2012 in animation

2012 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.

• February 4: The 39th Annie Awards are held.
• February 14: Matt Groening receives a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• February 19: The 500th episode of The Simpsons, "At Long Last Leave", is first broadcast, guest starring Julian Assange.
• February 26: 84th Academy Awards:
  • Rango by Gore Verbinski wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
  • The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

• March 2: The Lorax, based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, premieres, receiving mediocre reviews during the release. However, it garnered popularity online as an Internet meme a decade later.
• March 13: Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire is officially released. Prior to date, it was originally a digital rental on Amazon Video and iTunes in late December 2011.
• March 23: Disney Junior launches as a 24/7 channel.
• March 25: Edd Gould, the creator of Eddsworld, dies from Leukemia. The episode "Space Face" was set to be released. But because of Gould's death, it was delayed. After Space Face Part 1 was uploaded, Tomska started a campaign on Kickstarter called Eddsworld Legacy. But it got removed on YouTube. The 5 retro/classic YouTube videos on YouTube were taken down for copyright in 2013 before they were reuploaded on Eddsworld Extra three years later.

• April 15: The Simpsons episode "Beware My Cheating Bart" is first broadcast, with the couch gag being animated by Bill Plympton, the first time he did so.

• May 3: Carlos Loiseau's Ánima Buenos Aires premiers.
• May 20: The Simpsons episode "Lisa Goes Gaga" is first broadcast, guest starring pop singer Lady Gaga. This episode was panned by critics along with Simpsons fans and Lady Gaga fans and is often considered to be one of the worst Simpsons

• June 8: The third Madagascar film, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, is released by DreamWorks.
• June 15:
  • The first episode of Gravity Falls is broadcast, receiving generally favorable reviews.
  • Threshold Entertainment's Foodfight! premieres in United Kingdom as a limited release. This film received extremely negative reviews for its unfinished looking CG animation, Nazi-based propaganda, and sexual innuendo, declaring this as one of the worst animated films ever made.
• June 22: Brave, produced by the Walt Disney Company and Pixar, is released.

• July 13: Blue Sky Studios releases Ice Age: Continental Drift, directed by Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier.

• August 20: Cookie Jar Entertainment was acquired by DHX Media for $111 million, which made DHX the world's largest independent owner of children's television programming. Cookie Jar was later folded on December 25, 2014.
• August 24: Don Hertzfeldt's It's Such a Beautiful Day premiers.
• August 25: Toonzai is replaced by Vortexx.

• September 20: Tim Burton's Frankenweenie is released.
• September 28: Hotel Transylvania, a film by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation is released.

• November 2: The Walt Disney Company releases Wreck-It Ralph.
• November 10: The first episode of Littlest Pet Shop is broadcast.
• November 21: Rise of the Guardians, a film by DreamWorks is released.

• Academy Award for Best Animated Feature: Rango
• Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
• Animation Kobe Feature Film Award: K-On!
• Annecy International Animated Film Festival Cristal du long métrage: Crulic: The Path to Beyond
• Annie Award for Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph
• Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film: A Letter to Momo
• BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film: Brave
• César Award for Best Animated Film: Ernest & Celestine
• European Film Award for Best Animated Film: Alois Nebel
• Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film: Brave
• Goya Award for Best Animated Film: Tad, The Lost Explorer
• Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year: Wolf Children
• Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Grand Prize: Combustible
• Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film: Wolf Children

• February 6: Kai Zen, American child actress (voice of River in The Rocketeer, Pepper in Eureka!, young Luthera in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, young Anne Boonchuy in the Amphibia episode "Lost in Newtopia").

• January 6:
  • Tom Ardolino, American rock drummer and member of NRBQ (voiced himself in The Simpsons episodes "The Old Man and the "C" Student", "Take My Wife, Sleaze" and "Insane Clown Poppy"), dies from diabetes at age 56.
  • Bob Holness, British-South African radio and television presenter and occasional actor (voice of Mr. Formal in the Rex the Runt episode "Adventures on Telly 1") dies at age 83.
• January 14: Star Wirth, American xerographer (Hanna-Barbera, The Pagemaster, Warner Bros. Animation), dies at age 71.
• January 16: Efron Etkin, Israeli actor (dub voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh and Dolf in Alfred J. Kwak), dies at age 59.
• January 22: Dick Tufeld, American actor, announcer, and narrator (announcer and narrator for Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Spider-Woman, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, Fantastic Four, and Histeria!, voiced the Robot from Lost in Space in The Simpsons episodes "Mayored to the Mob" and "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore"), dies at age 85.
• January 26: Ian Abercrombie, English actor (voice of Palpatine in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, F in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy episode "Scythe 2.0", Ambrose in Rango, Ganthet in Green Lantern: The Animated Series), dies at age 77.

• February 6: Peter Breck, American actor (voice of Farmer Brown in The New Batman Adventures episode "Critters"), dies at age 82.
• February 8: Laurie Main, Australian actor (voice of Farmer Grey, Squire Douglas Gordon, and Pipe Smoking Stable Owner in Black Beauty, narrator in Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons, and Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore, Dr. Watson in The Great Mouse Detective, additional voices in The Plastic Man Comedy Adventure Show, The New Yogi Bear Show, and Paddington Bear), dies at age 89.
• February 24: Jan Berenstain, American children's book author and illustrator (co-creator of The Berenstain Bears), dies from a stroke at age 88.
• February 29:
  • Sheldon Moldoff, American comics artist and animator (Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse), dies at age 91.
  • Davy Jones, English actor, singer and member of The Monkees (portrayed himself in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One", voice of Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island, the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist, Nigel in the Phineas and Ferb episode "Meatloaf Surprise", himself in The New Scooby-Doo Movies episode "The Haunted Horseman of Hagglethorn Hall" and the Hey Arnold! episode "Fishing Trip"), dies from a heart attack at age 66.

• March 5: Joaquim Muntañola, Spanish animator and comics artist (Gonzalez the Fakir), dies at age 97.
• March 6: Robert B. Sherman, American songwriter and composer (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Snoopy Come Home, Charlotte's Web, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, The Mighty Kong), dies at age 86.
• March 10: Jean Giraud, French artist, cartoonist and writer (Les Maitres du temps, Tron, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Space Jam), dies at age 73.
• March 11: Don Markstein, American comics, cartoons and animation scholar (Don Markstein's Toonopedia) and editor (Comics Revue, co-founder of Apatoons), dies at age 65.
• March 18: Warren Luening, American musician and trumpeter (Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Goofy Movie, Casper, Pixar, Space Jam, Anastasia, Family Guy, Stuart Little 2, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Polar Express, Ice Age: The Meltdown, The Ant Bully, Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, The Simpsons Movie, Horton Hears a Who!, Shrek Forever After, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Despicable Me 2), dies at age 70.
• March 20: Noboru Ishiguro, Japanese film director, producer and screenwriter (Space Battleship Yamato II, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Century Orguss, Humanoid Monster Bem, Megazone 23, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Tytania), dies at age 73.
• March 23: Jim Duffy, American animator (Hanna-Barbera, Klasky-Csupo, Duckman), dies at age 74.
• March 25: Edd Gould, British animator (Eddsworld), dies from leukemia at age 23.

• April 9: Takeshi Aono, Japanese actor (voice of Shiro Sanada in Space Battleship Yamato, Kami and Piccolo in the Dragon Ball franchise, Rihaku in Fist of the North Star, Japanese dub voice of Joker in the DC Animated Universe, King Harold in the Shrek franchise, Uncle Max in The Lion King 1½, and Sir Topham Hatt in Thomas & Friends), dies at age 75.
• April 18: Dick Clark, American radio and television personality, television producer and actor (voice of Lefty Redbone in The Angry Beavers episode "The Posei-Dam Adventure", himself in the Fantastic Four episode "The Origin of the Fantastic Four", the Pinky and the Brain episodes "You'll Never Eat Food Pellets in This Town Again!" and "The Pinky and the Brain Reunion Special", the Recess episode "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave", the Futurama episode "Space Pilot 3000", and The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror X"), dies from a heart attack at age 82.
• April 22:
  • Buzz Potamkin, American television producer and director (The Berenstain Bears, Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, Hanna-Barbera, Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night), dies from pancreatic cancer at age 66.
  • Paul Gringle, American comics artist, animator and illustrator (advertising film for Champion Spark Plugs), dies at age 89.
• April 24: Yugo Sako, Japanese film director, producer and animator (Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama), dies at age 84.
• April 30: George Murdock, American actor (voice of Boss Biggis in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "The Forgotten"), dies at age 81.

• May 2: Digby Wolfe, English actor (voice of Ziggy in The Jungle Book), dies at age 82.
• May 4: Monty Wedd, Australian comic artist and animator (worked for Artransa, Eric Porter and Ralph Bakshi, Hanna-Barbera), dies at age 91.
• May 6: George Lindsey, American actor (voice of Lafayette in The Aristocats, Trigger in Robin Hood, Deadeye in The Rescuers), dies at age 83.
• May 8: Carlos Loiseau, aka Caloi, Argentine comics artist and animator (Ánima Buenos Aires), dies at age 63.
• May 17: Geri Rochon, American color stylist (Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, Lazer Tag Academy, The Angry Beavers), dies at an unknown age.
• May 20: Marc Strange, Canadian actor (voice of Forge in X-Men: The Animated Series, Lord Glenn in Silver Surfer), dies from cancer at age 70.
• May 24: Millie Goldsholl, American film director and producer (Up Is Down), dies at age 92.
• May 29: Dick Beals, American actor (voice of the Speedy Alka-Seltzer in Alka-Seltzer ads, N.J. Normanmeyer in The Addams Family, Reggie van Dough in Richie Rich, Birdboy in Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, Buzz Conroy in Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, Baby-Faced Moonbeam in Duck Dodgers, Ralph Phillips in From A to Z-Z-Z-Z and Boyhood Daze, Davey in Davey and Goliath), dies at age 85.

• June 10: Judy Freudberg, American screenwriter (Sesame Street, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Between the Lions), dies from a brain tumor at age 62.
• June 15: Csaba Varga, Hungarian animator and producer (founder of Varga Studio), dies at age 66.
• June 16: Susan Tyrrell, American actress (narrator in Wizards), dies at age 67.
• June 19: Victor Spinetti, Welsh actor, author, poet and raconteur (voice of Dick Deadeye in Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done, Texas Pete in SuperTed, Glump in The Princess and the Goblin), dies from prostate cancer at age 82.
• June 24:
  • Lonesome George, Spanish Pinta Island tortoise (inspiration for the Lonesome Hubert segment in the Futurama episode "Naturama"), dies at age 101-102.
  • Iwan Lemaire, Belgian comics artist, animator, photographer and painter, dies at age 78.
• June 27: Don Grady, American actor, composer and musician (Jetsons: The Movie, Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure), dies from myeloma at age 68.

• July 3: Andy Griffith, American actor, comedian, television producer, singer and writer (voice of the Narrator in Frosty's Winter Wonderland, Santa Claus in Christmas Is Here Again), dies from a heart attack at age 86.
• July 4: Gerald Polley, American singer, activist and animator, dies at age 65.
• July 8: Ernest Borgnine, American actor (voice of Carface in All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 and All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, Mermaid Man in SpongeBob SquarePants, himself in The Simpsons episode "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"), dies at age 95.
• July 12: Kenneth Landau, American comic artist and animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios, DePatie-Freleng, Hanna-Barbera, Cambria Productions), dies at age 86.
• July 13: Ginny Tyler, American actress (voice of Jan in Space Ghost, Sue Storm / Invisible Woman in The New Fantastic Four, the female squirrel in The Sword in the Stone, Davey's mother and sister in Davey and Goliath), dies at age 86.
• July 16: Frank Andrina, American animator and timing director (Warner Bros. Animation, The Smurfs, Wacky Races, The Flintstones), dies at age 82.
• July 26:
  • Tibor Hernádi, Hungarian animator, film director, producer, screenwriter and storyboard artist (Felix the Cat: The Movie, The Seventh Brother, Red Bull commercials), dies at age 64.
  • Lupe Ontiveros, American actress (voice of Abuela Elena in Maya & Miguel, Lupe in the Family Guy episode "We Love You Conrad", Anne in the King of the Hill episode "The Substitute Spanish Prisoner"), dies from liver cancer at age 67.
• July 27:
  • Norman Alden, American actor (voice of Kay in The Sword in the Stone and Kranix in The Transformers: The Movie), dies at age 87.
  • Geoffrey Hughes, British actor (voice of Paul McCartney in Yellow Submarine), dies at age 68.
• July 29: Chris Marker, French film director and animator (Les Astronautes), dies at age 91.
• July 31: Gore Vidal, American writer and public intellectual (voiced himself in the Family Guy episode "Mother Tucker", and The Simpsons episode "Moe'N'a Lisa"), dies from pneumonia at age 86.

• August 2: Mark Klastorin, American voice actor (voice of Bob, Skipper, Man in White and Yuppie Dad in Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Truckee and other various characters in The Angry Beavers, Fisherman, Ned, Cop #2 and Old Man in Johnny Bravo, Vinnie in Happy Feet, Paul Teutul Sr. in the Celebrity Deathmatch episode "Stand-up vs. Smack Down") and television writer (Back to the Future), dies from cancer at age 61.
• August 6: Marvin Hamlisch, American composer and conductor (voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Gone Abie Gone"), dies from respiratory arrest at age 68.
• August 14: Ron Palillo, American actor (voice of Rubik in Rubik, the Amazing Cube, Sgt. Squealy in Laverne & Shirley in the Army, Scrounger in Pound Puppies, Ordinary Guy in the Darkwing Duck episode "Planet of the Capes", himself in the Duckman episode "Westward, No!"), dies from a heart attack at age 63.
• August 16: William Windom, American actor (voice of Puppetino in Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night, Dr. Marcus Wealthy in Pink Panther and Sons, "Cutter" King in Sky Commanders, Uncle Chuck in Sonic the Hedgehog, Uncle Bob in the Goof Troop episode "Major Goof", Ethan Clark in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Prophecy of Doom"), dies at age 88.
• August 20: Phyllis Diller, American actress and comedian (voice of the Queen in A Bug's Life, Thelma Griffin in Family Guy, the Monster's Mate in Mad Monster Party?, the White Queen in Alice Through the Looking Glass, Grandma Neutron in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nuttiest Nutcracker, Jane Goodair in the Captain Planet and the Planeteers episode "Smog Hog", Suzy Squirrel in the Animaniacs episode "The Sunshine Squirrels", Lillian in The King of the Hill episode "Escape from Party Island", Mitzi in the Hey Arnold! episode "Grandpa's Sister", Mask Scara in The Powerpuff Girls episode "A Made Up Story", herself in The New Scooby-Doo Movies episode "A Good Medium is Rare"), dies at age 95.
• August 21: Tissa David, Romanian-American film director (Bonjour Paris, worked for UPA, Hubley Studios, R.O. Blechman), dies from a brain tumor at age 91.
• August 22: Jeffrey Stone, American model (model for Prince Charming in Cinderella), dies at age 85.
• August 24: Steve Franken, American actor (voice of Eugene Atwater in Road Rovers, Mr. Beal in Detention, Mr. Janus in the Static Shock episode "Grounded", Rundle in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "The Mechanic", President Generic in The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries episode "Spooker of the House"), dies at age 80.

• September 3:
  • Michael Clarke Duncan, American actor (voice of Tug in Brother Bear and Brother Bear 2, Big Daddy in The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses, Future Wade in Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time, Massive in Loonatics Unleashed, Elder Marley in Delgo, Commander Vachir in Kung Fu Panda, Guardian Cat in the Fish Hooks episode "Labor of Love", Groot in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Guardians of the Galaxy", Kingpin in the Spider-Man: The New Animated Series episode "Royal Scam", Coach Webb in the King of the Hill episode "The Son Also Roses", Mongo in The Proud Family episode "Smackmania 6: Mongo vs. Mama's Boy", Rashid "The Rocket" Randell in the Static Shock episode "Linked", Rockwell in The Fairly OddParents episode "Crash Nebula", Krall in the Teen Titans episode "Cyborg the Barbarian"), dies at age 54.
  • Ottó Foky, Hungarian animator and film director, dies at age 85.
• September 10: Lance LeGault, American actor (voice of Junior the Buffalo in Home on the Range, Yank Justice in Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines, the Chief in Tugger: The Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly), dies at age 77.
• September 16:
  • John Coates, English film producer (Yellow Submarine, The Snowman), dies at age 84.
  • John Ingle, American actor (voice of Cera's father in The Land Before Time franchise, Wise Paw in Paw Paws, Judge in the Animaniacs episode "La La Law"), dies at age 84.
• September 17: Roman Kroitor, Canadian filmmaker (Universe, creator of SANDDE), dies at age 85.
• September 20: Michael Rye, American actor (voice of the title character in The Lone Ranger, Apache Chief and Green Lantern in Super Friends, Duke Igthorn, King Gregor, and Sir Gawain in Adventures of the Gummi Bears, J.J. Wagstaff in Fluppy Dogs, Mr. Slaghoople in The Flintstone Kids, Farley Stillwell in Spider-Man), dies at age 94.

• October 8: Ken Sansom, American actor (voice of Rabbit in the Winnie the Pooh franchise, Hound in The Transformers, Erick Hunter in The Littles, Martin Stein in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, Ralph Throgmorton in the TaleSpin episode "On a Wing and a Bear"), dies at age 85.
• October 12: Břetislav Pojar, Czech puppeteer, animator and film director (To See or Not to See, Balablok), dies at age 89.
• October 18: John Clive, English actor (voice of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine), dies at age 79.
• October 21: Run Wrake, English animator and film director (Rabbit), dies at age 46.
• October 22: Russell Means, American activist and actor (voice of Chief Powhatan in Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, Shaman and Chief Sentry in Turok: Son of Stone, Thomas in the Duckman episode "Role With It"), dies at age 72.
• October 27: Bill White, American animator and comics artist (Spümcø, Walt Disney Company, DiC Entertainment), dies at age 51.

• November 5: Margaret Nichols, American animator (Warner Bros. Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, UPA, Fleischer Studios, Snowball Animation, Patin, TV Spots, Creston, Eagle, Hanna-Barbera, Marvel Productions, Universal Studios and Graz Entertainment) and animation director (The Transformers, Inhumanoids, My Little Pony: The Movie, The Transformers: The Movie), dies at age 82.
• November 6: Vladimír Jiránek, Czech animator, illustrator and film director (co-creator of Pat & Mat), dies at age 74.
• November 8: Lucille Bliss, American actress (voice of the title character in Crusader Rabbit, Anastasia Tremaine in Cinderella, Nibbles in Tom & Jerry, Smurfette in The Smurfs, Mrs. Beth Fitzgibbons in The Secret of NIMH, Ms. Bitters in Invader Zim), dies at age 96.
• November 22: Mel Shaw, American animator (Walt Disney Company), dies at age 97.
• November 23: Larry Hagman, American actor, director and producer (voice of Wallace Brady in The Simpsons episode "The Monkey Suit"), dies from throat cancer at age 81.
• November 28: Don Rhymer, American screenwriter and film producer (Fish Police, Surf's Up, Blue Sky Studios), dies at age 51.

• December 3: Fyodor Khitruk, Russian animator and film director (The Story of a Crime, Film, Film, Film, Winnie-the-Pooh, O, Sport, You - the Peace!), dies at age 95.
• December 4: Gerrit van Dijk, Dutch animator, filmmaker, actor and painter, dies at age 73.
• December 7: Rusty Mills, American animator (Warner Bros. Animation), dies from colon cancer at age 49.
• December 15: Maxine Markota, American animation checker (What's New, Mr. Magoo?, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, Filmation, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, The Simpsons), dies at age 83.
• December 24: Lee Hartman, American novelist and animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Cartoons), dies at age 82.
• December 26:
  • Gerry Anderson, English television and film producer, director, writer and occasional voice artist (Dick Spanner, P.I., Lavender Castle, New Captain Scarlet, Firestorm), dies at age 83.
  • Gerald McDermott, American film director, children's book writer and illustrator, dies at age 71.

• Esfandiar Ahmadieh, Iranian film director, dies at age 82 or 83.

• 2012 in anime

• Animated works of the year, listed in the IMDb