Frank Cavalier Braxton Jr. (March 31, 1929â€"June 1, 1969) was a
pioneering African-American animator and director.Braxton started his
animation career at Warner Bros. Cartoons in the 1950s as an assistant
to Ben Washam and was one of the first African-American animators with
any Hollywood studio. He stayed at Warner Bros. for two years. With no
prior animation experience Braxton was brought on as an "inbetweener"
with one or two other new hires, but his talent propelled him to being
an assistant animator to animator Ben Washam, in the Chuck Jones unit
at Warner's. Thus many of the Chuck Jones cartoons of the mid-1950s
contain Braxton's work. Later, he worked under animation director Bill
Hurtz and briefly managed a cartoon studio in Barcelona,
Spain.Returning to the United States, Braxton was a director for The
Bullwinkle Show, and Mr. Magoo. He also found work in 1967 for John
Hubley on one of his films, Urbanissimo.That same year he animated on
the Charlie Brown TV specials You're in Love, Charlie Brown and He's
Your Dog, Charlie Brown, under fellow Warner-alumnus Bill Melendez.
Also in 1967 he worked as a director for Jay Ward on Ward's last TV
series, George of the Jungle, and on his early Cap'n Crunch cereal
commercials. He was also briefly president of the Los Angeles local of
the Screen Cartoonists Guild.
pioneering African-American animator and director.Braxton started his
animation career at Warner Bros. Cartoons in the 1950s as an assistant
to Ben Washam and was one of the first African-American animators with
any Hollywood studio. He stayed at Warner Bros. for two years. With no
prior animation experience Braxton was brought on as an "inbetweener"
with one or two other new hires, but his talent propelled him to being
an assistant animator to animator Ben Washam, in the Chuck Jones unit
at Warner's. Thus many of the Chuck Jones cartoons of the mid-1950s
contain Braxton's work. Later, he worked under animation director Bill
Hurtz and briefly managed a cartoon studio in Barcelona,
Spain.Returning to the United States, Braxton was a director for The
Bullwinkle Show, and Mr. Magoo. He also found work in 1967 for John
Hubley on one of his films, Urbanissimo.That same year he animated on
the Charlie Brown TV specials You're in Love, Charlie Brown and He's
Your Dog, Charlie Brown, under fellow Warner-alumnus Bill Melendez.
Also in 1967 he worked as a director for Jay Ward on Ward's last TV
series, George of the Jungle, and on his early Cap'n Crunch cereal
commercials. He was also briefly president of the Los Angeles local of
the Screen Cartoonists Guild.
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