David Weidman

Diagnoses

Personal

Vocation

Family

American animator, animation artist and silkscreen print artist known for his mid-century modern works, including posters, prints and ceramics. Weidman began his career in animation as a background artist during the 1950s and 1960s. During his later life, Weidman's silkscreens were featured in the sets of the AMC television series, Mad Men, which revived interest in his work. In 2010, the Los Angeles Times referred to Weidman as possibly "the most famous unknown artist." His television series and special credits with UPA animation included The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, The Boing-Boing Show and Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962). Aside from his work at UPA, Weidman also worked on television shorts for Crusader Rabbit, Popeye, and Fractured Fairy Tales. David Weidman briefly left animation after to focus on silkscreening after becoming frustrated with a group-centered animation process. Weidman developed a blotting process to create original works. His prints often mimic the backdrops he painted for 1960s era animated cartoons. He opened a small gallery and workshop and gained a corporate clientele, who used his prints in hotels and other public buildings. Weidman returned to animation during the middle of the 1960s. He worked on Wacky Races and Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines for Hanna-Barbera. He also returned to UPA to work on Uncle Sam Magoo (1970), the last Mr. Magoo television special. David Weidman was married and had three children. He died of congestive heart failure at his home in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles on 6 August 2014 at the age of 93. Link to Wikipedia biography