RIP Martha Sigall

[rrfan3267]

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/martha-goldman-sigall-1917-2014-20141213

We just lost one of the last remaining (if not THE last remaining) links to classic Warner Bros animation. She was 97.




I don't know how to say this without coming across as snippy, but I'm pretty surprised that this happened a week ago and no one (myself included!) has mentioned it on the boards yet. I've noticed that over the last couple years, this place has mostly just talked about new releases: what we're getting, what we're not getting, complaining about double-dips and censorship, random indexes  of the Golden and Platinum collections, making endless little wishlists........... This used to be a place (mostly the old GAC site) where people would talk about animation history, specific animators, lesser known studios, techniques like smear and squash & stretch, etc. That's almost completely gone here. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it that a lot of people have left over the years? Or is there just not much to talk about anymore? I'm not trying to whine (there's more than enough of that going on), but I've felt this way for a good 2+ years now, which is why I almost never bother to comment on anything. I wish there was some sort of way to revitalize the conversation around Golden Age animation and not just talk about DVD releases.

All that to say, RIP Martha.

[The Dogfather/Toadette]

I had heard about this from the Tralfaz blog a week ago. The post includes a nice picture of the cartoon studio's bowling team. May she rest in peace.

As for the other issue, I myself have noticed. Perhaps it's because so much interesting things have already been talked about on the older boards that there really isn't a lot to talk about anymore. Plus, most people tend towards reading the various blogs on animation out there for information....and yes, a great deal of the older folks have left.

I'm actually planning a nice little thread right now. I hope you like it when I post it later today.

[Sogturtle]

Awwww.... Very, very sad to hear this!    Martha had a great long career first at the Schlesinger studio then at MGM in the true Golden Age of animation (and then other places). Her latter-day book was a fine, fun read (and a pretty good and fairly intimate view of the Schlesinger place as seen from the ink and paint dept.)
      This Turtle remembers a few years back asking her via email about a previously unknown markedly-VARIANT version of a cel from a scene of Jimmy Stewart from Tex Avery's "Hollywood Steps Out" in which Stewart is depicted clad very DIFFERENTLY than in the actual cartoon. Martha was gracious and kind to answer as best she could (since it had been around 70 years since the cel was made), just a pity she couldn't clear it up completely.
Rest well Martha.

[Bradskey]

I saw her mentioned a few days ago on Gizmodo talking about the origin of Bugs Bunny:

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/last-living-looney-tunes-colorist-reveals-the-origins-o-1674016970

When the article was originally posted they seemed unaware that she had passed just a few days earlier.  The original article title referred to her as the last "living" colorist.

[ibcf]

Awful news. RIP Martha.

I haven't been here long, but I used to lurk on the old GAC forums. There did seem to be more interesting discussion back then. However, I don't agree that there's nothing left to talk about...Cartoon Research comes up with fascinating new topics every day, and the Anipages forum still has lively conversations about animation technique. I think this place can be revitalized, if we wanted it to.

[The Dogfather/Toadette]

As I said earlier, I find that people seem to go on Cartoon Research and other such blogs rather than bringing their discussions here.

[Takeshi55]

Aw man. I wish more people posted in this thread. Well, at least she survived the invention of DVD commentaries.

[VoiceTalentBrendan]

 rest in peace Martha