You may not immediately recognize his name, but chances are Ron Campbell was a part of your Saturday morning childhood.
The award-winning animation artist, director, and producer — whose more than 50 years in animation includes working on such iconic and influential cartoon series as The Beatles, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, The Smurfs, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Rugrats — is appearing tonight and Wednesday at Connexions Gallery as part of a two-day “Cartoon Pop Art Show.”
Campbell will be at Connexions until 8 p.m. this evening and 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Connexions Gallery is located at 213 Northampton St.
During his appearances at Connexions, Campbell will be selling original artwork and “Cartoon Pop Art Show” posters.
The 80-year-old Victoria, Australia, native was an animator on The Beatles’ 1968 feature film Yellow Submarine, particularly the “Sea of Time” sequence and much of the action between Chief Blue Meanie and his sidekick, Max. He also animated several scenes involving the characters Jeremy Hillary Boob, according to Campbell’s biography.
Campbell’s credits, in addition to the aforementioned works, include producing, directing, animating, or storyboarding such popular television series as Sesame Street, Yogi Bear, George of the Jungle, Harlem Globetrotters, Captain Caveman, Snorks, Heathcliff, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Darkwing Duck, Duck Tales, TaleSpin, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Duckman, and Aagh! Real Monsters!.
Campbell launched his own Hollywood animation studio, Ron Campbell Films, Inc., in 1971. The studio produced and directed animation for the Emmy Award-winning children’s cartoon series The Big Blue Marble. The Big Blue Marble, which ran from 1974 to 1983, also earned a Peabody for Excellence in Broadcasting award.