Darrell Van Citters | |
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| Born | |
| Alma mater | CalArts |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Known for | DirectingHi Hi Puffy AmiYumi &Looney Tunes |
Darrell Van Citters is an Americandirector, animator, and author, whose credits include directing the animated television seriesHi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and directing popularLooney Tunes cartoons featuringBugs Bunny,Daffy Duck,Porky Pig,Sylvester the Cat,Tweety, andFoghorn Leghorn.[1] He partnered withAshley Postlewaite in 1992 to formRenegade Animation. He studied animation at theCalifornia Institute of the Arts.[2]
Van Citters began his career in animation training at the prestigiousCalifornia Institute of the Arts in the Disney-sponsoredCharacter Animation program. While still atCal Arts, he spent one summer working atChuck Jones' studio as in-betweener/gofer. The next summer he spent as an assistant atFilmation Studios.
After graduating, he went straight into the animation business and started at theWalt Disney Studio as a trainee in animation. He worked his way up to animator onThe Fox and the Hound and, after working on story for a few TV specials, he was placed as director onFun with Mr. Future. Van Citters continued as director and did much of the original development work onWho Framed Roger Rabbit, including his personal choice for the voice of Roger (a then-unknown member of the Los Angeles improv comedy groupThe Groundlings,Paul Reubens). His final Disney project was directing the "SportGoofy" filmSoccermania in 1987.
Van Citters moved toWarner Bros. Animation in 1987 as an animator (his first work with Warner Bros. was 1988'sDaffy Duck's Quackbusters), before being promoted as Creative Director a couple years later. His duties included overseeing almost every aspect of the classic Warners characters from the new shorts, to commercials to the comic strip and print work. He was asked to direct the first newBugs Bunny short in over 26 years and, after bringing in a full animation staff,Box Office Bunny was produced and released with the Warner Bros. feature film,The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter.
While with Warner Bros., whenMel Blanc died in July 1989, Van Citters drew the famous "Speechless" drawing, which showed a spotlight on a microphone, as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, Pepé Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, and Foghorn Leghorn somberly bowed their heads in a moment of silence.[3]
In July 1992, Van Citters left Warner Bros. to strike out on his own, formingRenegade Animation along with ex-Warners' alumnaAshley Postlewaite. Since incorporation the company has produced a multitude of commercials, with highlights including: the "It ain't easy bein' cheesy" and “Dangerously cheesy!” campaigns featuringChester Cheetah,NBA greatDennis Rodman's famous ad in which one of his tattoos is seen eating a burger forCarl's Jr., and theBugs Bunny/Michael Jordan "Hare Jordan/Aerospace Jordan" commercials (although, technically, the first Hare Jordan spot was produced while he was still with Warner Bros.).[4]
Craving creative freedom and control, Darrell steered Renegade to be one of the pioneers in internet animation and won anAnnie Award in 2001 for the web seriesElmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective. The following year, Renegade made its first foray into television series production with the "Captain Sturdy" shorts forCartoon Network. Other series followed, includingHi Hi Puffy AmiYumi andThe Mr. Men Show, as well as the direct-to-DVD full-length animated filmChristmas Is Here Again. From 2014 to 2021, he directed various episodes forThe Tom and Jerry Show. In 2021, he directed episodes ofTom and Jerry in New York forHBO Max.[5]
Van Citters has written his first book, about the first prime time animated television Christmas special,Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol. The publication is a behind-the-scenes look of howUnited Productions of America made the special.[6]
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