Reuben Timmins (also spelled as Timmons) was an American animator who worked for several companies during the Golden Age of Animation (1930-1960), but also had a career drawing comics based on the American film comedy duo Laurel & Hardy. He has also worked under the pen name Reuben Timinsky.
Early life and animation career
Timmins was born in 1910 in New York City as Reuben Timinsky. In the 1930s became an animator for the Fleischer Brothers and worked on several Betty Boop shorts, among them: 'By the Beautiful Sea' (1931), 'I'd Climb the Highest Mountain' (1931), 'Somebody Stole My Gal' (1931), 'Shine on Harvest Moon' (1932), 'Just a Gigolo' (1932), 'Betty Boop's Museum' (1932) and 'Cupid Gets His Man' (1936). He also worked briefly for the Van Beuren Studios, where he animated 'Cupid Gets His Man' (1936) and for Paul Terry's Terrytoons, where he animated on 'Farmer Al Falfa's 20th Anniversary' (1936). Timmins then joined Walt Disney. As an animator and special effects creator he contributed to animated shorts such as 'Donald's Golf Game' (1938), 'Donald's Cousin Gus' (1939), 'Bone Trouble' (1940), 'Put-Put Troubles' (1940), 'Goofy's Glider' (1940), 'The Little Whirlwind' (1941), 'A Gentleman's Gentleman' (1941), 'Canine Caddy' (1941), 'The Nifty Nineties' (1941), 'The Art of Skiing' (1941), 'The Art of Self Defense' (1941), 'Donald's Snow Fight' (1942), 'Donald's Garden' (1942) and 'The Olympic Champ' (1942), as well as the animated feature 'The Reluctant Dragon' (1941).
Laurel & Hardy comics
In 1949 he illustrated a series of comic books based on the popularity of film comedy duo Laurel & Hardy for St. John Publishing Co. These books were re-released in 1955 and 1956. The comic book contained comic stories and gags with Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, seaside postcard style female characters and a lot of corny humor. Milt Stein was also a contributor to the books. Timmins furthermore illustrated a 'Dinky Duck' story for the Pines comic book with the same title in 1956.
Later animation career
During the 1950s Timmins rejoined Paul Terry, where he worked on the 'Heckle and Jeckle' short 'House Busters' (1952). For Hanna-Barbera's unit at MGM he also animated on the 'Tom & Jerry' short 'Good Will to Men' (1955). Near the end of the decade he made the move into television. He animated various episodes of the animated TV series 'Crusader Rabbit' (1957), 'Bucky and Pepito' (1959), 'Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse' (1960-1962), 'Mr. Magoo' (1965), 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' (1965) and 'Charlie Brown's All Stars' (1966) (both based on Charles M. Schulz' 'Peanuts'), 'Sinbad Jr.' (1965-1966), 'Spider-Man' (1967-1970), 'The Archie Show' (1968), 'The Batman/Superman Hour' (1968), 'Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down' (1970), 'The Houndcats' (1972), 'The Barkleys' (1972), 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids' (1972-1979), 'The Brady Kids' (1972) and was special effects animator for TV series such as 'My Favorite Martians' (1973), 'Lassie's Rescue Rangers' (1972-1973), 'Mission: Magic!' (1973), 'Star Trek: The Animated Series' (1973-1974) and the TV Movie 'We Think the World is Round' (1984).
Death
He died in 1994 in Fallecido at the age of 84.