| Pete Alvarado | |
|---|---|
 Pam Martin and Pete Alvarado - Photo courtesy of Pam and Bob Martin. | |
| Born | Peter J. Alvarado Jr. (1920-02-22)February 22, 1920 Raton, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | December 27, 2003(2003-12-27) (aged 83) La Crescenta, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Penciller,animator,illustrator |
| Pseudonym(s) | Peter Jay, Bart Doe |
Notable works | Two time Academy Award winner for best short subject |
| Awards | The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839 Golden Award for Service to the Craft,Disney Hispanic Artist Award,Warner Bros. 24 "Carrot" Gold Award,ASIFAWinsor McCay Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aninmation |
Peter J. Alvarado Jr. (February 22, 1920 – December 27, 2003) was an Americananimation andcomic book artist. Alvarado's animation career spanned almost 60 years. He was also a prolific contributor toWestern Publishing's line of comic books.
Alvarado was born in Raton, New Mexico, and grew up inGlendale, California. He attended theChouinard Art Institute in the 1930; after graduation he was hired as an assistant animator by theWalt Disney Studio. He provided uncredited work onSnow White and the Seven Dwarves.[1] Around 1939 Alvarado left Disney to find work in New York City, where he provided his earliest comic book art forFunnies Inc., which supplied artwork forFawcett Publications andTimely Comics (nowMarvel Comics).[2]
Alvarado returned to California and Disney Studio in 1941. He left Disney in 1946 to work forWarner Bros. Animation. Alvarado became the background painter forChuck Jones, and his first screen credit was on the 1947Pepé Le Pew short, "Scent-imental Over You." He held this position until 1951, working on several cartoons such as the firstWile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon,Fast and Furry-ous, andChuck Jones' Oscar-winning shortFor Scent-imental Reasons. His last work with Jones was "Scentimental Romeo" in 1951, another cartoon featuring Pepé Le Pew.[3] Alvarado went on to replaceCornett Wood as chief layout artist forRobert McKimson's unit. He left Warner Bros. entirely and was replaced byBob Givens in 1953.
Alvarado later joinedDePatie-Freleng Enterprises after Warner Bros. closed their cartoon division. He worked on severalPink Panther shorts, as well as the short lived animated seriesSuper President.
Around 1971 Alvarado joinedHanna-Barbera as a layout artist; he worked on such series asThe Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (1971),Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch (1974), and many others. Alvarado also provided animation and layout work forFilm Roman (Garfield and Friends).
Alvarado was the recipient of the 2001Winsor McCay Award, for his lifetime of achievement in animation, as well as theAnimation Guild's 1987 Golden Award.
Concurrently with his animation work, Alvarado also worked as a prolific comic book illustrator. As noted above, he worked from 1939 to 1941 providing artwork for Funnies Inc. Alvarado returned to the comic book world in 1947, in collaboration withCharles McKimson (brother of animatorRobert McKimson). McKimson was the art director atWestern Publishing Company, and the two (in collaboration with Charles' brotherThomas) drew theRoy Rogers strip under the pen name "Al McKimson."[3] Alvarado went on to draw theGene Autry newspaper strip and comic book, theMr. Magoo newspaper strip for its entire run, a long period of theLittle Lulu newspaper strip, some work on theFlintstones andYogi Bear newspaper strip, and fill-in work for almost all theDisney newspaper strips, including an extended period as the main artist on theDonald Duck strip.[3]
The bulk of Alvarado's work at Western was for theiranthropomorphic animal comic books. Alvarado provided artwork for almost every Disney (Chip 'n Dale,Scamp), Warner Bros. (Tweety &Sylvester, Road Runner), Hanna-Barbera (Yogi Bear) and Walter Lantz (Andy Panda) licensed title. He also illustrated comic book adaptations of the animated filmsThe Rescuers,Robin Hood, andGay Purr-ee.[1]
Alvarado retired from animation in 1999. He died on December 27, 2003, in La Crescenta, California.
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