Ralph Bakshi
Biography
Ralph Bakshi is an American animator whose independent, adult-oriented features offered an alternative to mainstream animation in the 1970s. Born in Haifa and raised in Brooklyn, he started at the Terrytoons cartoon studio as a cel polisher and rose to animator and director, then founded Bakshi Productions in 1968. His debut feature, Fritz the Cat (1972), based on Robert Crumb's comic strip, became the first animated feature that the Motion Picture Association of America rated X, and it remains the most commercially successful independent animated feature ever made. Coonskin (1975) came next, followed by Wizards (1977). His adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (1978) brought him a Golden Gryphon at the Giffoni Film Festival in 1980. American Pop (1981) and Fire and Ice (1983) came later, and in 1987 he returned to television with the series Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures. He received an Annie Award in 1988 for his contribution to animation.
88years old
Turns 89 on October 29in 352 days
- Born Haifa
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Also credited as Faxsi and Bakshi, Ralph
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 5 years1972 to 1977
Every film, newest first
- 1977WizardsIMDb rating 6.3
- 1975CoonskinIMDb rating 6.4
- 1972Fritz the CatIMDb rating 6.2
Genres
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First role
At 18, Bakshi got a job at Terrytoons as a cel polisher after his friend Cosmo Anzilotti put in a word with production manager Frank Schudde. His daily trip to the studio in New Rochelle took four hours each way.
A first
Bakshi's first feature, Fritz the Cat, came out in 1972 and was based on Robert Crumb's comic strip. It became the first animated movie given an X rating by the Motion Picture Association of America and is still the top-grossing independent animated feature.
A role that slipped away
In 1983, Bakshi was chosen to direct a film based on Robert E. Howard's Red Sonya of Rogatino, but when production was pushed back a year, Richard Fleischer took his place.
Beyond film
In 1985, Tony King, who managed The Rolling Stones, phoned Bakshi. King said the group had covered Bob & Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" and asked Bakshi to direct the music video, with the live-action shoot done in one day, January 28, 1986.
Ralph Bakshi movies on Netflix
Worked with
Ralph Bakshi shares two films with Jesse Welles, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Mark Hamill's page
Hans Conried's page
Scatman Crothers's page
Frank DeKova's page
David Proval's page
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1988 to 2008.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2008 | Inkpot Award | Won | |
| 1988 | Winsor McCay Award | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.