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IMDbPro

James Tyer(1904-1976)

  • Animation Department
  • Director
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
James Tyer was born on 7 February 1904 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. He was a director and writer, known for Fritz the Cat (1972), Grandfather's Clock (1934) and A Little Bird Told Me (1934). He was married to Margaret Ester Lee. He died on 23 March 1976 in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
BornFebruary 7, 1904
DiedMarch 23, 1976(72)
BornFebruary 7, 1904
DiedMarch 23, 1976(72)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels

Known for

Fritz the Cat (1972)
Fritz the Cat
6.2
  • Animation Department
  • 1972
Grandfather's Clock (1934)
Grandfather's Clock
5.1
Short
  • Animation Department(uncredited)
  • 1934
A Little Bird Told Me
5.4
Short
  • Animation Department(uncredited)
  • 1934
You're a Sap, Mr. Jap (1942)
You're a Sap, Mr. Jap
5.8
Short
  • Animation Department(as Jim Tyer)
  • 1942

Credits

IMDbPro

Animation Department



  • Naughty But Mice (2003)
    Naughty But Mice
    Video
    • animation (segment "Cheese Burglar", as Jim Tyer)
    • 2003
  • Fritz the Cat (1972)
    Fritz the Cat
    6.2
    • animator
    • 1972
  • Batfink (1966)
    Batfink
    6.8
    TV Series
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Jerkules
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • The Bomber Bird
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Watch My Smoke
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Slow Down! Speed Up!
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Bride and Doom
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Roz the Schnozz
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Greasy Gus
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Goo-Goo a Go-Go
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Manhole Manny
    6.4
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • The Kitchy-Koo Kaper
    8.0
    TV Short
    • animator
    • 1967
  • Milton the Monster (1965)
    Milton the Monster
    7.3
    TV Series
    • animator
    • 1965–1967
  • Snuffy Smith and Barney Google (1961)
    Snuffy Smith and Barney Google
    7.2
    TV Series
    • animator
    • 1963–1964

Director



  • Spree for All (1946)
    Spree for All
    5.8
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1946
  • Rocket to Mars (1946)
    Rocket to Mars
    6.7
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1946
  • Peep in the Deep (1946)
    Peep in the Deep
    6.4
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1946
  • Service with a Guile (1946)
    Service with a Guile
    6.7
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1946
  • Cheese Burglar (1946)
    Cheese Burglar
    6.1
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1946
  • Shape Ahoy (1945)
    Shape Ahoy
    6.6
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1945
  • She-Sick Sailors (1944)
    She-Sick Sailors
    7.2
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1944
  • Moving Aweigh (1944)
    Moving Aweigh
    6.4
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1944
  • Puppet Love (1944)
    Puppet Love
    6.8
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1944
  • W'ere on Our Way to Rio (1944)
    W'ere on Our Way to Rio
    7.3
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1944
  • Her Honor the Mare (1943)
    Her Honor the Mare
    6.2
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1943
  • Too Weak to Work (1943)
    Too Weak to Work
    6.6
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1943
  • Seein' Red, White 'n' Blue (1943)
    Seein' Red, White 'n' Blue
    5.8
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1943
  • Spinach Fer Britain (1943)
    Spinach Fer Britain
    6.0
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1943
  • You're a Sap, Mr. Jap (1942)
    You're a Sap, Mr. Jap
    5.8
    Short
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1942

Writer



  • Think or Sink (1967)
    Think or Sink
    7.6
    Short
    • story
    • 1967
  • Aesop's Fable: The Tiger King
    4.5
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1960
  • The Helpful Geni (1951)
    The Helpful Geni
    5.3
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1951
  • You're a Sap, Mr. Jap (1942)
    You're a Sap, Mr. Jap
    5.8
    Short
    • story (as Jim Tyer)
    • 1942
  • The Hound and the Rabbit (1937)
    The Hound and the Rabbit
    6.0
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1937
  • Circus Daze (1937)
    Circus Daze
    4.8
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1937
  • The Pups' Christmas (1936)
    The Pups' Christmas
    6.1
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1936
  • The Pups' Picnic (1936)
    The Pups' Picnic
    6.1
    Short
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1936

Personal details

  • Alternative name
    • Jim Tyer
  • Born
    • February 7, 1904
    • Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
  • Died
    • March 23, 1976
    • Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
  • Spouse
    • Margaret Ester LeeSeptember 25, 1926 - March 23, 1976 (his death, 3 children)
  • Children
      James Harold Tyer Jr.
  • Parents
      John Francis Tyer Sr.
  • Relatives
      John Francis Tyer Jr.(Sibling)

Did you know

  • Trivia
    Jim Tyer is a cult figure among animation buffs for his distinctively silly style in Terrytoons cartoons of 1940s and 50s. His character drawings are off-model, rubbery and sloppy looking, a sharp contrast to the typical bland animation from that studio; but they make inventive use of movement and are always funny. When handing them in to Ink and Paint he'd say, "Now don't try to make it look nice, ladies. The color will hold it together". Tyer could only have gotten away with flexing his creative personality at low-budget Terrytoons, where stylistic continuity was not an issue as long as the daily footage quotas were met. Ralph Bakshi, who worked with Tyer in the late 1950s, looked up to him as a hero and later employed him on his animated feature Fritz the Cat (1972).
  • Quotes
    Hey Ralph, stop worrying. Everything moves, so put it down, have fun and go home.
  • Trademarks
      Dopey characters having a snaggle tooth sticking out when speaking.
  • Nickname
    • Jim

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