Bruno Bianchi | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1955-09-06)6 September 1955 |
| Died | 2 December 2011(2011-12-02) (aged 56) Paris, France |
| Burial place | Père Lachaise Cemetery |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Animator |
| Years active | 1977–2011 |
Bruno Bianchi (Italian:[ˈbruːnoˈbjaŋki],French:[bʁynobjɑ̃ki]; 6 September 1955 – 2 December 2011) was a Frenchcartoonist,comics artist[1] andanimation director. Bianchi worked extensively as an artist, director and producer on animated television productions; includingHeathcliff,Iznogoud and most notably,Inspector Gadget, which he also co-created.[2][3]
Bianchi started his career at DiC Audiovisuel (laterDiC Entertainment) in 1977 at age 22 as a cel painter, then gradually assumed creative positions. His first director's credit was on the 1980 edutainment mini-seriesArchibald le Magichien (directly translated:Archibald the Magic Dog). In 1983, Bianchi scored his first major directing job onInspector Gadget, a series he co-created withAndy Heyward and DiC's founderJean Chalopin.[4] Bianchi served as main character designer and supervising director on the show, which became one of the most iconic series produced by DiC.
Subsequently, Bianchi worked as a director, producer and designer on numerous otherDiC Entertainment,Saban Entertainment andSIP Animation television animation productions from the 1980s until the mid-2000s. His credits includeHeathcliff (where he co-created theCats and Company characters together with Jean Chalopin),Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors,M.A.S.K.,Rainbow Brite,Diplodos (which he co-created and co-wrote with Jean Chalopin),Iznogoud,Princess Sissi andGadget & the Gadgetinis (a spinoff ofInspector Gadget).[3]
In 2008, following the closure of SIP Animation, Bianchi founded his own studio, Ginkgo Animation.[3] One of Ginkgo's projects had beenGeorge and Me (French titleGeorges et Moi),[5] an adaptation of a 2006Soleil Productions comic series that had first been picked up by SIP Animation as early as December 2007,[6] and had been planned to start production at SIP at the beginning of 2009.[7] However, by April 2011 this venture of Ginkgo's was considered unsuccessful due to changing priorities in the French animation industry,[5] according to one of the authors of the original comics.[8]
Bianchi died on 2 December 2011 at the age of 56.[3] He was buried inPère Lachaise Cemetery in Paris on 6 December 2011.[3][4]
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