A double!
Harry Rasmussen of Canada
While researching animated cartoon history in general and Danish animated cartoon history in particular, people sometimes asked me if I had been working as an animator for the American studio Hanna - Barbera, creators of the world famous animated Television series, “The Flintstones”. Those people who asked me had noticed my name on that company’s Credit-lists.
But for good reasons I had never found an opportunity to work for The Flintstone producers, who in the 1940-50ties were better known as creators of the fabulous animated cartoon-series “Tom & Jerry”. So, to the questioners’ disappointment I indignant refused to take their questions seriously.
Nevertheless it did happen a few years ago, when I one day searched my own name on Google, that the name of another Harry Rasmussen unexpectedly showed up. Immediately I sent him a mail and also got an immediate answer, that he was a Canadian of partly Danish descent. Before he was born his Danish born farther and German born mother had immigrated to Canada, where they met each other and got married and have stayed ever since. But to my great astonishment he also told me that in the end of the 1970ties he had graduated as a classical animator from The Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada. In that capacity he had since then worked for Hanna - Barbera as an animator on the company’s many Television-series, such as “Fred and Barney”.
Afterwards Rasmussen had worked for other Canadian and Australian animated cartoon companies and also worked freelancing in the business. In later years he also has begun to work in the field of 3D animation, both as director and animator. Examples of the films he has been engaged in can be seen on his website.
It is not the intention here to give an extensive description of my “double’s” life and professional career, but rather recommend those who are interested to search his excellent website www.harryrasmussen.ca , where he up-to-date tells about himself and his long career as animator and director, especially in Canadian and Australian animated cartoon production.
November 2008. Revised December 2010.
Harry Rasmussen of Denmark.
En dobbeltgænger !
Harry Rasmussen of Canada
Under arbejdet med research omkring tegnefilmhistorie i almindelighed og dansk tegnefilmhistorie i særdeleshed, oplevede jeg for år tilbage blandt andet, at tegnefilminteresserede folk spurgte mig, om jeg havde arbejdet for det amerikanske Hanna & Barbara, som blandt meget andet havde produceret den berømte TV-serie ”The Flintstones”. De pågældende folk havde nemlig set mit navn på creditlister fra dette firma.
Men eftersom jeg af flere gode grunde ikke havde arbejdet for Flintstone-producenterne, som i 1940-50erne var bedre kendt som skabere af den raffinerede tegnefilmserie ”Tom & Jerry”, afviste jeg lettere indigneret de påtrængende spørgere.
Imidlertid skete der det for nogle år siden, at jeg under arbejdet med tegnefilmhistorien søgte på Internettet, og herunder tilfældigvis stødte på navnet på en canadier ved navn Harry Rasmussen. Via email-kontakt mellem os fik jeg oplyst, at han var af delvis dansk afstamning, idet hans danskfødte far og tyskfødte mor var emigreret til Canada nogle år før hans fødsel. Parret mødte hinanden og blev gift i Canada. Og til min store overraskelse kunne han endvidere oplyse, at han i slutningen af 1970erne var blevet uddannet som klassisk animator på Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada. I den egenskab havde han siden arbejdet en del år for Hanna & Barbara på flere af dette selskabs mange TV-serier, herunder ”Fred and Barney”.
Efterfølgende har Harry Rasmussen dog arbejdet for flere andre canadiske og australske tegnefilmproducenter, og har desuden også arbejdet som freelance. I de senere år er han gået over til også at arbejde med 3D animation, både som director og animator. Eksempler på film, han har været medarbejder på, kan ses på hans website.
Her skal jeg dog ikke indlade mig på en yderligere beskrivelse af min dobbeltgængers liv og karriere, men i stedet henvise interesserede til hans udmærkede website: www.harryrasmussen.ca. , hvor han up-to-date fortæller om sig selv og sin lange karriere som animator og director indenfor især canadisk og australsk tegnefilmproduktion.
November 2008. Revideret December 2010.
Harry Rasmussen of Denmark