Gene Deitch, an American Oscar-winning illustrator, animator, film director, and producer has died at 95. Working from behind the Iron Curtain, he directed 13 episodes of Tom and Jerry and also some of the Popeye the Sailor series.
Reportedly he died unexpectedly during the night from Thursday to Friday in his apartment in Prague’s Little Quarter neighborhood. He was born on August 8, 1924, in Chicago and his movie Munro won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1960. He was also nominated for the same award twice in 1964 for Here’s Nudnik and How to Avoid Friendship.
