Earl Duvall

Earl Duvall (April 2, 1898 – January 7, 1969) was an American artist and animator best known for his work on Walt Disney comic strips in the early 1930s and for a handful of animated cartoon short subjects he directed at Warner Bros. Cartoons.

Career

Duvall started as a layout artist and later as a member of the story department at Walt Disney Productions. During this time, he also worked as a cartoonist on Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies newspaper strips. Duvall was periodically an inker for Floyd Gottfredson on the newspaper version of the Mickey Mouse daily edition comic strip in 1930-1932. He also drew and wrote the Silly Symphonies comic strip Bucky Bug for Walt Disney.

He was invited to Warner Bros. in 1933 along with fellow Disney animator Tom Palmer to head up the studio in the wake of Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising's departure. In the event, Duvall was delayed working on other projects at Disney, and by the time he got to Warner Bros. Palmer had already been fired and replaced by Friz Freleng. During his time there, Duvall directed a number of cartoons based around surprisingly adult themes, and was allowed to direct the studio's first color cartoon, Honeymoon Hotel in 1934.

However, after a drunken argument with producer Leon Schlesinger, Duvall was replaced by Jack King as director.

Duvall died in 1969, the same year as the last Looney Tunes cartoon was released.

Filmography

As Director/Supervisor.

• Buddy's Garage 1934 (short)
• Honeymoon Hotel 1934 (short)
• Sittin' on a Backyard Fence 1933 (short)
• Buddy's Show Boat 1933 (short)
• Buddy's Beer Garden 1933 (short)