Great animators are also actors, comedians, and scientists. They study the way animals move, the flow of long grass, the grace of scudding clouds, the expressions humans make when they are frustrated, hungry, happy, or in love. And Glen Keane is one of its masters.
In the Disney 2D era he was known for drawing fierce creatures like the the terrifying Bear in “The Fox and the Hound,” Willie the Giant in “Mickey’s Christmas,” and Snidely Whiplash villain Rattigan in “The Great Mouse Detective” — and, the fiercely memorable Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
“I was supposed to do Ursula,” he said on the phone. “I loved animating power and strength and weight. I was watching Jodi Benson record with Howard Ashman coaching her, trying to get her to sing from a personal, intimate desire of wanting the impossible, to believe the impossible is possible. As I watched that, I felt,...
In the Disney 2D era he was known for drawing fierce creatures like the the terrifying Bear in “The Fox and the Hound,” Willie the Giant in “Mickey’s Christmas,” and Snidely Whiplash villain Rattigan in “The Great Mouse Detective” — and, the fiercely memorable Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
“I was supposed to do Ursula,” he said on the phone. “I loved animating power and strength and weight. I was watching Jodi Benson record with Howard Ashman coaching her, trying to get her to sing from a personal, intimate desire of wanting the impossible, to believe the impossible is possible. As I watched that, I felt,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Great animators are also actors, comedians, and scientists. They study the way animals move, the flow of long grass, the grace of scudding clouds, the expressions humans make when they are frustrated, hungry, happy, or in love. And Glen Keane is one of its masters.
In the Disney 2D era he was known for drawing fierce creatures like the the terrifying Bear in “The Fox and the Hound,” Willie the Giant in “Mickey’s Christmas,” and Snidely Whiplash villain Rattigan in “The Great Mouse Detective” — and, the fiercely memorable Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
“I was supposed to do Ursula,” he said on the phone. “I loved animating power and strength and weight. I was watching Jodi Benson record with Howard Ashman coaching her, trying to get her to sing from a personal, intimate desire of wanting the impossible, to believe the impossible is possible. As I watched that, I felt,...
In the Disney 2D era he was known for drawing fierce creatures like the the terrifying Bear in “The Fox and the Hound,” Willie the Giant in “Mickey’s Christmas,” and Snidely Whiplash villain Rattigan in “The Great Mouse Detective” — and, the fiercely memorable Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
“I was supposed to do Ursula,” he said on the phone. “I loved animating power and strength and weight. I was watching Jodi Benson record with Howard Ashman coaching her, trying to get her to sing from a personal, intimate desire of wanting the impossible, to believe the impossible is possible. As I watched that, I felt,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Max Keane isn’t new to the family’s animation business. He’s worked on many of his dad Glen Keane’s post-Disney projects, including the shorts “Duet” and the Oscar-winning “Dear Basketball” as production designer. But as creator and showrunner of the latest Glen Keane Prods. project, “Trash Truck,” Max is in the driver’s seat for the first time.
The preschooler kids series about an imaginative 6-year-old boy, Hank, and his vehicular best friend debuted on Netflix on Nov. 10 with a dozen 11-minute episodes. Max Keane is creator-showrunner and executive produces along with his father and Gennie Rim, CEO at Glen Keane Prods., the company his dad formed in 2012 after years as a Disney animator.
“It’s an idea I stole from my son [Henry],” Max Keane admits. “When he was 1½, he was completely obsessed with garbage trucks.” At first, Keane couldn’t figure out why Henry was so enchanted by the big,...
The preschooler kids series about an imaginative 6-year-old boy, Hank, and his vehicular best friend debuted on Netflix on Nov. 10 with a dozen 11-minute episodes. Max Keane is creator-showrunner and executive produces along with his father and Gennie Rim, CEO at Glen Keane Prods., the company his dad formed in 2012 after years as a Disney animator.
“It’s an idea I stole from my son [Henry],” Max Keane admits. “When he was 1½, he was completely obsessed with garbage trucks.” At first, Keane couldn’t figure out why Henry was so enchanted by the big,...
- 11/10/2020
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
Glen Keane Discusses Directing Over the Moon — Oscar-winning animator Glen Keane knew that he wanted to be an artist ever since he was a boy, as one can see in the archives of his father Bil Keane’s comic strip, The Family Circus. Bill was an inspiration for the 7-year-old Glen, who would on occasion draw [...]
Continue reading: Over The Moon (2020): Animator Glen Keane Discusses Directing His First Feature Film...
Continue reading: Over The Moon (2020): Animator Glen Keane Discusses Directing His First Feature Film...
- 10/24/2020
- by Scott Mariner
- Film-Book
Oscar-winning animator and Scad Savannah Film Festival honoree Glen Keane knew he wanted to be an artist from a young age. The evidence is right there in the archives of his father Bil Keane’s daily newspaper comic, “The Family Circus.”
You see, Glen served as an inspiration for 7-year-old Billy, who would, from time to time, step in to scribble a few installments of the beloved single-panel strip. In reality, those crudely drawn “guest” entries were daddy’s invention, although it’s true that Glen displayed an early interest in art, and the encouragement from both parents set him on the course that would make him responsible for some of the best-loved animated characters of the last half-century.
During his run at Disney, Keane served as supervising animator for Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast” and the title characters in “Aladdin” and “Tarzan.
You see, Glen served as an inspiration for 7-year-old Billy, who would, from time to time, step in to scribble a few installments of the beloved single-panel strip. In reality, those crudely drawn “guest” entries were daddy’s invention, although it’s true that Glen displayed an early interest in art, and the encouragement from both parents set him on the course that would make him responsible for some of the best-loved animated characters of the last half-century.
During his run at Disney, Keane served as supervising animator for Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast” and the title characters in “Aladdin” and “Tarzan.
- 10/23/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
This book looks very much like it’s going to be a parody of The Family Circus. There’s a male cartoonist, his beautiful and pearl-wearing wife, their four chibi children, and the round single-panel that encompasses all of them.
But creator Benjamin Frisch apparently wasn’t interested in a re-run of the Dysfunctional Family Circus, and so The Fun Family is a more free-floating parody — maybe of self-actualization and the search for meaning in life, maybe of just life itself.
Robert Fun’s family mimics the Family Circus closely: wife Marsha, sons Mikey and Robby, daughter Molly, baby J.T. Robby even takes over the comic strip, as metafictionally the Keane kids have the Family Circus and in real life Jeff Keane has actually done. [1] It even begins with a famous Family Circus trope: Robert Fun’s mother, “Grandma Virginia Fun,” has just died, and almost immediately appears as an angel.
But creator Benjamin Frisch apparently wasn’t interested in a re-run of the Dysfunctional Family Circus, and so The Fun Family is a more free-floating parody — maybe of self-actualization and the search for meaning in life, maybe of just life itself.
Robert Fun’s family mimics the Family Circus closely: wife Marsha, sons Mikey and Robby, daughter Molly, baby J.T. Robby even takes over the comic strip, as metafictionally the Keane kids have the Family Circus and in real life Jeff Keane has actually done. [1] It even begins with a famous Family Circus trope: Robert Fun’s mother, “Grandma Virginia Fun,” has just died, and almost immediately appears as an angel.
- 9/4/2018
- by Andrew Wheeler
- Comicmix.com
Although life itself—what with its many gently comical misunderstandings and accidental malapropisms that tickle the belly of baby Jesus—is already a perfectly dandy script for a Family Circus movie, sometimes you also need a dashed line to follow to keep you from becoming too distracted with petting a dog to proceed to talk to the mailman, and other things that are hilariously true. And so, writers have finally been hired for Fox's two-years-in-the-making, live-action adaptation of Bil Keane's comic panel about the exhausted parents to several hideously misshapen children, whose swollen heads are so dizzy with ...
- 10/19/2012
- avclub.com
The other orange, comic strip cat Heathcliff is heading towards the big screen, but now another long running newspaper funny heading to movie theaters has an update. Variety reports Fox and Walden Media are still turning Family Circus into a feature film with The Game Plan writing duo of Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price scripting the live-action project. The adaptation of Bil Keane's comic strip that debuted in 1960 has been in development since 2010, and now it looks like it's finally getting some traction. No director is attached yet, but if the writing talent is any indicator, this won't be a groundbreaking comedy. The comic, which is syndicated to 1,500 newspapers, uses a single panel to follows the trails, tribulations and lighthearted comedy that comes from being a family with four children. The husband and wife are believed to be fictionalized versions of the author and his wife, and their ...
- 10/19/2012
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Golly gee willikers, funnies fans! The circus is coming to town — The Family Circus, that is! (Nailed it.)
While a film adaptation of everyone’s fourth-favorite one-panel comic has been in development since 2010, Fox and Walden Media have only just selected a writing team to pen a script. Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price seem like the right pair for the job; their first movie, 2007′s The Game Plan, was a feel-good family flick about the joys of parenthood. As long as they can come up with some killer “pasketti and meat bulbs” jokes, they’ll be good to go.
But...
While a film adaptation of everyone’s fourth-favorite one-panel comic has been in development since 2010, Fox and Walden Media have only just selected a writing team to pen a script. Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price seem like the right pair for the job; their first movie, 2007′s The Game Plan, was a feel-good family flick about the joys of parenthood. As long as they can come up with some killer “pasketti and meat bulbs” jokes, they’ll be good to go.
But...
- 10/19/2012
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
One of my favorite scenes in Doug Liman.s 1999 dark comedy Go (a movie that I highly recommend) features characters played by Timothy Olyphant and Katie Holmes sitting together in a diner and having a friendly conversation about the daily funnies. Olyphant begins to talk about his hatred for the comic strip The Family Circus, saying, .You sit down and read your paper, and you're enjoying your entire two-page comics spread. Right? And then there's the Family fucking Circus, bottom right-hand corner, just waiting to suck.. While I like the scene for many reasons, the chief among them is the fact that it.s totally relatable. Anybody who has ever gone to the funnies for entertainment knows that the Bil Keane comic completely ruins the experience every goddamn time. So you know what news I.m really sad to report? They are moving forward with a Family Circus movie. Bringing...
- 10/19/2012
- cinemablend.com
In what many saw as a shock, veteran Disney animator Glen Keane, one of the so-called celebrity animators from Disney’s “Second Renaissance” in the early 1990s, designing and animating immortal characters like Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast,” and Aladdin from “Aladdin,” left the studio on Friday. Keane had been with the studio for almost thirty-seven years (he briefly departed from the studio to do freelance work but was still contracted almost exclusively for Disney). In his letter of resignation (posted at Cartoon Brew), Keane said, “I am convinced that animation really is the ultimate art form of our time with endless new territories to explore. I can’t resist its siren call to step out and discover them.”
Keane is the son of Bil Keane, creator of “The Family Circus” cartoon strip. Keane joined Disney in 1974 after leaving Cal Arts, and was mentored by Ollie Johnston,...
Keane is the son of Bil Keane, creator of “The Family Circus” cartoon strip. Keane joined Disney in 1974 after leaving Cal Arts, and was mentored by Ollie Johnston,...
- 3/25/2012
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
Family Circus creator Bil Keane made a lot of people’s mornings brighter with his low-key observations, subtle eye for humor, and appreciation for the innocence of children. Back in 1990, our own Ken Tucker called Family Circus “the most underrated comic strip in the country.” In light of his sad passing Tuesday, I looked through the cartoonist’s archives and picked out some of my favorites. See them below.
Family Circus debuted Feb. 29, 1960. “I never thought about a philosophy for the strip,” Keane commented in hindsight, “it developed gradually.”
Next: Family Circus in the ’70s...
Family Circus debuted Feb. 29, 1960. “I never thought about a philosophy for the strip,” Keane commented in hindsight, “it developed gradually.”
Next: Family Circus in the ’70s...
- 11/10/2011
- by Lanford Beard
- EW.com - PopWatch
Bil Keane, the creator of classic American comic strip The Family Circus has died, aged 89.
The cartoonist passed away on Tuesday after suffering congestive heart failure at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Keane's career began after his first cartoon was published in 1936 in Pennsylvania's Philadelphia Daily News.
He is best remembered for his one-panel comic The Family Circus, which he began drawing in 1960 and now runs in more than 1,000 U.S. newspapers.
His son Jeff, who has taken over drawing The Family Circus in recent years, tells the Associated Press his father died peacefully.
Jeff says, "He said, 'I love you' and that's what I said to him, which is a great way to go out. The great thing is dad loved the family so much, so the fact that we all saw him, I think that gave him great comfort and made his passing easy. Luckily he didn't suffer."...
The cartoonist passed away on Tuesday after suffering congestive heart failure at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Keane's career began after his first cartoon was published in 1936 in Pennsylvania's Philadelphia Daily News.
He is best remembered for his one-panel comic The Family Circus, which he began drawing in 1960 and now runs in more than 1,000 U.S. newspapers.
His son Jeff, who has taken over drawing The Family Circus in recent years, tells the Associated Press his father died peacefully.
Jeff says, "He said, 'I love you' and that's what I said to him, which is a great way to go out. The great thing is dad loved the family so much, so the fact that we all saw him, I think that gave him great comfort and made his passing easy. Luckily he didn't suffer."...
- 11/10/2011
- WENN
The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned a perfume ad featuring teenage actress Dakota Fanning, saying it could be seen to sexualize a child. Read more at the BBC.
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- 11/10/2011
- Extra
Cartoonist Bil Keane, creator of the comic strip “The Family Circus,” died today at the age of 89. Ordinarily, this is where we on the internet would pay tribute to Keane’s work, but unfortunately, no one actually likes The Family Circus, so we’re not entirely sure how to handle this. Because we cannot in good conscience ridicule the work of someone who recently died, we will instead do the exact opposite and praise these comics which have suddenly become great today! So get ready to laugh and definitely not think to yourself ‘is a joke missing here?’ with this list of 50 Suddenly Great Family Circus Cartoons: 50. 49. 48. 47. 46. 45. 44. 43. 42. 41. 40. 39. 38. 37. 36. 35. 34. 33. 32. 31. 30. 29. 28. 27. 26. 25. 24. 23. 22. 21. 20. 19. 18. 17. 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Farewell, Bil Keane! That Family Circus sure was……. it sure was.
- 11/9/2011
- by Dan Hopper
- BestWeekEver
Bil Keane, the creator of Family Circus, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in Paradise Valley, Ariz. He was 89. Born in Philadelphia, Keane taught himself to draw and eventually dropped the second L from his name when signing his cartoons in order to distinguish himself. His first cartoon was published in 1936 in the Philadelphia Daily News. Keane served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. And, in 1960, he started drawing the one-panel Family Circus comic, which appears in nearly 1,500 newspapers across the country. He served as president of the National Cartoonists Society from 1981 to 1983.In recent years,...
- 11/9/2011
- by Liz Raftery
- PEOPLE.com
There’s one more ghost looking over Billy, Jeffy, Dolly, and P.J. The AP is reporting that Bil Keane, who started drawing the one-panel cartoon The Family Circus in February 1960, died Tuesday at age 89 at his longtime home in Paradise Valley, near Phoenix.
Jeff Keane, Keane’s son who lives in Laguna Hills, Calif., said that his father died of congestive heart failure with one of his other sons by his side after his conditioned worsened during the last month. All of Keane’s five children, nine grandchildren and great-granddaughter were able to visit him last week, Jeff Keane said.
“He said, ‘I love you’ and that’s what I said to him, which is a great way to go out,” Jeff Keane said of the last conversation he had with his father. “The great thing is Dad loved the family so much, so the fact that we all saw him,...
Jeff Keane, Keane’s son who lives in Laguna Hills, Calif., said that his father died of congestive heart failure with one of his other sons by his side after his conditioned worsened during the last month. All of Keane’s five children, nine grandchildren and great-granddaughter were able to visit him last week, Jeff Keane said.
“He said, ‘I love you’ and that’s what I said to him, which is a great way to go out,” Jeff Keane said of the last conversation he had with his father. “The great thing is Dad loved the family so much, so the fact that we all saw him,...
- 11/9/2011
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
Phoenix — Bil Keane's "Family Circus" comics entertained readers with a simple but sublime mix of humor and traditional family values for more than a half century. The appeal endured, the author thought, because the American public needed the consistency.
Keane, who started drawing the one-panel cartoon featuring Billy, Jeffy, Dolly, P.J. and their parents in February 1960, died Tuesday at age 89 at his longtime home in Paradise Valley, near Phoenix. His comic strip is featured in nearly 1,500 newspapers across the country.
Jeff Keane, Keane's son who lives in Laguna Hills, Calif., said that his father died of congestive heart failure with one of his other sons by his side after his conditioned worsened during the last month. All of Keane's five children, nine grandchildren and great-granddaughter were able to visit him last week, Jeff Keane said.
"He said, `I love you' and that's what I said to him, which...
Keane, who started drawing the one-panel cartoon featuring Billy, Jeffy, Dolly, P.J. and their parents in February 1960, died Tuesday at age 89 at his longtime home in Paradise Valley, near Phoenix. His comic strip is featured in nearly 1,500 newspapers across the country.
Jeff Keane, Keane's son who lives in Laguna Hills, Calif., said that his father died of congestive heart failure with one of his other sons by his side after his conditioned worsened during the last month. All of Keane's five children, nine grandchildren and great-granddaughter were able to visit him last week, Jeff Keane said.
"He said, `I love you' and that's what I said to him, which...
- 11/9/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Bil Keane, creator of the "Family Circus" comic, died Tuesday (Nov. 8) in Paradise Valley, Az. He was 89.
Keane first created the one-panel cartoon in 1960. And since then, characters Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and P.J. as well as parents Bill and Thel have become a regular read for fans. The comic is now featured in 1,500 newspapers. Books with collections of the strip have sold over 13 million copies.
In a 1998 interview with the East Valley (Az) Tribune, Keane explained the inspiration for his comics.
"I was portraying the family through my eyes. Everything that's happened in the strip has happened to me," he said.
Keane's work on "Family Circus" earned him numerous awards including National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Syndicated Panel, a prize he won four times. In addition to "Family Circus," Keane also created the comics including "Channel Chuckles" and "Eggheads" which he wrote with his son Jeff.
Bil Keane is survived five children.
Keane first created the one-panel cartoon in 1960. And since then, characters Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and P.J. as well as parents Bill and Thel have become a regular read for fans. The comic is now featured in 1,500 newspapers. Books with collections of the strip have sold over 13 million copies.
In a 1998 interview with the East Valley (Az) Tribune, Keane explained the inspiration for his comics.
"I was portraying the family through my eyes. Everything that's happened in the strip has happened to me," he said.
Keane's work on "Family Circus" earned him numerous awards including National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Syndicated Panel, a prize he won four times. In addition to "Family Circus," Keane also created the comics including "Channel Chuckles" and "Eggheads" which he wrote with his son Jeff.
Bil Keane is survived five children.
- 11/9/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Bil Keane , the man behind the iconic comic strip " Family Circus " died yesterday ... he was 89. "Family Circus" has been in circulation for more than 50 years and is currently featured in roughly 1,500 newspapers. The single panel strip centers around the antics of four young kids, Billy, Dolly, Jeffy, baby Pj and their parents. Keane was working right up to the end ... his final "Family Circus" comic is dated October 26th. Read more...
- 11/9/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The worst thing to happen to journalists since the recession has officially happened: Ace reporter Brenda Starr — and thus, the Brenda Starr comic strip — is hanging up her hat, not long after two other comic heroines (Annie and Cathy) also retired. The strip, created by Dale Messick, will take its final bow Jan. 2, more than 70 years after it first debuted. And though, admittedly, Brenda Starr was always a comic I grazed past while making my way to One Big Happy or Zits, I’ll still contend that its mere presence will be greatly missed. (And that her strip subliminally convinced me to become a journalist.
- 12/9/2010
- by Kate Ward
- EW.com - PopWatch
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
- Above is your first look at what 20th Century Fox' recently greenlit 'Napoleon Dynamite' TV show will look like.
- In unrelated but similarly undesirable news, 20th Century Fox have also given the go-ahead to make a 'Family Circus' feature film out of Bil Keane's undying single-panel comic strip.
- Dominick Fairbanks' newly formed Fairbanks Productions is planning a $120 million version of the classic adventure play 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' starring Neil Jackson. The second film in their pipeline is 'Kill The Dead,' an original script to be written and directed by Shaune Harrison about a reality show in the future that allows contestants to bring people back from the dead just to kill them.
Continue Reading...
- Above is your first look at what 20th Century Fox' recently greenlit 'Napoleon Dynamite' TV show will look like.
- In unrelated but similarly undesirable news, 20th Century Fox have also given the go-ahead to make a 'Family Circus' feature film out of Bil Keane's undying single-panel comic strip.
- Dominick Fairbanks' newly formed Fairbanks Productions is planning a $120 million version of the classic adventure play 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' starring Neil Jackson. The second film in their pipeline is 'Kill The Dead,' an original script to be written and directed by Shaune Harrison about a reality show in the future that allows contestants to bring people back from the dead just to kill them.
Continue Reading...
- 10/12/2010
- by Peter Hall
- Moviefone
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
- Above is your first look at what 20th Century Fox' recently greenlit 'Napoleon Dynamite' TV show will look like.
- In unrelated but similarly undesirable news, 20th Century Fox have also given the go-ahead to make a 'Family Circus' feature film out of Bil Keane's undying single-panel comic strip.
- Dominick Fairbanks' newly formed Fairbanks Productions is planning a $120 million version of the classic adventure play 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' starring Neil Jackson. The second film in their pipeline is 'Kill The Dead,' an original script to be written and directed by Shaune Harrison about a reality show in the future that allows contestants to bring people back from the dead just to kill them.
Continue Reading...
- Above is your first look at what 20th Century Fox' recently greenlit 'Napoleon Dynamite' TV show will look like.
- In unrelated but similarly undesirable news, 20th Century Fox have also given the go-ahead to make a 'Family Circus' feature film out of Bil Keane's undying single-panel comic strip.
- Dominick Fairbanks' newly formed Fairbanks Productions is planning a $120 million version of the classic adventure play 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' starring Neil Jackson. The second film in their pipeline is 'Kill The Dead,' an original script to be written and directed by Shaune Harrison about a reality show in the future that allows contestants to bring people back from the dead just to kill them.
Continue Reading...
- 10/12/2010
- by Peter Hall
- Cinematical
Back when a live action Marmaduke movie was first announced last year, I can recall a lot of people joking about other comic strips that would make for even more ridiculous film adaptations. One of the titles that had to be at the top of the list was Bil Keane's The Family Circus, the notoriously unfunny single panel comic that most people would agree very rarely has an actual punchline. Supposedly, it has become the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world... go figure. As you might expect, Hollywood has been knocking at Bil Keane's door for years, trying to get the rights to make a Family Circus movie, but finally producer John Baldecchi (Deep Rising, The Mexican, Ultraviolet) managed to get a hold of him and negotiate a deal. Yep, that's right... Billy, Dolly and the rest of the family are all coming to the big screen.
- 10/12/2010
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
20th Century Fox and Walden Media have teamed up to purchase the film rights to Bil Keane's syndicated comic strip "The Family Circus" reports Deadline.
First starting in 1960, Keane has been producing the single-panel script ever since and it has become the most widely syndicated cartoon panel in the world. The strip follows an Arizona family - Bil and Thelma along with their four children.
Bob Hilgenberg & Rob Muir will pen the script for a live action feature based on the property, and the first of a potential family franchise. John Baldecchi and Stacy Maes are producing.
First starting in 1960, Keane has been producing the single-panel script ever since and it has become the most widely syndicated cartoon panel in the world. The strip follows an Arizona family - Bil and Thelma along with their four children.
Bob Hilgenberg & Rob Muir will pen the script for a live action feature based on the property, and the first of a potential family franchise. John Baldecchi and Stacy Maes are producing.
- 10/11/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Sometimes, I just don’t know what to say on a piece of news. 20th Century Fox and Walden Media have purchased the rights to Bil Keane’s syndicated comic strip The Family Circus. They already have scribes Bob Hilgenberg and Rob Muir on board to pen a live action feature. Reportedly, the studio has “envisioned [it] as a multiple quadrant family franchise.” The rights were a hot commodity, and were sought after for a number of years by different studios. Producer John Baldecchi caught Keane’s attention by pursuing Keane himself for two years.
Read more on “The Family Circus” coming to the big screen…...
Read more on “The Family Circus” coming to the big screen…...
- 10/9/2010
- by Kate Erbland
- GordonandtheWhale
So I guess the Marmaduke movie was successful enough? Wait, it only made $33 million, this doesn't make sense at all! Deadline reports that 20th Century Fox is teaming with Walden Media (also of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader as well) to adapt Bil Keane's comic strip The Family Circus. Yes, this is that lovable single-pane comic about a family with four children, usually causing trouble. Apparently a lot of studios were interested in turning it into a big family franchise, but Fox and Walden came out on top and will be developing this as a live-action feature with John Baldecchi and Stacy Maes producing. Read on! Apparently it took over two years for the producers to even get a phone call with Keane, but they finally got in touch and made enough of an impression to eventually work out this deal. Screenwriters Bob Hilgenberg & Rob...
- 10/9/2010
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
You didn't think Marmaduke would get all the glory, did you? That's right: the most widely syndicated cartoon panel in the world is about to make its live-action big screen debut. Moreover, it's being envisioned as a franchise. 20th Century Fox and Walden Media got the rights to Bil Keane's comic, which was introduced in the '60s and has since been released in compilations that have sold over thirteen million copies worldwide. Deadline says Fox and Walden competed for the rights with several other studios, but beat them out with a seven figure deal against their six figures. Bob Hilgenberg and Rob Muir, co-writers on Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, have been hired to write the screenplay. Producing the film are John Baldecchi (Ultraviolet, Cutthroat Island) and Stacy Maes (Jumper). There isn't much to the comic, either in terms of character or story, which means this...
- 10/9/2010
- by Adam Quigley
- Slash Film
The Family Circus comic strip tends to be more of a punchline than something people actually admit to reading, but then again, so is Marmaduke, and Fox thought it would be a good idea to make a movie out of that. It should come as no surprise, then, that they're doing the same for Family Circus teaming up with Walden Media to buy the rights to Bil Keane's long-running strip and turn it into a live-action feature. According to Deadline there was actually a bidding war over this thing, and the deal was up in the six figures. Keane had resisted turning the strip into a movie but years, but producer John Baldecchi gave him the hard sell this time around and talked him in to taking it to studios. It is not up to you to figure out how they'll make a movie out of the blank, sentimental...
- 10/8/2010
- cinemablend.com
Exclusive: 20th Century Fox has teamed with Walden Media to buy rights to Bil Keane's venerable syndicated comic strip The Family Circus, and they've hired Bob Hilgenberg & Rob Muir to script a live action feature. John Baldecchi and Stacy Maes are producing. Bil Keane started the strip in 1960 and continues to generate the single-panel script with his son Jeff. It is the most widely syndicated strip in the world, according to King Features. A number of studios competed for the rights for what is envisioned as a multiple quadrant family franchise. Though several members of the Keane clan have become film animators, Bil Keane resisted making a film deal all these years. Producer Baldecchi spent two years trying to track them down. He got Keane's number, but never had his messages returned. One day, Baldecchi called and Keane picked up the phone. He made enough of an impression that...
- 10/8/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
When I interviewed Berke Breathed a few years back, I asked him if there would finally by a comprehensive Bloom County collection like the recently available Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts volumes. Breathed was dismissive of the idea, claiming that no one wanted to read the strip, that it was no longer relevant, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, a few years have gone by,...
(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
When I interviewed Berke Breathed a few years back, I asked him if there would finally by a comprehensive Bloom County collection like the recently available Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts volumes. Breathed was dismissive of the idea, claiming that no one wanted to read the strip, that it was no longer relevant, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, a few years have gone by,...
- 11/6/2009
- by UncaScroogeMcD
The woman who inspired the matriarch in the beloved Family Circus comic strip has died. She was 82.
Thelma Keane, the wife of acclaimed cartoonist Bil Keane, died on Friday at her home in Paradise Valley, Arizona after a five-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Keane began drawing the long-running cartoon in 1960 and based the Mommy character on his wife Thelma. The comic is printed in nearly 1,500 publications worldwide.
The pair met during World War II when he was stationed in Brisbane, Australia, from which Thelma was a native. They married in 1948 and moved to Keane's hometown of Philadelphia. They had five children.
Thelma acted as Keane's business manager and battled for her husband to become one of the first syndicated newspaper cartoonists to win back all rights to his published drawings.
Keane remembers his wife fondly, saying, "The losing of Thel is a heartbreaking thing for me.
"However, it makes me realise how important she was to my worldly success, and I know where she is now, I feel that she's still helping me and probably giving me the inspirations you can only get from an angel in heaven."...
Thelma Keane, the wife of acclaimed cartoonist Bil Keane, died on Friday at her home in Paradise Valley, Arizona after a five-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Keane began drawing the long-running cartoon in 1960 and based the Mommy character on his wife Thelma. The comic is printed in nearly 1,500 publications worldwide.
The pair met during World War II when he was stationed in Brisbane, Australia, from which Thelma was a native. They married in 1948 and moved to Keane's hometown of Philadelphia. They had five children.
Thelma acted as Keane's business manager and battled for her husband to become one of the first syndicated newspaper cartoonists to win back all rights to his published drawings.
Keane remembers his wife fondly, saying, "The losing of Thel is a heartbreaking thing for me.
"However, it makes me realise how important she was to my worldly success, and I know where she is now, I feel that she's still helping me and probably giving me the inspirations you can only get from an angel in heaven."...
- 5/26/2008
- WENN
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