John Hubley

John Hubley. . , Marinette native John Hubley was born on May 21, 1914, and was inspired to become an artist by his mother and grandfather, both of whom were painters. Joining Disney to paint layouts in 1936, he found he disliked the studio’s ultra-realistic style of animation, and quit during a 1941 strike. After World War II, Hubley joined the United Productions of America (UPA), a studio founded by artists he had served with in the Air Force’s First Motion Picture Unit. By 1948, UPA had solidified a distribution deal with Columbia Pictures to produce theatrical short films. Hubley served as UPA’s vice president, creative head, and art director, constantly pushing UPA’s unique visual aesthetic. By combining modernist design principles and stylized character animation, Hubley helped UPA become one of the leading animation studios of the 1950s. Hubley also co-created UPA’s flagship character, Mr. Magoo. , Hubley was fired from UPA and blacklisted from Hollywood in 1952 for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Never abandoning his dreams, he opened a new studio, Storyboard, Inc. (later Hubley Studio) with his wife, Faith. Wanting to push animation “beyond pigs and bunnies,” the Hubleys continued innovating with their imaginative films. By combining jazz music, expressionist visuals, and improvised dialogue, the Hubleys’ films tackled political, societal, and moral issues in a way previously unseen in animation. The couple’s film Moonbird (1959) would become the first independent film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The Hubleys won two more awards in the category (with a total of seven nominations) before John’s death in 1977. , Erected 2022 , Animation Education Association , Wisconsin Historical Society