True Classics has a lovely retrospective of vaudevillian, cartoonist and animator, Winsor McCay. “McCay got his start in entertainment doing “chalk talks” on the vaudeville circuit. Much like J. Stuart Blackton, a groundbreaking figure in early animation in his own right, McCay drew figures on a chalkboard and altered […]
Character actor Hideji Otaki has died. Otaki worked with directors including Akira Kurosawa, Juzo Itami, Masahiro Shinoda and Koreyoshi Kurahara in films such as Kagemusha; Minbo: The Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion; A Taxing Woman; Gonza the Spearman and Black Sun. The Japan Times and The Kyodo News […]
The Library of Congress has an online exhibit on the history of illustration, cartoons, animation, single panel gag cartoons and comic strips in the United States. (via @fantagraphics)
At Sparks in Electrical Jelly, Jez Winship writes about Peter Strickland’s Berberian Sound Studio, Peter Cargill and the late Trish Keenan of Broadcast, who provide the film’s soundtrack, and the film’s namesake, the great experimental vocalist and composer, Cathy Berberian. It includes fascinating experimental scores for Berberian’s comic-strip […]
Muppet performer and puppeteer Jerry Nelson has died. Nelson performed Count Von Count, Snuffleupagus, Sherlock Hemlock, Fat Blue/Mr. Johnson, the female Koozbanian and Herry Monster on Sesame Street. He also performed Floyd Pepper, Camilla the Chicken, Lew Zealand and Dr. Julius Strangepork on The Muppet Show and movies […]
Comedian Phyllis Diller has died. The LA Times has an obituary. Diller discusses crashing the all-male Friar’s Club. Female comedians pay tribute to her. Funny or Die shares their 10 favorite jokes by Phyllis Diller.
Find t-shirts, mugs, totes and more at our new Guttermart location at Teepublic!
The Cultural Gutter 