José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez (November 15, 1916 â€" September 2,
2008) was a Mexicanâ€"American character animator, voice actor, film
director and producer known for his cartoons for Walt Disney
Productions (working on four Disney films Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo
and Bambi), Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA and the Peanuts series.
Melendez provided the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock in the latter as
well. In a career spanning over 60 years, he won six Primetime Emmy
Awards and was nominated for thirteen more. In addition, he was
nominated for an Oscar and five Grammy Awards. The Peanuts television
specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas and What Have We Learned, Charlie
Brown?, which he directed, were each honored with a Peabody Award.A
native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Meléndez was educated in
American public schools in Douglas, Arizona. He later attended the
Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles (which would later become
California Institute of the Arts).On completion of his studies,
Meléndez was hired by Disney in 1938 where he worked on what are now
considered classics: Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi. Following
the 1941 Disney strike, Meléndez was hired by Leon Schlesinger
Productions, later known as Warner Bros. Cartoons, where he served as
animator on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. He worked in
Bob Clampett's unit until Clampett's departure, upon which he moved to
the Arthur Davis unit. When the number of animation units at Warner
Bros. was reduced from four to three in 1948, Melendez, moved to
Robert McKimson's unit for a time.
2008) was a Mexicanâ€"American character animator, voice actor, film
director and producer known for his cartoons for Walt Disney
Productions (working on four Disney films Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo
and Bambi), Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA and the Peanuts series.
Melendez provided the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock in the latter as
well. In a career spanning over 60 years, he won six Primetime Emmy
Awards and was nominated for thirteen more. In addition, he was
nominated for an Oscar and five Grammy Awards. The Peanuts television
specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas and What Have We Learned, Charlie
Brown?, which he directed, were each honored with a Peabody Award.A
native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Meléndez was educated in
American public schools in Douglas, Arizona. He later attended the
Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles (which would later become
California Institute of the Arts).On completion of his studies,
Meléndez was hired by Disney in 1938 where he worked on what are now
considered classics: Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi. Following
the 1941 Disney strike, Meléndez was hired by Leon Schlesinger
Productions, later known as Warner Bros. Cartoons, where he served as
animator on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. He worked in
Bob Clampett's unit until Clampett's departure, upon which he moved to
the Arthur Davis unit. When the number of animation units at Warner
Bros. was reduced from four to three in 1948, Melendez, moved to
Robert McKimson's unit for a time.
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