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Allan Neuwirth

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Allan Charles Neuwirth
Born1956 (age 67–68)
Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York
NationalityAmerican
EducationPratt Institute
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, producer, author, designer, cartoonist
Notable workMakin' Toons, They'll Never Put That On The Air, Chelsea Boys, Space Racers, The Octonauts, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Drawing Home
AwardsPrix Jeunesse
New York Film Festival Award

Allan Charles Neuwirth (born 1956) is an American screenwriter, producer, author, designer, and cartoonist known for his work in film, television, print, and as co-creator of the syndicated comic strip Chelsea Boys.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Neuwirth was born in Washington Heights, New York City, and raised in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Brooklyn. His mother, Bella Neuwirth (née Gajzt), born in Lublin but raised from infancy in Antwerp, Belgium, was a Holocaust survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps.[2] His father, David Neuwirth, was a Jew from Cologne, Germany who fled the Nazi regime, escaping to the United States with most of his siblings.[3] His younger sister, Risa Neuwirth, was born in Paterson, New Jersey.[3] Neuwirth earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communications Design in 1986 from Pratt Institute.[4]

Career

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Early career

[edit]

Neuwirth began his career as a staff artist in a specialty ad agency, Carluth Studios, where he prepared print ads for United Artists feature films.[5] As a freelancer, he drew editorial cartoons, illustrated magazine articles and animatics for TV commercials, designed posters for New York City's Phoenix Theatre's 1981-1982 season.[6][7]

Television and film

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In 1979 through 1983, Neuwirth worked at The Studios of Diamond & Diaferia, an animation film production company. As a staff designer and director he created show openings, logos and motion graphics for television series including ABC News Nightline, This Week with David Brinkley, 20/20, ABC News Closeup, The Today Show and the ESPN network.[5][8] After leaving Diamond & Diaferia, Neuwirth served as Art Director for all five seasons of the Lifetime Television Network series about parenting, Mother's Day, hosted by Joan Lunden.[9]

In 1984, Neuwirth wrote jokes for television host Regis Philbin's nightclub act.[10] Partnering with comedy writer Gary Cooper, Neuwirth continued to write material for Philbin's shows at supper clubs and hotel casinos. During this period, he also launched an independent production company, Neuwirth Design. For the next several years, Neuwirth produced TV commercials, created animated scoreboard graphics for the New York Yankees' 1986 and 1987 seasons,[5] animated the special effects sequences for Troma Entertainment’s feature film, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. (1990),[11] designed opening titles for TV movies including King's Ransom,[12] and continued to partner with Cooper writing film scripts.

In 1995, Neuwirth and Cooper were hired by veteran children's television producer Nina Elias-Bamberger to co-develop Big Bag[13] a puppet/animated TV series co-produced by The Jim Henson Company and Sesame Workshop.[14] The show aired on Cartoon Network from 1996 to 1998. Neuwirth and Cooper stayed on to associate produce, story edit and write many of the series’ animated shorts. Their claymation Koki cartoons for Big Bag were featured in the Sixth International Children's Television Festival at The Museum of TV & Radio (1997),[15] and won Prix Jeunesse and New York Film Festival awards.[8]

The pair continued to write episodic television shows including The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss[16] (their script Mystery of Winna-Bango Falls was nominated for a 1998 Writers Guild Award),[17] Courage the Cowardly Dog,[18] Gadget & the Gadgetinis,[19] Dragon Tales[20] and season two of Fix and Foxi,[21] a European cartoon series based on Rolf Kauka’s popular comic books, during which they served as head writers. In the summer of 2001, Neuwirth relocated to Sydney, Australia for several months to continue as supervising producer of the show, overseeing post-production.[22]

In 2002, Neuwirth embarked on a solo writing and producing career. His credits include scripts for Paramount+’s popular reboot of Rugrats (2021),[23] head writing Season 6 of Nickelodeon’s Bubble Guppies (2021),[24] developing, executive producing and story editing The Bug Diaries (2019) on Amazon Prime,[25] developing, head writing and producing two seasons of Space Racers (2014),[26] an award-winning animated TV series[25] created with the participation of NASA and airing on PBS Kids, Universal Kids, Netflix and Amazon Prime, scripting and story editing The Octonauts (2010),[27] and writing episodes of Arthur (2008),[28] including "Is That Kosher?", in which he created the character "Bubbe" for guest star Joan Rivers, a role that garnered her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination.[29]

Additional writing credits include scripts for Donkey Hodie (2021),[30] Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt (2020),[31] Tumble Leaf (2015),[32] Tickety Toc (2014),[33] Jelly Jamm (2011),[34] Cyberchase (2010),[35] Jungle Junction (2009),[36] Martha Speaks (2009),[37] Speed Racer: The Next Generation (2009),[38] Between the Lions (2009),[39] WordWorld (2007),[40] and scripts and songs for Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies (2006).[41]

In 2004, he began directing a feature-length musical documentary, What's the Name of the Dame?,[42] which was completed seven years later. The film, which examined the fusion of two modern cultural phenomena, ABBA songs and the art of drag, made its debut at the Atlanta Film Festival in March 2011.[43] It was subsequently selected by numerous festivals across the US, including New York's Newfest,[44] and Canada.[43]

In 2012, Neuwirth and Margarethe Baillou of M.Y.R.A. Entertainment teamed up to begin producing together. Their first project, the independent feature film Drawing Home, was released theatrically in 2017.[42] He and Baillou also collaborated in 2016 as executive producers on Change in the Air (2018),[45] and on director Luca Guadagnino's acclaimed indie film Call Me by Your Name,[46] which premiered to raves at the Sundance Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics for release in 2017, winning dozens of accolades including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award, both for Best Adapted Screenplay.[47] Neuwirth served as associate producer.

Other projects currently filming and/or in development include the political documentary feature State of Dispute,[48] dramatic limited TV series The Yank and Shadow Cast,[49][50] and a feature film, Boy From Berlin, inspired by the young gay Jewish WWII hero Gad Beck’s memoir An Underground Life.

Throughout his involvement in feature films, Neuwirth continued to work in animated television as an artist and writer. He drew storyboards for commercials and TV series, including Cartoon Network's Courage the Cowardly Dog. In 2011, he wrote the Hallmark Channel’s stop-motion Christmas special, Jingle All the Way,[51][52] In 2012, he wrote the screenplay for the sequel, Jingle & Bell’s Christmas Star,[53] and the animated short film Polariffic (2014),[54] also for the Hallmark Channel. Polariffic was nominated for Best Animated Special Production at the 42nd Annual Annie Awards,[55] and selected by the 2015 Annecy Film Festival.[56] Neuwirth was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program," for a 2014 episode of Cyberchase.[57] In 2020, he co-created, produced, scripted and co-wrote the songs for Flower of the Dawn, the pilot episode of new musical anthology series Fairy Tale Forest, featuring the voices of Mel Brooks, Jane Lynch, Matt Lucas, Whoopi Goldberg, and Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday.[58]

Chelsea Boys

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In 1998, Neuwirth teamed with artist/writer Glen Hanson to create the internationally syndicated comic strip Chelsea Boys.[59] Two book collections were published: Chelsea Boys (2003),[60] nominated for Best Humor Book by the 2004 Lambda Literary Awards,[61] and Chelsea Boys Steppin’ Out (2007).[62][63] Chelsea Boys was optioned for television several times, notably in 2001 by Hollywood film company Film Roman, producers of The Simpsons.[64] Hanson and Neuwirth signed a deal in 2005 with MTV's new Logo Network to develop a TV show based on the comic strip,[65] but after several months of development the network declined to move forward, citing budget concerns. As of 2015, the strip has not been animated. Chelsea Boys has appeared in anthologies, including What's Wrong: Explicit Graphic Interpretations Against Censorship (2002).[66]

Hanson and Neuwirth also collaborated on projects for DC Comics. They co-scripted the RealWorlds graphic novel Wonder Woman vs. The Red Menace (2000).[67]

Books and journalism

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Following the attack in New York City of September 11, 2001, Neuwirth took a hiatus from television work and began writing non-fiction books and articles about the entertainment industry. His first book, Makin’ Toons (2003),[68] offered an insider's look at the creation of the most popular animated TV shows and movies being developed in the early 1990s.

Neuwirth's next book, an oral history titled They'll Never Put That On The Air (2006),[69] focused on the unique role of TV comedy in breaking down television's restrictive taboos of the 1950s and 1960s. Entertainment Weekly magazine placed the book on their "Must List."[70] Throughout the decade, Neuwirth contributed articles about pop culture and cartoons to various entertainment industry publications, including Animation Magazine[71][72] and Emmy Magazine.[73]

Several picture books adapted from original scripts Neuwirth wrote for TV series have been published, including Martha Speaks: A Pup's Tale (2010).[74] As a book illustrator, his credits include Warner Books’ Joan Lunden's Mothers’ Minutes (1986),[75] and Golden Books’ Where in America is Carmen Sandiego? (1992).

Neuwirth has guest lectured at schools and universities, and appeared on talk radio, TV and other venues to discuss creating animation, television comedy, and comics.[76] He has participated in and moderated panels at MoCCA,[77] City University of New York (CUNY)[78] School of Visual Arts,[79] and in museums and bookstores.

For the Archive of American Television, Neuwirth has conducted candid videotaped interviews with legendary figures in television history such as Joan Rivers,[80] Dominick Dunne,[81] and sex therapist Ruth Westheimer ("Dr. Ruth").[82] He has also interviewed directors and performers on stage, including British comic and actor Ricky Gervais, for BAFTA-New York screenings.[83][84]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
2009 What's the Name of the Dame? Director

Producer

[42]
2016 Drawing Home Producer [85]
2017 Call Me by Your Name Associate Producer [46]
2018 Change in the Air Executive Producer [45]

Television

[edit]
Year Series Role Notes
1996-98 Big Bag Developer

Animation Head Writer Story Editor Writer Associate Producer

developed 29 episodes, 1996-1998

wrote 39 episodes, 1996-1998 [14]

1996-98 The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Writer

Lyricist

wrote 1 episode, 1996-1998
1996-2022 Arthur Writer 3 episodes, 2008-2010
1999–2002 Courage the Cowardly Dog Writer 3 episodes, 2002[18]
1999-2005 Dragon Tales Executive Script Consultant 1 episode, 1999[20]
1999- Between the Lions Writer 2 episodes, 2010-2011
2001–03 Gadget & the Gadgetinis Writer 1 episode, 2003[19]
2002- Cyberchase Writer 1 episode, 2010
2000-02 Fix and Foxi Head Writer

Supervising Producer

2002[21]
2007-09 WordWorld Writer 6 episodes, 2007-2009[40]
2007-08 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies Writer

Lyricist

wrote 6 episodes, 2007-2008

wrote lyrics for 3 episodes 2007-2008[41]

2008-2013 Speed Racer: The Next Generation Writer

Story Writer

Wrote 3 episodes, 2009

Story wrote 1 episode, 2009 Other: 8 episodes, 2009-2011 [38]

2008-2016 Martha Speaks Writer 1 episode, 2010[37]
2009- Jungle Junction Writer 4 episodes, 2009-2011[36]
2010-13 The Octonauts Writer

Story Editor

Lyricist

wrote 14 episodes 2010-2011

story edited 25 episodes, 2010-2011 [27]

2011 Jingle All the Way Screenplay [51]
2011- Tickety Toc Writer 1 episode, 2015
2011- Jelly Jamm Writer 5 episodes, 2011
2011-22 Bubble Guppies Headwriter 26 episodes, 2021-2022[24]
2012 Jingle & Bell's Christmas Star Screenplay [53]
2013-2019 Tumble Leaf Writer 3 episodes, 2015-2016[32]
2014 Polariffic Screenwriter [54]
2014-18 Space Racers Developer

Head Writer Writer Producer/Co-Producer Various Voices Theme Music Lyricist

90 episodes, 2014-2018[26]
2019-20 The Bug Diaries Executive Producer

Developer

Story Editor

developed 12 episodes, 2019-2020

story edited 3 episodes, 2019

executive produced 12 episodes, 2019-2020[86]

2020 Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt Writer 3 episodes, 2020[87]
2021- Rugrats (2021) Writer 5 episodes, 2021-2022[23]
2021- Donkey Hodie Writer 2 episodes, 2021-2022[88]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Chelsea Boys"
  2. ^ "USC Shoah Foundation Institute"
  3. ^ a b toonguy121 "David O. Neuwirth, Death Record, Memorial page"[permanent dead link] Mooseroots.com
  4. ^ "Alumni Donors by Class Year, Honor Roll". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Laura, "Allan Neuwirth-Artist Interviews" Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine Animation Insider, July 22, 2014
  6. ^ Rich, Frank, "Stage: Maggie & Pierre Trudeau""The New York Times" September 28, 1981, "Blue Collar Drama: Weekends Like Other People" "The New York Times" March 12, 1982
  7. ^ Gussow, Mel,"Play: Lithgow is Kaufman at Large" "The New York Times" December 29, 1981
  8. ^ a b Zahed, Ramin, "Writing Terrific Toons with Allan Neuwirth" Animation Magazine, November 27, 2012, "Imira Acquires Classic Claymated Toon ‘Koki’" November 26, 2012
  9. ^ "Mother's Day 1983-1989 Full Cast & Crew"
  10. ^ "Creators-Allan Neuwirth". Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "Sgt. Kabukiman, N.Y.P.D 1990 Full Cast & Crew, Special Effects listing"
  12. ^ "King's Ransom 1993 Animation Department listing"
  13. ^ "Big Bag 1996-1998," Creators
  14. ^ a b "Big Bag 1996-1998 Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credits listing"
  15. ^ "The Paley Center for Media, Museum of Television and Radio:The Sixth International Children's Festival, Package 3: Teamwork"
  16. ^ "The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss 1996-1998, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  17. ^ 1990s section, Children's Script, 1998 listing"
  18. ^ a b "Courage the Cowardly Dog 1999-2002, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing, Series Art Department listing"
  19. ^ a b "Gadget and the Gadgetinis 2001-present, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  20. ^ a b "Dragon Tales-It Happened One Nightmare/Staying Within the Lines, 1999, Other Crew, Executive Script Consultant"
  21. ^ a b "Fixi and Foxi, 2002, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  22. ^ "Fixi and Foxi, 2002, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing, Supervising Producer credit listing"
  23. ^ a b Rugrats (Animation, Short, Adventure), Klasky-Csupo, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Nickelodeon Productions, May 27, 2021, retrieved July 25, 2022
  24. ^ a b Bubble Guppies (TV Series 2011–2022) - IMDb, retrieved July 25, 2022
  25. ^ The Bug Diaries (Animation, Short, Adventure), Amazon Studios, Lighthouse Studios, April 12, 2019, retrieved July 25, 2022
  26. ^ a b Space Racers (TV Series 2014– ) - IMDb, retrieved August 21, 2022
  27. ^ a b "The Octonauts 2010-present, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing, Series Other Crew-Story Editor listing 21 episodes"
  28. ^ "Arthur 1996-Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  29. ^ "Joan Rivers Awards, Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program, Arthur"
  30. ^ Donkey Hodie (Comedy, Family), Fred Rogers Productions, Spiffy Pictures, May 3, 2021, retrieved July 25, 2022
  31. ^ Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt (Animation, Family), Silvergate Media, Silvergate Media, May 8, 2020, retrieved July 25, 2022
  32. ^ a b Tumble Leaf (TV Series 2013–2019) - IMDb, retrieved August 23, 2022
  33. ^ "Tickety Toc, Full Cast & Cre, Series Writing Credit listing"
  34. ^ "Jelly Jamm Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  35. ^ Cyberchase (TV Series 2002– ) - IMDb, retrieved August 23, 2022
  36. ^ a b "Jungle Junction, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credits listing, 4 episodes"
  37. ^ a b "Martha Speaks 2008, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit"
  38. ^ a b "Speed Racer: The Next Generation, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credits listing, 7 episodes"
  39. ^ "Between the Lions, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing"
  40. ^ a b "Word World, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credit listing, 6 episodes"
  41. ^ a b "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies, Full Cast & Crew, Series Writing Credits listing, 6 episodes
  42. ^ a b "What's The Name of the Dame? Director listing"
  43. ^ a b Newswire, "Figjam Celebrates What's The Name Of The Dame's Successful Film Festival Run With An EP Of Julian Marsh Remixes Of ABBA Classics Performed By The Lovely Drag Queens" Pres Release January 17, 2012
  44. ^ Weintraub, Jake "New York’s Newfest 2011 LGBT Film Festival Announces Lineup (Video)" The Wrap, June 27, 2011
  45. ^ a b Change in the Air, retrieved July 24, 2017
  46. ^ a b Call Me by Your Name (2017), retrieved July 24, 2017
  47. ^ Call Me by Your Name - IMDb, retrieved July 25, 2022
  48. ^ Hohauser, William, State of Dispute (Documentary), State of Dispute Film, retrieved July 25, 2022
  49. ^ "The Yank - Cast | IMDbPro". pro.imdb.com. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  50. ^ Shadow Cast (Drama), Inspired Productions, Spotted Egg Pictures, retrieved July 25, 2022
  51. ^ a b "Jingle All The Way, Writer"
  52. ^ Hale, Mike "Kicking Off an Animated Holiday Season""The New York Times," November 23, 2011
  53. ^ a b "Jingle & Bell's Christmas, Screenplay"
  54. ^ a b "Polariffic, Writer-Allan Neuwirth"
  55. ^ Polariffic
  56. ^ Oregon Film, "Bent Image Lab’s "Polariffic" Accepted at Annecy Int’l Animated Film Fest""The Confluence" April 2001
  57. ^ "Media Advisory. "PBS and PBS KIDS receive 49 Daytime Emmy Nominations"
  58. ^ Risley, Mark, Fairy Tale Forest (Animation, Comedy, Drama), Fairy Tale Forest, M.Y.R.A. Entertainment, retrieved July 25, 2022
  59. ^ Chelsea Boys
  60. ^ Hanson, Glen, and Neuwirth, Allan,"Chelsea Boys," Alyson Books, September 2003
  61. ^ 16th Lambda Literary Awards
  62. ^ Hanson, Glen, and Neuwirth Allan, "Chelsea Boys, Steppin' Out," Bruno Gemunder Publisher, September 2006
  63. ^ Cronin, Brian "A Month of Good LGBT Comics – Chelsea Boys Steppin’ Out! Comic Book Resources, November 14, 2008"
  64. ^ Godfrey, Leigh "Film Roman To Develop Series Based On Chelsea Boys Strip" Animated World Network, October 10, 2001
  65. ^ Baisley, Sarah "New Logo Net Lands Gay Toon Chelsea Boys" Animated World Network, Monday, July 26, 2004
  66. ^ Fisher, Robin, "What's Wrong?: Explicit Graphic Interpretations Against Censorship" Arsenal Pulp Press, May 2003
  67. ^ Tucker, Ken "Realworlds: Wonder Woman, Entertainment Weekly, May 19, 2000"
  68. ^ Neuwirth, Allan, "Makin' Toons: Inside the Most Popular Animated TV Shows and Movies" Allworth Press, April 2003
  69. ^ Neuwirth, Allan, "They'll Never Put That On The Air: The New Age of TV Comedy" Allworth Press, February 2006
  70. ^ "The Must List: July 14, 2006" Entertainment Weekly, July 2006
  71. ^ Neuwirth, Allan, "How the Grinch Stole Holiday TV Viewers." Animation Magazine, December 2003
  72. ^ Neuwirth, Allan, "Three Simple Rules for Creating a Hit Toon Series" Animation Magazine, April 2004
  73. ^ "Comedy Writer Treva Silverman, Interview with Allan Neuwirth," Television Academy, December 10, 2013
  74. ^ "Martha Speaks: A Pup's Tale", adapted by White, Jamie, created by Meddaugh, Susan, based on a TV script by Neuwirth, Allan, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, July 2010
  75. ^ "Joan Lunden" Writings Listing, Mothers’ Minutes, Illustrated by Allan Neuwirth,Warner Books, 1986
  76. ^ "The Leonard Lopate Show, Howard Beckman, Allan Neuwirth and David Levy," October 3, 2003
  77. ^ "MoCCA Party Poop" June 22, 2007
  78. ^ Kirby, Robert [1] "Queers & Comics: The LGBTQ Cartoonists and Comics Conference New York University," The Comics Journal, May 18, 2015
  79. ^ "School of Visual Arts, Guest Speakers" "Animondays" January 7, 2012
  80. ^ [2] October 2003
  81. ^ [3] May 3, 2006
  82. ^ [4] June 14, 2010
  83. ^ "HBO Documentary Screening Of "Getting Over Him In 8 Songs or Less" Zimbio, February 11, 2010
  84. ^ "Ricky Gervais: Not my Doppelganger" November 7, 2008
  85. ^ Drawing Home (2016) - IMDb, retrieved August 23, 2022
  86. ^ The Bug Diaries (TV Series 2019–2020) - IMDb, retrieved August 21, 2022
  87. ^ Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt (TV Series 2020) - IMDb, retrieved August 23, 2022
  88. ^ Donkey Hodie (TV Series 2021– ) - IMDb, retrieved August 23, 2022
[edit]
  • IMDb page [5]
  • Carluth Studios, Inc. [6]
  • The Phoenix Theatre [7]
  • M.Y.R.A. Entertainment [8]
  • IMDb - Allan Neuwirth [9]
  • Lambiek Comiclopedia [10]
  • Chelsea Boys website [11]
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