'Tippy's Friends Go-Go and Animal' #7.
Doug Crane was a U.S. animator and comic artist. He made storyboards, lay-outs and directed episodes for TV animation studios like Terrytoons, Ruby Spears and Hanna-Barbera. As a comic artist, he penciled and inked teenage humor series for Tower Comics, Archie Comics and DC Comics.
Early life and career
Douglas P. Crane was born in 1935 in Bronxville, New York. After graduating from Eastchester High School in Eastchester, New York, Crane studied at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School in New York City (nowadays the School of Visual Arts), where one of his teachers was Burne Hogarth. Graduated in May 1956, Crane originally wanted to become an illustrator or gag cartoonist, but there wasn't much demand. Instead, he went into animation and joined Terrytoons in New Rochelle, New York. Founder Paul Terry had retired and the studio was now led by Gene Deitch. On his first day at Terrytoons, Crane met his future wife Maureen Hurley, with whom he formed a happy couple for 61 years, and with whom he had eight children. Crane's early work at Terrytoons included inking the short film 'Flebus' (1957), after which he eventually worked his way up to animator.
In 1958, Crane was drafted in the U.S. army. During his military service he drew a comic strip for the army magazine: 'Tiptoe and Timber'. He also worked as an illustrator for recruitment pamphlets. He also created painted floats for the base parades and painted signage for the White Sands Proving Grounds.
'Flebus', inked by Doug Crane.
1960s animation
Back in civilian life, Crane returned to Terrytoons, where studio head Gene Deitch had been fired. He worked on 'Deputy Dawg' cartoons in the same unit as Ralph Bakshi. For Paramount Cartoon Studios, he contributed to 'The Mighty Thor', an animated segment in 'The Marvel Super Heroes' (1966), based on the comic book series created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. He also met the legendary animator Shamus Culhane there. When Baskhi and Steve Krantz established their own animation studio, Krantz Films, Crane joined them. He worked on the animated TV series 'Spider-Man' (1967-1970), based on Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's Marvel comic book series. At Adventure Cartoons For Television, Inc., he worked on the series 'The Mighty Hercules' (1963-1966), created by Joseph Oriolo.
Hanna-Barbera
Crane was present when Hanna-Barbera opened a second animation department in New York City, in addition to their Hollywood headquarters. There, he was in charge of the Hanna-Barbera East studios, together with Red Auguston. During his time there, he worked on shows like 'The Flintstones', 'Super Friends (based on DC Comics' superheroes)' and 'The Smurfs' (based on the European comic series by Peyo).
Doug Crane.
Advertising cartoons
At NY Animation Local 841, Doug Crane worked on several animated TV commercials for brands like Campbell Soup, Burger King and Exxon. His animated commercial for The Wall Street Journal, produced by Perpetual Motion Pictures, won him a Clio and National Television Award. However, his best remembered TV ads were made for Crest Toothpaste. Written and produced by Gregory Sinnott and with characters developed by comic book artist Herb Trimpe, the cartoons feature a city of clean teeth, "Toothopolis", which is attacked by an evil army named the "Cavity Creeps". While singing "We make holes in teeth!", the invaders try to destroy the city. Crest toothpaste, however, defeats them. Broadcast in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the 'Cavity Creeps' ads are fondly remembered by a generation of U.S. TV viewers. The Cavity Creeps were later spoofed in a cutaway gag in the episode 'There's Something About Paulie' (2000) of Seth MacFarlane's animated TV show 'Family Guy'. They were also referenced in the episode 'Imaginationland' (2007) of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's 'South Park', as some of several famous "evil" fictional characters threatening famous "good" fictional characters.
Still from 'Beavis and Butt-Head Do America' (1996), which had lay-outs and poses by Doug Crane.
Later animation career
Crane worked on the ship scene in 'Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure' (1977), a film based on Johnny Gruelle's characters, directed by Richard Williams. In Gerald Potterson's cult animation film 'Heavy Metal' (1981), he contributed to the segments 'Harry Canyon' (based on Moebius' comic story 'The Long Tomorrow') and 'Den' (based on the Richard Corben creation). For Filmation, he helped out on 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids' (1972-1985) and numerous episodes of 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' (1983-1985) and its spin-off 'She-Ra, Princess of Power' (1985-1986), as well as 'BraveStarr' (1987-1988). In the 1990s, Crane's most notable work was done for Mike Judge's 'Beavis and Butthead' (1992-1997). He provided lay-outs for the episode 'Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dead' and posed for the hallucination scene in their animated feature 'Beavis and Butt-Head Do America' (1996). Animators who also worked on this film were Michel Breton and Ted Stearn.
'Who's flirting?' ('Date with Debb'i #5).
Teacher
For a long time, Crane combined his work in animation with a teaching job, having a full schedule of lectures and demonstrations on the art of animation at schools, libraries, fraternal organizations and business luncheons. He was professor of classical animation at New York City's School of Visual Arts for 15 years. He also taught Cartooning and Animation at his alma mater, Eastchester High School, and was invited to teach at the Institute of Animation and Film at the Academy of Art and Design at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. He was additionally an artist in residence at the Thornton-Donovan School in his hometown of New Rochelle, New York.
'The Ghost of 13 Mile Island!' (Teenmage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventure Special #2).
Comics career
During the 1960s, Doug Crane also drew comic stories for Tower Comics, most notably working on the teenage comedy series 'Tippy Teen'. Crane also worked for the DC Comics teenage comedy publications 'Swing with Scooter' (1968-1971), 'Date with Debbi' (1969-1972) and 'Binky's Buddies' (1970-1972). Between 1976 and 1997, he made similar comics for Archie Comics. Crane not only worked on the regular 'Archie' series and its spin-offs with characters created by Bob Montana (notably 'Jughead' and 'Betty and Me'), but also for the Archie books with Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (1992).
Death
A prominent member of the New Rochelle community, he served the Westchester County residents as an Auxiliary Police officer, a Grand Knight at the New Rochelle Knights of Columbus and as the Municipal Arts Commissioner, where he planned and carried out the weekend-long 40th Anniversary celebration for Terrytoons in February 1982. On 17 December 2020, Doug Crane passed away from cancer in Stuart, Florida, two days after the passing of his beloved wife Maureen. Doug Crane was 85 years old.
'Cold Cash Customers' (Betty #16).