Abe Levitow
1922 - 1975Levitow began working as an in-betweener and assistant animator at Warner Bros. Cartoons in 1940 at the age of 17. He briefly left Warner Bros. when he was drafted during World War II working on training films. Levitow returned to the studio, working as an assistant animator for Ken Harris under the Chuck Jones unit, and he was later promoted to animator in 1950 and would receive his first animations credit in 1953 for the cartoon Wild Over You. He worked steadily for Jones over the remainder of the 1950s, and directed several cartoons for release in 1959, including the Pepé Le Pew cartoon "Really Scent". While working under Jones, he made characters' joints more angular than most other animators. Those characters with fur (Wile E. Coyote, for example) looked especially shaggy in Levitow's scenes.
Levitow joined UPA in 1958 to work on the Mr. Magoo feature 1001 Arabian Nights, staying behind even after the studio was sold to Henry G. Saperstein. In 1962, he directed the first feature-length animated television special, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. 1962 also saw the release of his theatrical feature Gay Purr-ee. By 1962, he was working with Jones at MGM as an animator and a director in the Tom and Jerry series. He co-directed the feature film The Phantom Tollbooth with Chuck Jones at MGM. In addition, he worked with UPA on more Mr. Magoo cartoons, including The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, and also collaborated with Chuck again on the program Curiosity Shop through Format Films. He animated on the Chuck Jones-produced A Christmas Carol, directed by Richard Williams at Williams' London studio in 1971.
In 1972, he and producer Dave Hanson founded Levitow/Hanson Films. The studio produced several animated pieces for Sesame Street, the most notable being Willie Wimple. His last completed project was B.C.: The First Thanksgiving, which aired in November of 1973.
At the time of his death, Levitow was in line to direct the animated feature film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. The project was taken over by Richard Williams when Levitow died from a bone tumor during pre-production at the age of 52.
[biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
Abe Levitow
Jim Backus, Morey Amsterdam
In this animated musical version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Ebenezer Scrooge - via Mr. Magoo's starring performance in a stage production of the classic - doesn't have a ghost of a chance unless he learns the true meaning of Christmas from the three spirits who haunt him one Christmas Eve.
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
Uncle Sam Magoo
Abe Levitow
Jim Backus, Lennie Weinrib
Join Mr. Magoo as Uncle Sam, on an all-American animated adventure through our nation's history. Pull up a chair at the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, march in line with Davy Crockett and dig for gold in California. After all...in Magoo we trust!
Uncle Sam Magoo
Unnatural History
Abe Levitow
Mel Blanc, June Foray
Are animals human? Or vice versa? This is the question asked by a professor, Dr. Beest Lee, who appears on a stage in a theater to give a lecture and show a film about the human-like qualities of various cartoon animals, among them a beaver who "damns" a troublesome river, a groundhog who uses technology to predict the coming of spring, and a dog who scolds his neglectful master.
Unnatural History
The Phantom Tollbooth
Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow
Butch Patrick, Mel Blanc
The Phantom Tollbooth, based upon the children's adventure novel by Norton Juster, tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo. Unexpectedly receiving a magic tollbooth and, having nothing better to do, Milo drives through it and enters a kingdom in turmoil following the loss of its princesses, Rhyme and Reason.
The Phantom Tollbooth
Martian Through Georgia
Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow
Mel Blanc, Ed Prentiss
Way out in space, on another world whose population is contented, one of its people decides that travel broadens the mind and relieves boredom. So, he flies to Earth in hope of helping the alien Earthlings improve their lot, only to cause panic and be declared a monster just because he looks different. So, he decides to return home, where, at least, he can find love.
Martian Through Georgia
Gay Purr-ee
Abe Levitow
Judy Garland, Robert Goulet
Mewsette is a starry-eyed cat who grows weary of life on a French farm and heads for the excitement of 1890s Paris. Her tomcat suitor, Jaune-Tom, and his furry cohort, Robespierre, chase after Mewsette, but she's already fallen under the spell of a feline modeling-school racket run by Madame Rubens-Chatte and her slimy assistant, Meowrice.
Gay Purr-ee
Inside Magoo
John F. Becker, Abe Levitow
A public-service announcement from the American Cancer Society featuring Mr. Magoo. Not part of the regular series, this rare cartoon begins with a bunch of clips talking about the history of the movies, then has some discussion about how Magoo is made, and a talk with Jim Backus. Then the bulk of the film is a Mr. Magoo cartoon featuring Magoo learning about cancer danger signs and how to protect yourself.
Inside Magoo
Filet Meow
Abe Levitow
Perhaps because he's grown weary of chasing Jerry, Tom sets his sights on the house's goldfish. But the female goldfish is a friend of Jerry's, and the little mouse has a crush on her. When Jerry gets involved to rescue his friend, the usual confrontations with Tom begin.
Filet Meow
Rock 'n' Rodent
Abe Levitow
Jerry heads out to his night job: drummer for an all-mouse rock band in the basement of a high-rise. They are loud enough to wake up Tom, despite his attempts to block the noise. Tom's attempts keep running him afoul of a rather mean-tempered dog.
Rock 'n' Rodent
