Portal:Animation

Nedward "Ned" Flanders is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally loathed by Homer Simpson. A devout Christian, he is amongst the friendliest and most compassionate Springfield citizens and is generally considered a pillar of the Springfield community. He was one of the first characters outside of the immediate Simpson family to appear on the show, and has since been central to several episodes, the first being season two's "Dead Putting Society". His last name comes from Flanders St. in Portland, Oregon, the hometown of Simpsons creator Matt Groening. When he was created, he was intended to just be a neighbor who was very nice, but whom Homer loathed.

• ... that the creators of the cartoon Jade Armor filmed live-action martial arts stunts to visualize the show's animated action sequences?
• ... that the 1937 Fleischer Studios strike in New York City was the first major labor strike in the animation industry?
• ... that Encanto's Isabela Madrigal was animated to be aware that she is "always on stage"?
• ... that, for the animated film Us Again, director and writer Zach Parrish considered a video of an elderly couple dancing to be visceral and ideal inspiration?
• ... that the animated film The Exigency took thirteen years to make?
• ... that Raoul Servais invented a new technique for combining animation and live action for his short film Harpya?

Josh Weinstein (born May 5, 1966) is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Weinstein and Bill Oakley became best friends and writing partners at St. Albans High School; Weinstein then attended Stanford University and was editor-in-chief of the Stanford Chaparral. He worked on several short-term media projects, including writing for the variety show Sunday Best, but was then unemployed for a long period. Weinstein and Oakley eventually penned a spec script for Seinfeld, after which they wrote "Marge Gets a Job", an episode of The Simpsons. Subsequently, the two were hired to write for the show on a permanent basis in 1992. After they left The Simpsons, Oakley and Weinstein created Mission Hill. The show was plagued by promotional issues and was swiftly canceled. The two wrote several unsuccessful TV pilots, and were due to serve as showrunners on Sit Down, Shut Up in 2009. Oakley left the project over a contract dispute, but Weinstein remained until it was canceled.

The episodes of Family Guy, an American animated television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane (pictured) for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since its debut on January 31, 1999, the show has broadcast 201 episodes. The series centers on the dysfunctional Griffin family, which consists of father Peter, mother Lois, son Chris, baby Stewie and Brian, the family dog. He created two shorts entitled The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve, both of which played a key role in Fox executives' decision to pick up the series in 1998. After two seasons, Fox decided to cancel the show. Despite the cancellation, a third season was produced, after which the series was officially canceled at the end of 2003. Reruns on Cartoon Network's block Adult Swim drove up interest, and a letter-writing campaign, along with impressive DVD sales, encouraged Fox to bring the show back permanently. Family Guy returned to production in 2005, and is contracted to continue producing episodes until at least 2013.

• ...that Gordon Murray, the creator of classic British children's television shows Trumpton, Camberwick Green and Chigley, burnt all but one of his puppets on a bonfire in the 1980s?
• ...that the book South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today analyzes the animated television comedy series South Park using philosophical concepts?
• ...that the mockumentary Male Restroom Etiquette is the most viewed Sims video on YouTube?

Films released

• 1938 - Porky's Spring Planting (United States)
• 1949 - Knights Must Fall (United States)
• 1954 - Dragon Around (United States)
• 1960 - Mouse and Garden (United States)

Television series and specials

• 2011 - Hot Wheels Battle Force 5, an American and Canadian computer animated television series finishes airing on Cartoon Network