2008 Winsor McCay Award Winners

One way that McCay's animation legacy is honored is the annual bestowing of ASIFA-Hollywood's Winsor McCay Award. It "stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation." It has been given out since 1972 and recipients of the honor include people like Walt Disney, Chuck Jones, both Hanna & Barbera, and Hayao Miyazaki.

The 2008 Winsor McCay Award winners were announced last night at Comic Con. The three newest folks to join an amazing list of recipients are:

John Lasseter (Toy Story)


Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit)


and Mike Judge (King of the Hill)


For full information, check out the announcement here...

Winsor McCay Awards Ceremony

The Annie Awards were presented last Friday. Here's a report about the three Winsor McCay recipients... The entire article can be found here: A Night Out at the Annie Awards

Three of the most prestigious trophies were awarded next, the Winsor McCay Awards. The first went to animation historian, educator, lecturer, and Academy award winning animator John Canemaker, who admitted backstage that he was nervous. “This award is more important [than his Oscar],” and he thanked everyone from the bottom of his heart.

Glen Keane, son of cartoonist Bill Keane, director of Disney’s upcoming film Rapunzel, and whose influence on Disney has earned him endorsement of one of the “Nine New Men,” was the second to receive the award. He has worked as supervising animator for Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and title characters for Tarzan, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Little Mermaid. He took the stage to another standing ovation. He thanked many of his own heroes, but the one that drew the first “awwwwww” of the evening, elicited almost involuntarily from the crowd was when he thanked his wife, “Linda, who was the inspiration for [Little Mermaid character] Ariel, and also my live-in own special fairytale princess.”

John Kricfalusi took the third Winsor McCay. His unique style such as the Ren & Stimpy Show has made his stand out as one of the most “original and outspoken directors.” He was accused of making every step creative, and now shares his knowledge on his blog, “All Kinds of Stuff.”

2007 Annie Awards

The folks at the Annie Awards just announced this year's recipients of the Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement which is "Animation's Highest Honor."

I am so excited by this year's recipients! The 2007 honors go to John Canemaker, Glen Keane, and John Kricfalusi.

Glen Keane has been the lead animator for many of Disney's best characters: Ariel, the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Tarzan, John Silver. Personally, he is my favorite artist of all time. He's been my hero since I first saw his Beast sketches 15 years ago.

John Canemaker is an Oscar winning animator and the author of many animation history books including the definitive Winsor McCay biography. Local reporter Terry Judd has been speaking to him in recent days about our Spring Lake McCay memorial plans and Canemaker's thoughts have been recorded in the Muskegon Chronicle. Congrats on the honor John!

Here's what the International Animated Film Society's page says about the Winsor McCay Award:

Since 1972, ASIFA-Hollywood has bestowed a very special award to individuals in recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation in producing, directing, animating, design, writing, voice acting, sound and sound effects, technical work, music, professional teaching, and for other endeavors which exhibit outstanding contributions to excellence in animation. The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry.

The list of recipients reads like a who's who in animation. From Max Fleischer to Daws Butler, and from Walt Disney to Gene Deitch, the honor's legacy to the history and craft of animation will continue to be a tribute to animation's finest.

You can read more about this year's recipients, and see a list of 35 years of winners here: Winsor McCay Award