Animation & Cartoons

TV critic David Bianculli previews this Sunday night's debut of Matt Groening's "Futurama." Groening is the creator of "The Simpsons."

The creator of the Simpsons Matt Groening talks with TV critic David Bianculli about the series. This month, TV's longest running animated series will broadcast its 200th episode. The Simpsons were first featured during episodes of the Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons own prime time series premiered in 1990. Groening has a new book called "The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family."

TV Critic David Bianculli previews tonight’s presentation of “South Park” on cable TV’s Comedy Central.

Jonathan Katz is another comic who has broadened his horizons. He went into animation. His "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist" is a half-hour animated sitcom on Comedy Central (Sundays at 10:30 PM and Tuesdays at 8:30 PM). Katz is the voice of the psychiatrist, and fellow comics supply the voice of the patients, and the routines on therapy. (Also: Tonight Jonathan Katz will be doing standup on HBO's Comedy Half-Hour)

Actress Julie Kavner. In her first professional role, she played Brenda Morgenstern, the insecure younger sister of the title character, in the television series "Rhoda." She landed an Emmy award for that role. Also on television, she co-starred in "The Tracey Ullman Show" and now can be heard as the unforgettable voice of Marge on the animated sitcom, "The Simpsons," for which she also won an Emmy. She starred in the movie "This Is My Life," co-starred in "Awakenings," and appeared in 5 Woody Allen movies.

TV critic, David Bianculli, reviews new prime-time cartoon series, "The Critic," created by a team of three writer-producers from "The Simpsons." "The Critic" is about New York film reviewer and single father, Jay Sherman.

Television Critic David Bianculli on the new season opener of the Simpson's show, which begins tonight; and also the season's end of the Larry Sanders's Show, which stars Gary Shandling.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews Shelley Duvall's "Bedtime Stories" on Showtime.

Actress and producer Shelley Duvall. She was "discovered" by Robert Altman in 1970 and learned about acting on the set. She's been in Altman's films, "Brewster McCloud," "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," "Nashville," and others. Ten years ago she began producing her "Faerie Tale Theatre" on Showtime, an award-winning series of classic fairy tales featuring some of Hollywood's best actors, directors, and writers. Her new "Bedtime Stories," a weekly animated series premiers this month on Showtime.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews three new CBS series premiering this week; "Scorch," "Fish Police," and "The Boys of Twilight."

Television critic David Bianculli reviews the new primetime animated series, "Capitol Critters."

Animator John Canemaker's new book is "Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat." The cartoon character was well known on television, but was as famous as Charlie Chaplain during the silent film era.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Of Moose and Men: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Story," about the critic's favorite childhood cartoon. It airs this week on many public television stations.

Television Critic critic David Bianculli is thrilled that, after months of reruns, the animated sitcom has returned with new episodes. He has this review.

Television critic David Bianculli previews the upcoming animation series by cartoonist Matt Groening. It's called "The Simpsons" and begins on January 14th on the Fox Network.

Charles Solomon is the author of Enchanted Drawings: A History of Animation. His book traces the art form from the magic lantern shows of the 1600's through the silent films of the 1920's to such modern-day phenomena as Roger Rabbit and the California Raisins.

Cartoonist Matt Groening (pronounced GRAY-ning). He's the creator of the Simpsons, the all-too-real cartoon family featured on the Tracy Ullman Show. The Simpsons are starring in their own prime time Christmas special on the Fox network, and starting January 14th, "The Simpsons" will appear as a regular show...the first animated prime time series since "The Flintstones." Matt Groening also draws the comic strip, "Life In Hell," which appears in many alternative and college newspapers.

Animation director Chuck Jones talking About the Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Pepe Lepew.

The Warner Bros. studio created several iconic cartoon characters for their shows Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, including Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. Writer Steve Schneider has published a book about their history and influence, called That's All Folks!

Greg Ford and Terry Lennon, the writer and director of "The Duxorcist," the first "Looney Tune" to feature Daffy Duck since 1964. The cartoon will play before Warner Brother's theatrical releases. It comes on the 50th anniversary of Daffy Duck's debut.