Bjørn Frank Jensen

Bjørn Frank Jensen is a Danish animator. He has worked on Danish animation projects since the late 1930s, as a member of Jørgen Müller's animation studio at Gutenberghus Reklame Film in Copenhagen. Jensen was additionally doing some illustration work and cartooning in the 1940s, as well as the adventure comic 'De gæve Riddere' (1943) and the silent gag strip 'Lille Mille' (1944) in Højt Humør. His most notable work was however his contributions to the animation projects 'Fyrtøjet' ('The Tinderbox') and 'Grævlingen og harerne'.

He went to study at the Gaumont British Animation (GBA) in London for a half year in 1946. He opened his own animation studio with Børge Ring in the Hiort Lorentzensgade in Copenhagen in 1948. Together with Arne Rønde Christensen they eventually started their firm Ring, Frank & Rønde. The studios made several animations for advertising purposes, but had to close down in 1950-51.

Jensen and Ring headed for Amsterdam, the Netherlands in the following year, where they found employment with the Marten Toonder Studios. The duo formed the core of the animation department together with their compatriot Per Lygum. Jensen remained with the studio until his retirement in 1985 and was animation director of the famous 'Bommel' film 'Als Je Begrijpt Wat Ik Bedoel' (1983). He also contributed to other films, including 'The Smurfs and the Magic Flute' (1976) and 'Asterix and Cleopatra' (1968).

In addition to his animation work, he drew the shortlived comic strip 'Nop' in the magazine Pep (1972-73). Jensen passed away in Hilversum in September 2001.