We’re saddened by the latest passing of two-time Emmy-nominated animation director and storyboard artist Tony Kluck, who labored on Beavis and Butt-Head, Daria and King of the Hill, of most cancers, at 75. He died peacefully in Amsterdam on April 24, surrounded by his loving spouse, Cecilia, and his devoted sons, Daniel and Timothy.
Kluck started his profession at Toonder Studios in Amsterdam, engaged on tasks such because the TV film Gnomes (1980) and Als Je Begrijp Wat Ik Bedoel (The Dragon that Wasn’t) (1983). He entered the U.S. animation scene as storyboard artist and animation director on exhibits reminiscent of Beavis and Butt-Head and Daria. He was a sequence director and abroad animation supervisor on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America film (1995), animator on KaBlam!, sheet-timer on CatDog, animation director on Downtown and Movie star Deathmatch, and animation director on Daria in Is It School But? film (2002). Different credit embrace animation timer on Duplex (2003) and lead animation supervisor on The Lizzie McGuire Film (2003).
He additionally labored as a storyboard artist and animation on Blue Sky’s first Ice Age film (2002), Cartoon Community collection Sheep within the Massive Metropolis (2002), PBS present Maya and Miguel (2004-2006) and FOX-TV’s Bob’s Burger (2012). He acquired two primetime Emmy nominations for his work on Downtown and King of the Hill.
“Tony was a person of unwavering love and kindness, and his household was on the heart of his world,” wrote his son Daniel. “He cherished taking them exploring nature, amassing as many rocks and leaves as potential and sharing his boundless creativity. Along with being a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother-in-law, Tony was additionally a proficient and sensible cartoonist. His imaginative tales and illustrations captivated the hearts and minds of all people who had been uncovered to his genius, and he can be deeply missed by his followers and admirers. Though we’re heartbroken by our loss, we take consolation in figuring out that Tony lived a full and significant life, and his legacy will stay on by way of the reminiscences he created together with his household, pals and the influence he made on the world. Tony can be deeply missed however endlessly remembered for his love, kindness, and creativity.”
A Legacy of Professionalism and Laughter
Many animation trade veterans who had the pleasure of working with Kluck posted fond remembrances on MTV Animation’s and ASIFA East’s Fb web page:
Tom Warburton, creator of Children Subsequent Door and exec producer of Disney’s Muppet Infants wrote, “Tony radiated kindness, humor and expertise in a six desk radius from wherever he was seated in a studio. That smile! That accent! That mustache! I’m honored to have identified and labored with him.”
Animation veteran David B. Levy (head of Pingfong Studio) famous, “I cherished working for Tony on Maya & Miquel sheet checking. I’d look ahead to coming in as soon as per week and current completed sheets and any inquiries to him on post-it notes. He was so affected person, good and inspiring. I used to be very unhappy when he made a suggestion to work on the present full time and I had a conflicting engagement. He was undoubtedly an unofficial mentor determine to me.”
Director Ray Kosarin, who labored with Kluck on Daria and Beavis and Butt-Head shared, “I used to be very keen on Tony and admired his abilities, most particularly his intuition for comedy. I particularly bear in mind his ardour when he directed on the Beavis and Butt-Head cartoons; he dove deep into these characters and analyzed their motivations and behaviors with exuberance and virtually Freudian thoroughness. His stuff was rattling humorous.”
Animation director, artwork director and storyboard artist Nick DeMayo (The Enterprise Bros, Steven Universe) wrote, “I can’t start to share the various reminiscences made with Tony that I’ll all the time cherish. Each time I’d get wired on a very troublesome part, he’d flip to me and say in his thick Dutch accent, ‘It’s solely ani-mation, dood!’ Farewell, my pal.”
Animation veteran Yvette Kaplan who directed Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, tells us, “There was a lot life in Tony and in his glowing eyes, it’s not possible to imagine he’s gone. Moreover being probably the most joyous, pleasant, and loving folks on this planet, Tony was an animation madman, among the best, quickest, most possessed and prolific animators I’ve ever identified. He was essential to the present and to the film in so some ways. He boarded and directed a number of the craziest, wildest and most troublesome episodes and sequences. However what raised him to the esteemed place as animation lifesaver in Mike Choose’s eyes — and to my nice reduction!— is that HE, and he alone, lastly nailed the proper Beavis fish shake. That was till then, an unreachable purpose. He did it with 4 completely timed and staggered drawings — so easy, but miraculous. That was Tony — a miracle. There’ll by no means be one other like him.”
We ship our condolences to Tony’s many pals, household and colleagues world wide.
(A particular due to Yvette Kaplan for serving to us collect information. and photographs from Tony’s household and pals.)
