Famed animator and director Bill Melendez passed away on Tuesday at the age of 91.
Born Jose Cuauhtémoc Melendez in Hermosillo, Mexico, Melendez may be best known for his work with the “Peanuts” franchise including the voice work of Woodstock and Snoopy. His career spanned over seven decades and he was a pioneer for Latino animators when he started in Walt Disney Studios. The great quantity of his work was matched by an impeccable quality recognized by accolades like four Emmys, two Peabody Awards, and even a Clio Award for commercials.
In 1964, Melendez founded his own independent studio where he would develop numerous “Peanuts” specials as well as animation for cartoons like “Cathy” and “Garfield”. His prolific work even included directing a critically acclaimed 1979 made-for-TV version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
Melendez’ vocal style can best be demonstrated in the following clip from 1980’s Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown:
He will sorely be missed.
Sources- BBC News, Washington Post, Editor & Publisher, Los Angeles Times, Melendez Studio, YouTube, imdb.com
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