecil

6.5

TV Series

storyboard artist

1988

5 episodes

 

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987)

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures

7.0

TV Series

storyboard artist

1987–1988

5 episodes

 

Spiral Zone (1987)

Spiral Zone

7.4

TV Series

storyboard director

1987

65 episodes

 

The Real Ghostbusters (1986)

The Real Ghostbusters

7.6

TV Series

storyboard artist (as James Smith)

1987

13 episodes

 

Dinosaucers (1987)

Dinosaucers

6.4

TV Series

storyboard artist

1987

5 episodes

 

The Get Along Gang (1984)

The Get Along Gang

7.0

TV Series

storyboard artist (as James Smith)

1984

13 episodes

 

Animation Department

Cans Without Labels (2019)

Cans Without Labels

2.7

Short

animationlayout artist

2019

 

George Liquor Learns Evolution

layout artist

2013

 

Electric City (2012)

Electric City

6.7

TV Series

layout artistcharacter layout

2012

20 episodes

 

Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)

The Simpsons

8.6

TV Series

layout artist: couch gag (uncredited)

2011

1 episode

 

Deann Borshay, Angela Davis, Peter Dinklage, Dr. Riyadh, Bonita Dearmond, and Mohamed Bangura in P.O.V. (1988)

P.O.V.

7.9

TV Series

background layout artistlayout artist

2010

2 episodes

 

The Mighty B! (2008)

The Mighty B!

5.3

TV Series

layout artist

2008–2009

30 episodes

 

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon' (2003)

Ren & Stimpy 'Adult Party Cartoon'

5.3

TV Series

background designercharacter designercharacter designer: Ralph Bakshi

2003

2 episodes

 

Phil LaMarr and Mako in Samurai Jack (2001)

Samurai Jack

8.5

TV Series

character designer

2002

8 episodes

 

Yoake No Mariko (2001)

Yoake No Mariko

Video Game

background designer: spumcocharacter designer: spumco

2001

 

The Oblongs (2001)

The Oblongs

7.1

TV Series

character layout artist

2001

1 episode

 

Weekend Pussy Hunt (2000)

Weekend Pussy Hunt

7.0

TV Series

layout bylayout artist

2000

6 episodes

 

He-Hog the Atomic Pig

4.1

TV Movie

background artistlayout artist

1999

 

Björk: Volumen (1999)

Björk: Volumen

8.8

Video

layout artist

1999

 

Björk in Björk: I Miss You (1997)

Björk: I Miss You

7.7

Music Video

layout artist

1997

 

What a Cartoon! (1995)

What a Cartoon!

8.4

TV Series

additional layout

1996

1 episode

 

Buy One, Get One Free* (1996)

Buy One, Get One Free*

7.4

Short

additional layoutscharacter designer

1996

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

character designerlayout supervisorlayout artist ...

1991–1993

19 episodes

 

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)

Tiny Toon Adventures

7.5

TV Series

character layout artistlayout artistmodel designer ...

1989–1990

44 episodes

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

animationcharacter designerlayout

1990

 

Joseph Dammann in McGee and Me! (1989)

McGee and Me!

7.0

TV Series

animation layout

1989

1 episode

 

Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills (1989)

Troop Beverly Hills

5.9

animator: opening titleslayout artist: opening titles (uncredited)

1989

 

Beany and Cecil (1988)

Beany and Cecil

6.5

TV Series

layout artist

1988

5 episodes

 

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987)

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures

7.0

TV Series

layout artist

1987–1988

4 episodes

 

The Rolling Stones: Harlem Shuffle (1986)

The Rolling Stones: Harlem Shuffle

6.4

Music Video

animator

1986

 

Defenders of the Earth (1986)

Defenders of the Earth

6.9

TV Series

storyboard director

1986

55 episodes

 

Music Department

Billy West in Ren and Stimpy Rocks (2001)

Ren and Stimpy Rocks

TV Series

composer: additional music

2002

3 episodes

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

composer: additional musiccomposer: theme musiccomposer: Featuring The Music Of ...

1991–1996

54 episodes

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

musician: guitar (as Jiminy 'Jelly-Roel' Smith)

1990

 

Additional Crew

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

big-shot: Spumco

1991

5 episodes

 

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987)

Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures

7.0

TV Series

assistant to Mr. Kricfalusi (uncredited)

1987

1 episode

 

Thanks

Actorpus

Short

special thanks

2018

 

Just Say No (2017)

Just Say No

Short

special thanks

2017

 

I Wish My Brother George Was Here

special thanks

2012

 

Skillethead

special thanks

2012

 

Baby's New Formula

Short

special thanks (as James Smith)

1994

 

Soundtrack

Piranha 3D (2010)

Piranha 3D

5.5

writer: "M.A.D."

2010

 

Ren & Stimpy: Quest for the Shaven Yak (1994)

Ren & Stimpy: Quest for the Shaven Yak

6.3

Video Game

writer: "Dog Pound Hop", "Big House Blues" (uncredited)

1994

 

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Time Warp (1994)

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Time Warp

6.6

Video Game

Soundtrack ("Dog Pound Hop", "Big House Blues", uncredited)

1994

 

Mel Blanc, John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell, Elizabeth Daily, Harvey Korman, Hlynur Sigurðsson, Marinó Sigurðsson, Elaine Silver, and Melanie Silver in The Flintstones (1994)

The Flintstones

5.0

writer: "Dog Pound Hop"

1994

 

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Veediots! (1993)

The Ren & Stimpy Show: Veediots!

4.4

Video Game

Soundtrack ("Dog Pound Hop", uncredited)

1993

 

Billy West in The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)

The Ren & Stimpy Show

7.5

TV Series

lyrics: "The Lord Loves A-Hangin'"music: "The Lord Loves A-Hangin'"writer: "Space Madness"

1991–1992

2 episodes

 

Big House Blues (1990)

Big House Blues

8.1

Short

performer: "Dog Pound Hop"writer: "Dog Pound Hop"

1990

 

Self

Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story (2020)

Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story

7.1

Self (as James C. Smith)

2020