ABSTRACT

Early Influences My earliest memory of animation-and remember, this was many years ago, and I don't have a photographic memory-is watching cartoons on TV at the age of 5.

I loved the craziness, the surrealism, and the humor of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Popeye. Then along came the Disney shows-The Wonderful World of Disney and The Mickey Mouse Club. (I was a card-carrying member.)

I'm always amazed at the huge influence Walt Disney has had on our culture. If he had only created Mickey Mouse, that would be huge, but he also pioneered animated features and paved the way for the Pixar, DreamWorks, and Blue Sky films of today. He was also one of the first to show how merchandising can significantly increase a studio's income.