Bob Taylor has died :(

[robcat2075]

 

Robert Taylor, long time animator, artist and director from Terrytoons in the 60s to Ralph Bakshi's "Fritz the Cat" in the 70s to Disney's "Duck Tales" and "Goof Troop" in the 90s and even a spell as director of our very own "Tin Woodsman of OZ" movie, has died, I learned on Facebook this evening.

 

I am sorry to hear that although I knew he was not well for a long time. I enjoyed the brief chance to work with him here and wish we could have done more with him. Somewhere around the Hash site is a Frankenstein short he did with A:M in the very early days. Maybe someone can find a link to that?

[Rodney]

I'm very sad to hear this news.

Bob was an an extremely talented artist... and fast!

[zandoriastudios]

Sad to hear.....

[NancyGormezano]

Indeed, very sad to hear...I was honored to have had many, but not enough, interactions and virtual conversations, in the too short time frame that I knew him. Rest in peace dear one. Thank you for your many unsolicited, spontaneous and very welcome encouragements. I was deeply touched and always amazed by Bob's far ranging talents in the visual arts, including his lightning quick storyboarding feats, animation, directing skills, and always his wonderful, heartfelt music.

[Shelton]

He was so nice to me in the linited conversations I had interviewing for directors assistant. RIP.

[Rodney]

On many occasion I have tried to do a google search on Bob because I know there is a lot of information about him out there but haven't been able to find it.

It's not exactly easy finding relevant material based on a search for a guy named 'Robert Taylor' who goes by 'Bob'.

 

Bob's old website contained a whole lot of pilot ideas for animated short films and features not yet told and for awhile we could even download a copy of a 3D model of Keekat's little sister at one of the footnotes. The site's pages occasionally can be found (mostly via internet archive) and there are even a few interviews with him (entirely too short) out on the internet to be found.

 

If what he said during one interview can be believed he was bitten by the animation bug when as an orphan he felt alone in the world and through tears saw a short film featuring Goofy on the television. Now, if that sounds a bit like the origins of a superhero that isn't too far off the mark because his speed and skill at drawing were legendary. Truly super-heroic stuff.

I'm not sure how accurate that tale is as Bob does come from the generation of animation directors skilled at creating awesome back stories for themselves out of pixie dust.

 

Alas, life is not screened in perpetuity like most cartoons are and his life's story has now come to a close while we are left with our own fleeting impressions of Bob.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the many whose lives he made just a little bit better through his prolific storytelling, animation and cartoons.

[zandoriastudios]

I didn't know that Bob animated Fritz the Cat! I was reading the news on AWN, and was amazed by Bob's career. I wish I had spent more time picking his brain about animation....

http://www.awn.com/news/fritz-cat-animator-robert-taylor-dies-70

[NancyGormezano]

here's another link to all of Bob's credits on IMDb

[robcat2075]

Bob was the Supervising Producer for the "Goof Troop" series. On this particular episode he is also credited as Director...

 

Goof Troop: Axed by Addition