Oscar-winning illustrator and animator, Gene Deitch breathed his last at the age of 95 on Thursday night. He was reportedly found dead in his apartment in Prague.
Born on August 8 in 1924, in Chicago, Deitch is known for his work on the highly admired animated series ‘Tom and Jerry’. He is also known for his work on the highly admired animated series ‘Popeye the Sailor’, as well as for being the creator of cartoons such as Munro, Tom Terrific, and Nudnik.
Deitch had reportedly directed a few episodes of Popeye and as many as 13 episodes of 'Tom and Jerry'. He was conferred with the Winsor McCay Award for his lifelong contribution to animation in 2004. He had also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1960 for 'Munro'.
Gene Deitch started his work as an animator for United Productions of America in 1955, and later promoted to the position of creative director for Terrytoons before retiring from his profession in 2008 as the animation director for Weston Woods Studios.
The Tom and Jerry director, Deitch is survived by his wife and three sons from his first marriage, all of whom are reportedly cartoonists and illustrators.
Wishes have been pouring in for Gene Deitch's family from across the globe ever since the news of his demise broke with netizens thanking him for giving them an 'awesome childhood'.