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TCM's evening of Fleischer Family films - November 13!

11/10/2016

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When: November 13, 2016
Where: TCM
8pm EST - 7pm CST - 6pm MST- 5pm PST
​
​Check your local listings
or the TMC website
​for more information: 

That's right! On Sunday, November 13, TCM is dedicating an entire evening of entertainment to the work of Max, Dave and Richard Fleischer and it's all co-hosted by Mark Fleischer, Max's grandson and the CEO of Fleischer Studios.

This amazing evening begins with two Fleischer Studios classics: Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor (1936) and Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937). Together, these films represent two of only three "two-reeler" or long-form color films the Fleischers made featuring Popeye.

If you're interested in learning more about the creation of these very special films, take a look at 
Magic in Miami in our online museum. The exhibit features a 1938 episode of Popular Science that details the process of animation during this period, and even features the making of one of these amazing long format films.
The TMC evening continues with two films directed by Max's son, the acclaimed film director Richard Fleischer: the noir classic The Narrow Margin (1952) followed by the sci-fi thriller Soylent Green (1973) starring Charlton Heston. Thanks to animation historian Ray Pointer for helping to make this wonderful event into a reality. Ray's upcoming book The Art and Invention of Max Fleischer: An American Animation Pioneer is due to be released in December of this year.

From start to finish that's more than 4 hours of Fleischer films, covering 35 years of film making, and featuring 3 generations of the Fleischer family. You don't want to miss this!
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New Betty Boop Comic Book Now Available!

10/4/2016

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We are absolutely thrilled to report that Dynamite Entertainment's gorgeous, and highly anticipated, new comic book series - starring our own Betty Boop - is now available! ​
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Betty Boop, animation's original leading lady, returns to the printed page for the first time in 30 years thanks to the talent and artistry of award-winning writer Roger Langridge (The Muppets) and artist Gisèle Lagacé (Archie). The series features all new adventures with a retro-flare that harkens back to the original Fleischer films and includes Betty's well known pals Koko the Clown and Bimbo. ​
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Betty Boop #1, the first comic book, is available with four totally different covers that you can chose from. Each cover features the work of an all-star cast of creative Betty admirers including the legendary Howard Chaykin (American Flagg!), Roger Langridge doing double-duty as an illustrator and series interior artist Gisèle Lagacé, as well as a special Max Fleischer character sheet. Special edition variations will also be available, including a "Coloring Book Cover" by J. Bone (Super Friends), a cover printed on thick paper so fans of all ages can embellish her appearance and a Blank Authentix Edition that fans and comic professionals can illustrate.

"To be able to tell new stories based on Max Fleischer's original cartoon superstar is another great achievement for all of us here at Dynamite," says Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. "Betty Boop is one of the most recognizable faces in the history of animation, a timeless American cultural icon. This new series will delight comics fans young, old, and everywhere in-between!"

You can purchase the first comic book in the series now at Dynamite Comics, where you can also find out more about release dates for the rest of the series.  

©2016 King Features Syndicate, Inc./Fleischer Studios, Inc. TM Hearst Holdings, Inc./Fleischer Studios, Inc.
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ANNOUNCING "BETTY BOOP BY ROYAL CLOSET"

9/9/2016

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Great news for our fans in Mexico! Betty Boop officially unveiled her first high-end fashion co-branding collaboration with an amazing new line designed by Royal Closet and sold exclusively, in Mexico, by Liverpool. 
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Designed for today's women, "who are independent, versatile, feminine, bold, with unique personalities, who are not afraid to express themselves and be noticed."

Read more about this amazing collaboration in our press room!

You can also visit Royal Closet's Facebook Page to see photos from the product launch, hosted by Royal Closet co-owners Montserrat Oliver (actress, fashion icon, TV host and entrepreneur), and Carlos Ortega (designer) and featuring items from this gorgeous line of clothing and swimwear!
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Happy Birthday, Max!

7/19/2016

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Join us in celebrating our own Max Fleischer - animator, innovator and inventor - born July 19,1883.

In 1935, Fleischer Studios introduced a new character who, like Max himself, had a playful sense of humor and special genius for creative invention. This year we're celebrating Max Fleischer's birthday with this fun-filled tribute featuring Grampy.

Learn more about Max Fleischer in our Birthday Exhibit, featuring an audio recording from Max's 1941 Birthday Party!
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Betty Boop Enjoys Her Very Own PepsiMoji

7/14/2016

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This year, Pepsi took the world’s global language – emojis – offline inviting consumers to “Say It With Pepsi” by unleashing over 1,000 proprietary PepsiMoji designs - including this adorable Betty Boop emoji - in more than 100 markets. The PepsiCo Design & Innovation Center created the catalogue of globally and locally relevant designs for a universal visual language system for the brand. To experience the full range, download the PepsiMoji Keyboard App for free on the Apple App and Google Play stores. 

See this story in USA TODAY

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Pepsi's celebration of World Emoji Day also included - ​Love: From Cave to Keyboard, imagined by Pepsi. A limited engagement exhibit explores the evolution of communication through the emotional lens of love – from primitive etchings on earthen walls to illustrative hieroglyphics; icons drawn by hand to icons on the screen; from <3 to today’s evocative global language, the emoji. The exhibit carries attendees through a variety of communication mediums, including:
  • Silent Film: In an Art Deco-style theatre-built-for-two, guests will be transported to the era of early awe-inspiring cinema, with a reel celebrating great moments of love captured on silent film narrated by Golden Globe winner Maggie Gyllenhaal
  • Illustrations & Icons: One of the most iconic female illustrations – the creation of legendary animator Max Fleischer – and a global portrait of love, Betty Boop (#booplove) is getting a modern makeover for today’s generation, complete with her very own PepsiMoji design and layered augmented reality bringing her to life
  • Music: A sensorial, immersive experience showcases the transformative power of music to convey emotion with special DJ set from Soul / R&B duo LION BABE
  • Sign Language: A pop-up vignette performed by Amelia Hensley, Daniel Durant, Miles Barbee and Treshelle Edmonds – cast members from the Tony-nominated production of Spring Awakening, produced by Deaf West Theater – depicts the story of young love blooming over first date jitters, told completely through the beautiful and intensely expressive medium of sign language
  • Photography: A collection of curated images will portray the power of photography – one of the most personal and treasured means for capturing memories, telling stories and immortalizing the images of those we love. Capturing some of these stories in real-time, images shot by Instagram photographers Daniel Arnold (@arnold_daniel), @Roon and @JoshFromNY will create a photographic mosaic of various expressions of love from the exhibit’s own attendees
  • Ancient Communications: An interactive look back to history’s early incarnations of “love notes” through cave drawings, smoke signals, hieroglyphics, cuneiform, runes, symbology, Morse Code and other historical communication forms
  • The Rise of Emoji: The final installation tracks the evolution and many incarnations of the modern day emoji and features “Heart,” an original sculpture by Brooklyn-based artist Shinji Murakami, who brings to life a retro 8-bit image of a heart emoji into 3D. The installation leads to an immersive PepsiMoji experience, complete with facial recognition technology matching your expressions with a PepsiMoji design for social sharing.
Following a private, star-studded opening night celebration on Thursday, July 14th, Love: From Cave to Keyboard, imagined by Pepsi will be open to the public. Located at 433 Broadway in the heart of SoHo in Manhattan, the exhibit is free and open from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th and Sunday, July 17th.
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Betty Boop to get a makeover from Zac Posen & Pantone

6/29/2016

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We are thrilled to share the news that renowned American fashion designer Zac Posen has signed on to give our own Betty Boop a brand-new dress, and Pantone is working with Posen to give it a signature color aptly named "Betty Boop Red."

Betty's new signature color will be "a high-powered shade of red that has a hint of blue and a gravitas that embodies the character’s adventurous spirit." says Laurie Pressman, a vice president of the Pantone Color Institute.

You can read more about this exciting new development in Allure Magazine!
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Welcome to our first guest contributor, Bob Jaques!

5/26/2016

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Drawing by animator Abner Kneitel. While working as an animator, Ozark did sports cartoons on the side. This gag cartoon is in reference to the horse races at the Hialeah Park Racetrack that he frequented.
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We are thrilled to celebrate Memorial Day, and all our men and women in uniform, with the help of our very first guest contributor Bob Jaques. An acclaimed animation producer and director - currently an Animation Director working on SpongeBob Squarepants, Jaques is a self proclaimed Fleischer Studios fanatic. His blog Popeye Cartoons celebrates, as he states, "the most amazing cartoon character ever created." 

An avid amateur animation historian, Jaques comes to us with the fascinating story of Jack Ozark, Fleischer animator turned World War II code-breaker (one of many animators to use his very special set of skills while serving in the armed forces during the War).

This fascinating exhibit includes a number of wonderful drawings that his fellow animators created for Ozark during his time in the service. It's a wonderful tribute to an amazing animator and serviceman, and an important reminder of the power of humor and friendship - even in the most difficult of circumstances.
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Marie Claire declares Boop Boop Fragrance #1!

5/23/2016

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Check out the June issue of Marie Claire! Their list entitled "What We Love About June"... features Betty Boop's new fragrance, from Jean Paul Gaultier, as number #1! 

It won't be available until June, but in the meantime watch Spinach and Stockings, an interactive comic strip on the Jean Paul Gaultier website featuring Betty Boop and Popeye (the star of his own fragrance, for men.)
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Celebrate National Cartoonists Day - May 5!

5/4/2016

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Launched by the National Cartoonist Society on May 5, 1999, National Cartoonists Day commemorates the debut of the first color comic strip, Hogan's Alley - drawn and written by Richard Outcault - on May 5, 1895 in New York Sunday World. 

We're celebrating by sharing this great, early comic strip drawn and written by a young Max Fleischer, and which appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on December 14, 1903. E.K. Sposher, the intrepid photographer featured in this strip, is attempting to photograph the Williamsburg Bridge which would open a few days after publication, on December 19, 1903.
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As Max's son, Richard Fleischer, recounts in Out of the Inkwell: Max Fleischer and the Animation Revolution, it was in 1900 that a then 17-year-old Max was so determined to work at the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which was well known for both its comic strips and editorial cartoons, that he...
... biked his way across the Brooklyn Bridge, found the Eagle's offices, somehow or other got to meet Herbert S. Ardell, the manager of the Art Department and made him a proposition. Max offered to pay the Eagle two dollars a week to just let him sit in the Art Department and watch the artists work.
Impressed, Ardell made a counteroffer: the Eagle would pay Max two dollars a week to deliver papers from a horse drawn wagon and be the Art Department's errand boy. Max quickly accepted, confident that:
​ "once he got his foot in the door, the rest of him would soon follow." 
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Max works on a drawing from "Gulliver's Travels"
And he wasn't wrong. In no time at all, Max was promoted to copy boy, then trained as a photo retoucher, then a photographer and by 1902 Max Fleischer was one of the youngest staff cartoonists at a major newspaper drawing both editorial cartoons and two strips of his own: Algy and E.K. Sposher, the Camera Fiend (featured in the strip above.)

National Cartoonists Day honors all cartoonists, past and present, the works they have created and the joy they have brought into our lives. We are thrilled to celebrate this wonderful day with you!
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New Betty Boop pre-paid debit cards now available!

4/19/2016

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Have you seen the new selection of adorable Betty Boop pre-paid debit cards from CARD.com? The sweetest way to pay! See all the designs here:https://www.card.com/gallery?tag=betty+boop
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Mr. Bug, Part 3: The rest of the story

2/23/2016

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Throughout the month of February, we've explored the development and creation of Mr. Bug Goes to Town, Fleischer Studio's second - and last - feature length animated film. ​

Now, in the final installment of the series - just posted in our virtual museum - we follow Mr. Bug's fascinating, and at times complicated, journey to the silver screen against the backdrop of America's entry into World War II.
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Find out "the rest of the story" HERE.

Or, start at the beginning with Part One and Part Two. 
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Mr. Bug Goes to Town, Part 2 - Making of the Movie!

2/17/2016

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Max Fleischer (right) next to the stand that holds the cels, located in front of the 3D set.
​Part One of our three-part series on the making of Mr. Bug Goes to Town, looked at the creation of the Mr. Bug story-line. After months of developing and discarding a variety of concepts, the studio finally had a wholly original story-line. Set in the modern era, Mr. Bug Goes to Town  involved an entire colony of anthropo-morphic insects, a city full of humans, and the towering landscape of New York City. 

​In other words, the task of bringing Mr. Bug to the big screen had only just begun...
In Part Two,​​ we look at the actual making of Mr. Bug Goes to Town, and how the staffers of Fleischer Studios made use of innovative techniques and ground-breaking inventions (many of which they themselves had developed) to bring this beautiful film to life. 

Part two of this fascinating exhibit includes rare and wonderful home movie footage of the Mr. Bug animators at play, the story behind the Studio's hangnail insurance policy and so much more! 
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Betty Boop to Star in New Animated Television Series!

2/13/2016

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THIS JUST IN! A new animated television series, featuring Betty Boop, is now being developed by NORMAAL Animation, the producer of the “Peanuts” TV series.

Aimed at tweens and teens, the series will share Betty Boop's indomitable   spirit with a whole new generation of fans with a story line that follows the daily struggles, joys and victories of young Betty Boop, who has every intention of being on stage and becoming a superstar.

Slated for release in 2018, the series will be produced by France–based NORMAAL studios in partnership with Fleischer Studios and King Features, the New York City-based unit of Hearst and exclusive worldwide licensing agent for Betty Boop.
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We are delighted to be partnering with the fresh and creative production company, NORMAAL Animation. My grandfather, Max Fleischer, created Betty Boop as the fun, feisty and fashionable woman whose spirit has transcended and transformed multiple generations of fans. It is so exciting to know that this television series will present Max’s beloved icon through new, highly original content that will continue to keep Betty engaging and relatable to future generations of fans.
- Mark Fleischer, President and Chairman of Fleischer Studios.
Read the full press release HERE.
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Mr. Bugs Goes to Town now in the Museum!

2/10/2016

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With the commercial success of Gulliver's Travels in December 1939 and Fleischer Studios with its 700-plus staff members now happily settled in Florida, the Fleischers were eager to get started on their second full-length feature film. And Paramount, with optimism riding high even before Gulliver’s opening, had already given them the green light. By March 1939, Fleischer Studios was already hard at work developing ideas for their next feature-length film!

This month we're sharing the amazing, often surprising, journey of this remarkable film from its initial conception all the way through to opening night.
 Today we're launching the first in this 3-part series, The Story About the Story. Look for parts 2 and 3 later this month:
   Part Two - coming February 17
   Part Three - coming February 24
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Betty Boop celebrates with Golden Globe nominees!

1/12/2016

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Photo by Eddie Sakaki
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Golden Globe nominee Sarah Hay (Flesh and Bone) shows off her Golden Globes Betty Boop gift bag (Photo by Eddie Sakaki)

Visit our Golden Globes Photo Gallery for more great photos!

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Check out this exclusive media gift bag - beautiful Betty front and center - featured in the the give-a-way at the end of the KTLA news segment
Before walking down the red carpet celebs like Sarah Hay (left), nominated for her role in Flesh and Bone, check out Secret Room Events'  exclusive In Honor of Golden Globe Awards Style Lounge. This festive and lavish event, at the SLS Hotel Main Ballroom in Beverly Hills, took place last Friday and our own Betty Boop was there! 

The adorable Betty Boop gift bags, created especially for this exclusive event, are our way of saying "congratulations" to all the talented artists nominated for the 
Hollywood Foreign Press Association's prestigious Golden Globe Awards honoring excellence in film and television.

What was it like to be there? Check out this feature about the event on KTLA TV in Los Angeles: 
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Happy Holidays from Fleischer Studios

12/17/2015

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The holidays were a very special time at Fleischer Studios, with staffers exchanging witty and wonderful personalized cards that were truly works of art in their own right. 

This holiday season, we're sharing this whimsical card

featuring nine Fleischer staff members lounging around the Studios’ Florida home
. 
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Who are these staffers? What did they do at Fleischer Studios? To find out, click here, and visit our very special holiday exhibit 2015. And if you haven't already done so, we invite you to check out last year's Christmas exhibit featuring 100 more remarkable cards created by our talented family of artists.

A special thanks to Ryan and Stephanie Englade, who made this post possible by allowing us to share this remarkable card from their own personal collection with all of you.
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From all of us at Fleischer Studios: a very happy and healthy holiday season!
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Max Fleischer's Rotoscope: Celebrating 100 Years!

12/3/2015

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Above: a page from Max's patent application. Right" Max's wife, Essie, who let Max and his brother Max build the first Rotocope in the family's living room.
One hundred years ago, on December 6th, 1915, Max Fleischer applied for a patent for an invention that would revolutionize the look of animated films…an invention that is still widely used today: The Rotoscope.

What is a Rotoscope? How did it revolutionize animation? Find out in the latest exhibit in our museum, Max Fleischer's Rotoscope: Celebrating 100 Years. It's a fascinating look at Max's ingenious idea and the long road to making it into a reality... a road ran through his own living room!
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Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Fleischer Studios!

11/26/2015

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Max Fleischer's Fan-tastic Fan Cards

11/23/2015

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Just in time for Thanksgiving, this exhibit features one of the clever, and delightfully captivating, ways in which Max connected personally with his fans: beautifully designed and personally inscribed "fan cards" like the one pictured here. ​

These whimsical cards were Max's way of thanking his fans and letting them know how much he appreciated them. What could be a more fitting way for us to celebrate the joy of Thanksgiving with all of you? 

If you're lucky enough to have a Fan Card in your possession and you're interested in making it into a part of this wonderful exhibit, we've created a portal in the exhibit where you can upload an image of it. 

Happy Thanksgiving Week from all of us at Fleischer Studios!
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Betty Boop's Veterans Day Salute!

11/11/2015

 
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Betty Boop in "There's Something About a Soldier" (1934)
Today we're marking Veterans Day by honoring some of the talented and brave members of the Fleischer Studios family who served in a wide range of capacities during World War II.

Although it's not widely known, a considerable number of animators served in World War II.
While some saw combat, many were called on to use their special blend of artistic talent and technical know-how to create training and educational films for our troops. Still others worked with the signal corp developing and managing communications, and others were enlisted by the government to create films that would help to build morale at home, and encourage Americans to do their part, whether it be by donating scrap metal or buying war bonds.
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This historic photo, taken in front of the Fleischer Studio's Miami home, serves to commemorate some of the brave members of the Fleischer Studio family who served their country during World War II.
Myron Waldman (in the photo above, front row and third from the left) enlisted in the Signal Corp and worked with Frank Capra on the Why We Fight series which was created to show American soldiers the reason for U.S. involvement in the war, and later to the public to encourage American support for involvement in the war. 

One Fleischer animator who saw combat was Willard Bowsky. Having started with the Studio in the 1920's in New York, Bowsky - whose work can be seen in Talkartoon, Color Classics and Screen Song (Bouncing Ball) films, as well as dozens of classic Betty Boop and Popeye cartoon shorts - moved with the Studio to Florida in 1938, and enlisted in the Army in 1942.
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Insignia designed by Willard Bowsky
Eventually assigned to the 14th Armored Division, Bowsky served as platoon leader with fifty men under his command in the 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Utilizing his artistic skills, he also designed the unit’s insignia.
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Willard Bowsky
On November 27, 1944, Second Lieutenant Willard Bowsky was killed in action in the midst of a night time fire-fight near Metz, France. 
Willard Bowsky was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, and is interred at the Lorraine  American Cemetery in St. Avold, France.

On this Veterans Day, as we revisit and honor these great heroes of yesteryear, all of us at Fleischer Studios want to offer up our heart felt gratitude and admiration to to the courageous men and women - heroes all - who continue to fight for us today. 
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References:
Animation: Who and Where
Mayerson on Animation
Willard Bowsky on Wikipedia

World War II and Animation
Thanks for all you do!
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