Awards

• Winner of CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2019 (United States)

Overview

"A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2019 Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny, Felix the Cat, and other beloved cartoon characters have entertained media audiences for almost a century, outliving the human stars who were once their contemporaries in studio-era Hollywood. In Animated Personalities, David McGowan asserts that iconic American theatrical short cartoon characters should be legitimately regarded as stars, equal to their live-action counterparts, not only because they have enjoyed long careers, but also because their star personas have been created and marketed in ways also used for cinematic celebrities. Drawing on detailed archival research, McGowan analyzes how Hollywood studios constructed and manipulated the star personas of the animated characters they owned. He shows how cartoon actors frequently kept pace with their human counterparts, granting ""interviews,"" allowing ""candid"" photographs, endorsing products, and generally behaving as actual actors did-for example, Donald Duck served his country during World War II, and Mickey Mouse was even embroiled in scandal. Challenging the notion that studios needed actors with physical bodies and real off-screen lives to create stars, McGowan demonstrates that media texts have successfully articulated an off-screen existence for animated characters. Following cartoon stars from silent movies to contemporary film and television, this groundbreaking book broadens the scope of star studies to include animation, concluding with provocative questions about the nature of stardom in an age of digitally enhanced filmmaking technologies."

Full Product Details

9781477317440

Table of Contents

Reviews

[A] never less than fascinating analysis of the lives of animated actors, separate from their performances...this book excels as a fascinating history of who these celluloid celebrities were. * Austin Chronicle *

[Animated Personalities] is impressive for its lucid historical structure and exceptionally enjoyable content...McGowan breathes life into celluloid figures, giving readers a backstory for some of the most enduring iconic characters of screen history. This is a truly gratifying book. * CHOICE * [A] never less than fascinating analysis of the lives of animated actors, separate from their performances...this book excels as a fascinating history of who these celluloid celebrities were. * Austin Chronicle *

Author Information

David McGowan is a lecturer in animation history at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He holds a PhD from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available