Irv Spence Draws His Assistants

For full appreciation, click to enlarge.

And now, as TAG temporarily morphs into a pale imitation of The Blackwing Diaries, we present... The first in a series of caricatures by animation master Irven Spence, brought to you courtesy of animation director James Walker. (James contributed a number of Fred Moore drawings to Blackwing. We have it on good authority that James has rare animation artwork locked away in various vaults in Southern California, which from time to time he shares with a chosen few.) Irv Spence was a master animator who had a looong career at a raft of different studios. (Here are samples of it...) Irv began his career with Ub Iwerks, and went on from there. For a long time he was a pillar of MGM Animation. These caricatures are from the late thirties and early forties. You can see Irv in the distant background, surrounded by yes-men. The two fatties in the foreground are Irv's assistants of the time, Stoder Herbert (in derby) and Joe Vought. Mr. Spence was having a bit of fun highlighting their girth.