John Canemaker Collection
SPEC.CGA.JC
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
2.75 Cubic feet
Bulk, 1984-1990
1870-1991
Materials related to John Canemaker's book
Winsor McCay, his life and art and
Felix, the twisted tale of the world's most famous cat.
(3) boxes
English
Canemaker, John
Arrangement of Materials
This material is arranged by the the following book projects:
Winsor McCay: His Life and Art and
Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat
Preferred Citation
John Canemaker Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Biographical Note
John Canemaker is an American animator and animation historian, who grew up in Elgin, New York. He has designed and directed numerous animation sequences for award-winning documentaries, such as
Break the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse (1994),
You Don't Have to Die (1998),
What do Children think of when they think of the Bomb? (1983) . His award-winning short films include
Confessions of a Stand-Up (1993),
Bottom's Dream (1983), and
Confessions of a Stardreamer (1978). John Canemaker attended Marymount Manhattan College, from 1971-1974. While receiving his degree in communications, he undertook independent research at the Walt Disney archive, where his interest in animation blossomed. At Disney, he had the opportunity to interact with animation pioneers, who he eventually began to interview and record. After graduating from Marymount, Canemaker entered the New York University's film program, where he continued to conduct interviews with animators in the area. Two resulting works from this were
Otto Messmer and Felix the Cat (1977), and his master-of-fine-arts thesis,
Remembering Winsor McCay (1976). Mr. Canemaker has also written and contributed to many books, notably
The Animated Raggedy Ann and Andy (Bobbs-Merrill: 1977),
Treasures of Disney Animation Art (Abbeville: 1982), and
Winsor McCay: His Art and Life (Abbeville: 1987). He has also written essays, reviews, and articles on animation for national periodicals such as
The New York Times,
The Los Angeles Times,
Time, and
Print. Canemaker began teaching at N.Y.U. in 1980, and became chair of the animation department at N.Y.U.'s Tisch School of the Arts in 1988. The John Canemaker Animation Collection opened to students and scholars in the Fales Collection at the Bobst Library at N.Y.U. in 1989. It is an archival resource on animation history that includes many of the recorded interviews he earlier collected. Canemaker continues to lecture throughout the United States and abroad.
Sources used:
Canemaker, John.
Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's most Famous Cat. New York: Pantheon Books, 1991.
Ingalls, Zoe. "Designs that Come to Life."
The Chronicle of Higher Education. 4 April 1997.
Scope and Content
Chiefly research and production materials relating to Canemaker's book "Winsor McCay, his life and art." Includes photocopies of correspondence, cartoons, contracts, census records, calendar diary, notes, research materials, McCay family tree, etc. Includes photocopies of 322 sequential drawings from McCay's animated film Gertie the dinosaur used as a flipbook. Includes book correspondence, letters from the McCay family, clippings, printed materials, interview notes, etc. Includes also original and revised manuscripts for Canemaker's book Felix, the twisted tale of the world's most famous cat. Includes cassette tapes of interviews by John Canemaker dating from 1984 to 1988. Interviewees include Ray Moniz, John Fitzsimmons, Dorothy and Jim Noonan, Jane Barnes Cameron, Tedda McCay and Janet Trinker, Robert Brotherton and William Randolph Hearst. In May 2012 two folders of material were added to the collection. A folder contains 1870 and 1880 census reports, which supported Canemaker's belief that McCay was born in 1867 in Canada. The other folder contains research on McCay's years in Vaudeville theater and information regarding the musical "Little Nemo."
Canemaker, John
McCay, Winsor
Cartoonists--United States--19th century
Cartoonists--United States--20th century
Cartoonists--United States--Biography
Research notes
Research and production materials for
Winsor McCay: His Life and Art by John Canemaker
1984-1988
Gertie the Dinosaur by Winsor McCay
JC 1
1-3
undated
Scope and Contents note
[313 sequential drawings (photocopies) used as flipbook in Winsor McCay: His Life and Art pp. 131-211.]
Various letters and data
JC1
4-7
undated
Scope and Contents note
[Photocopies of McCay family tree, contracts, correspondence, census records, calendar diary, notes, etc.]
Cincinnati research
JC1
8-10
February 6-February 8, 1985
Scope and Contents note
[Primarily photocopies of books, letters, etc.]
Book correspondence
JC1
11-14
undated
Scope and Contents note
[Letters from McCay family, correspondence, clippings, interview notes, etc.]
Abbeville Press catalogs Spring 1987; 1987-1988; Spring-Summer 1988.
JC1
15
1987-1988
Assorted photocopies of McCay cartoons
JC1
16
undated
Harry "A" Chesler Collection
JC2
1
undated
Research on various subjects related to Winsor McCay and his work
JC2
2-3
undated
Scope and Contents note
[Photocopies and clippings relating to dreams circus, artist's locales, Lusitania, animation, etc.]
Various McCay printed research material from T. Hoffer
JC2
4
undated
Newspaper data
JC2
5-6
undated
Scope and Contents note
[Includes photocopies of McCay letters/other letters]
NYC Research
JC2
7-9
undated
Scope and Contents note
James Gordon Bennett (Life); NY City hotels; "NY 1900" (Luna Park & theatres); "Hearst" by Winkler; "Brisbane" by Carlson; "McKim, Mead & White" - Roth; NY Herald bldg.
Michigan info
JC2
10-12
undated
Scope and Contents note
[Photocopies of census information; records, chronology; maps; typescript history of Cleary College by Nancy Lynn Snyder.]
Taped interviews by John Canemaker
JC2
13-17
9.0 compact discs
1984-1988
Scope and Contents note
Ray Moniz 4/8/84 John Fitzsimmons 6/8/84 Dorothy and Jim Noonan; Ray Moniz 9/29/84 Jane Barnes Cameron 12/6/84 Tedda McCay/Janet Trinker 2/26/85 (3 parts) Robert Brotherton 4/17/85 William Randolph Hearst 2/2/88
Existence and Location of Copies note
The original audio cassette tapes has been digitized and saved onto CD for researcher use. The Master copies of the original audio cassettes have been retained in Box JC 3, but due to their fragility are not available for researcher use.
Lucky Strike Cigarette Advertisement
AC H3 182
undated
The Most Brilliant Cartoon Pen on the Whole American Scene
AC H3 183
undated
The Sinking of the Lusitania
AC H3 184
undated
"Little Nemo" and Other Entertainments at the Theatres
AC H3 185
undated
Our Statesmen as Viewed by the Loquacious Capitol Guide
AC H3 186
undated
McCay Census Records
AC H3 189
1870, 1880
Scope and Contents note
New Material Added, May 2012
Research on McCay's Vaudeville years and the musical "Little Nemo"
AC H3 190
1991
Scope and Contents note
New Material Added, May 2012
Original Manuscript for
Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's most Famous Cat
JC 2
18-19
Fall 1989
Revised version of
Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat
JC 2
20-21
Feburary 1990
Photocopies of
Felix material
JC 2
22
1989-1990
Taped Interviews by John Canemaker (MASTER COPIES)
JC 3
1-5
1984-1988
Conditions Governing Use note
Master copies of the Taped Interviews by John Canemaker are not available for researcher use. Please use the CDs copies in Box JC 2/ Folder 13-17