Hall of Fame
Dave Hilberman (1911 - 2007)
Dave was a talented artist who made important contributions to the Disney studio, especially while working on Bambi. To the public that reads obituaries, however; David Hilberman was labeled as the “brains” of the strike against the Disney studio, a role he always denied. Accused of being a Communist, David was blacklisted in the 1950s and endured economic hardship. But he made far greater contributions that continue to resonate today.
After leaving Disney in 1941, Dave co-founded United Productions of America (UPA)--- the first major studio run by animators that changed the face of animated cartoons. In the 1950s, he and Zack Schwartz went on to start Tempo Productions, an early leader in animated commercial production for TV. In short, he was a key player in the development of the art form took in the mid-20th century. He was also an idealist who promoted racial equality at a time when much of the country was segregated. Eventually, Dave started the animation program at San Francisco State University where he taught ethics and morality along with animation. Dave led a remarkable life that went far beyond his brief involvement with a labor dispute---It was a full life, with a significant impact on the Bay Area animation scene.
--- The full story by Karl Cohen in PDF form, will be available soon.
--- For an audio interview with Dave, visit here.
Prescott Wright (1936 - 2007)
A native of Bronx N.Y., and graduate of San Francisco State University, Prescott was a part-time film instructor at SFSU in 1970 when he took over the International Tournee of Animation. That annual show was remarkable for bringing a collection of animated shorts to screens around the country, at a time when there were few options available aside from the occasional Disney feature.
Prescott later served on the board of directors of ASIFA International as well as an advisor to animation festivals the world over. As the founding president of ASIFA-SF, he influenced and inspired a generation of local artists. His efforts on behalf of animation in general and the San Francisco animation community in particular are gratefully appreciated to this day.
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