Norman McCabe ( 1912 - 2006 )

Norman McCabe Died Jan. 18, 2006 .

At age 94 , Norm McCabe , the last WB director of the Golden Age still alive , joined his colleagues .
A great animator , McCabe also directed a limited number of cartoons before joining the Army .
He directed the popular " The Ducktators " , one of the finest WW2 cartoons made by the studio , describing the world situation at that time as setted in a barnyard , with anatrine caricatures of Hitler and Hirohito and a Mussolini-like goose coming into power .

He also helped the studio to develope Daffy Duck , directing some of his funniest cartoon ever , like the wonderful " The Daffy Duckaroo " .
And he directed other WW2-themed cartoons ( " Tokyo Jokyo " ; " Confusions of a Nutsy Spy " ) plus many enyoable Porky Pig cartoons .

His work at WB was ruined only by bad luck : he directed only black and white cartoons and never got the chance to diret a short in Technicolor ( a strange choice this one by Schlesinger , considering that the animation in McCabe 's unit was one of the best of the studio ) ; He then was drafted and when he returned his unit was now under Frank Tashlin ' control ( and later become McKimson ' s unit ) .

He also worked in modern TV productions ( like " Pinky and the Brain " ) and was an animator in Ralph Bakshi 's 1972 " Fritz the Cat " .

May he find Peace . We can only wonder the fun he is having right now , remembering the " Termite Terrace " days with his friends Avery , Clampett and the rest of the Golden Age directors .

Yours Truly ,

Duck Dodgers

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