The American director and animation producer, Gene Deitch, has passed away at the age of 95 at his home in Prague.
His Czech publisher, Petr Himmel, confirmed the news, saying that the Oscar-winning illustrator died ‘unexpectedly’. However, the details or cause of his death is not yet provided.
Photo source: Metro
Best known for his animated cartoons ‘Popeye’ and ‘Tom and Jerry’, Deitch was also the director of Munro, the animated film that won an Oscar for the Best Animated Short Film in 1961. His other works —Here's Nudnik and How to Avoid Friendship—were nominated for the same award again in 1964.
Photo source: tvtropes
According to Metro, Gene, whose full name was Eugene Merrill Deitch, is survived by his wife, Zdenka Najmanova, a fellow animator, and 3 sons from his first marriage. They are all writers and artists for alternative comics.
