1961 in animation
Events in 1961 in animation.
Events
- Bagdasarian Productions is founded.
Films released
- The Key (Soviet Union)
- January 25 – One Hundred and One Dalmatians (United States)
Shorts
- February 20 – Aquamania (United States)
- March 18 – Strangled Eggs
- June 21 – Donald and the Wheel (United States)
- September 7 – Switchin' Kitten, the first Gene Deitch Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Television series
Debuts
- January 30 – The Yogi Bear Show debuts in syndication (United States, 1961).
- May 1 – Otogi Manga Calendar, the first anime series debuts on TBS TV (Japan, 1961–1962, 1962–1964).
- September 27 – Top Cat debuts on ABC (United States, 1961–1962).
- October 4 – The Alvin Show debuts on CBS (United States, 1961–1962).
- Pingwings on ITV (United Kingdom, 1961).
Births
- May 3 – Joe Murray, American animator
- July 5 – Patrizia Scianca, Italian voice actress
- August 4 – Lauren Tom, American actress
- August 21 – Stephen Hillenburg, American animator writer and artist