Friz Freleng Biography

Fast Facts

• A 1985 exhibit held by the New York Museum of Modern Art honored the work of both Friz and Chuck Jones, and the retrospective set attendance records that remain unbroken as of 2013
• Died of natural causes at age 89, and is interrred in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetary
• His animation career began at United Film Advancement Service in his birthplace of Kansas City, despite having no formal training on the field
• Initially reluctant to move, he eventually agreed to relocate to California and joined Disney, where he worked on the "Alice Comedies" and "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit․"
• In the early 1960s, he took a position at Hanna-Barbera as the story supervisor on "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!"
• Most commonly recognized for his work on Warner Bros․' animated franchises "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies"
• After leaving Warner Bros․ a second time in the 1980s, he promoted his secretary at the time, Kathleeen Helppie-Shipley, to fill his position, which she ended up filling for longer than any cartoon producer besides Leon Schlesinger
• After the closing of Warner Bros․ animation studios in the 1960s, he co-founded DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, which went on to produce cartoons such as "The Pink Panther Show․"
• Had a significant hand in the creation or development of such notable cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam and Speedy Gonzales
• His cartoons often featured a motif later called the "Freleng Door Gag," where characters enter one of several doors, only to exit out of a completely different one
• As the senior director at Termite Terrace studio at Warner Bros․, he directed more than 250 cartoons and won four Academy Awards, making him the most awarded and prolific animation director at the time
• Authored the book "Animation: The Art of Friz Freleng․"
• His nickname was often visually referenced in Warner-produced cartoons, appearing on billboards for fake products and services named after him
• Along with Dave DePatie, he is often credited with the creation of Frito-Lay's mascot Chester Cheetah, as well as the colored opening title sequence of "I Dream of Jeannie․"
• His nickname, "Friz," was given to him by a friend in reference to a fictional congressman mentioned in several Los Angeles Examiner articles