The animated short film Munro, which premiered in the United States in 1961, earned an Academy Award as the first production created outside of the country to win the honor. Its director, Gene Deitch, originally arrived in Prague in 1959 for a temporary ten-day assignment, but ultimately remained in the city for the remainder of his life.
Early Career and Aviation
Born in Chicago on August 8, 1924, Deitch moved to California in 1929 and graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1942. His professional life began at North American Aviation, where he drafted aircraft blueprints. Following a brief period of military pilot training cut short by pneumonia, he pursued his interest in illustration and audio engineering. During the 1950s, he recorded sessions for singer-songwriter Connie Converse, later facilitating her appearance on CBS television.
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In 1955, Deitch joined the United Productions of America studio. During this period, he wrote and illustrated the comic strip The Real-Great Adventures of Terr’ble Thompson!, Hero of History. He served as creative director at Terrytoons, developing characters such as Sidney the Elephant and Tom Terrific. After leaving Terrytoons in 1958, he founded Gene Deitch Associates, Inc. in New York to produce television commercials.
Work in Prague and Global Projects
Relocating to Prague in 1959 to produce Munro for Rembrandt Films, Deitch married production manager Zdenka Najmanová in 1964. During his time in the city, he directed Popeye cartoons for King Features and 13 Tom and Jerry shorts for MGM between 1961 and 1962. His extensive filmography includes Alice of Wonderland in Paris, an unreleased adaptation of The Hobbit, and the series The Bluffers. He continued to adapt children's literature into animated films until his retirement in 2008.
Memoir and Legacy
Deitch documented his experience living under the Communist Party dictatorship in his memoir, For the Love of Prague. Despite living in a period of surveillance, he maintained his creative output and professional connections. In 2003, he received the Winsor McCay Award from ASIFA-Hollywood for his lifetime contributions to the field. He died in Prague on April 16, 2020, at the age of 95.
Fast facts
- Born: August 8, 1924, Chicago
- Died: April 16, 2020, Prague
- Major Award: 1961 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
- Known for: Munro, Tom Terrific, and Nudnik
- Early work: The Record Changer magazine illustrator
- Spouses: Marie Deitch (m. 1943), Zdenka Najmanová (m. 1964)
- Children: Kim, Simon, and Seth Deitch
Questions readers ask
Was Gene Deitch a Tom and Jerry director?
Yes, he directed 13 Tom and Jerry shorts for MGM between 1961 and 1962.
Did Gene Deitch win an Academy Award?
Yes, his film Munro won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1961.
