The Late Arthur Rankin

[dannavy85]

Little know this year was the passing of the last Rankin brother, Arthur, who died last February. Much of the success of anime in America is owed to Arthur and Julius Rankin's animated specials in the 1960's and 1970's, almost all of them made with the help of Japanese animators.



Arthur and Julius had teamed up with Toei Animation on such classics as the claymated "Rudolph the red Nosed Reindeer" series, two Frosty the Snowman cartoons and in 1978 the first of two JR Tolkin Hobbit animations.

The Last Unicorn is probably the best known of the Rakin's list of works and was the creative spark for Ghibli Studios which was born from the Topcraft animation collective of anime artists who worked with the Rankins.

Oh those fond memories. Thanks Arthur.

[jeffbert]

I have fond memories of those holiday cartoons, & still watch them occasionally.