‘Animaniacs’ and ‘Pinky and the Brain’ Legend Dies: Barry Caldwell Was 68

Barry Caldwell, the animator and director behind iconic cartoon series like Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, as well as the film Osmosis Jones, has died. He was 68.

Caldwell’s friend and fellow animator, Paul Dini, confirmed his death on Facebook, revealing that he had been informed of Caldwell’s passing by animator and art directorDan Haskett.

“Barry Caldwell was one of the first animation artists I met when I started my career fresh out of school way back around 1980. He was also one of the finest artists I ever met, and easily one of the best people. The man’s talent as a cartoonist, designer and director was revered throughout the industry,” began Dini, who described Caldwell as “a genial giant of a guy that you liked from the moment you met him” who also “knew more about cartoons than you or I ever will (trust me on this),” but was “incredibly generous with his time and his talent.”

“Barry was admired, celebrated and loved by just about everyone, myself included, for many more reasons than I can list here,” he added. “Gonna miss you, pally.”

Dini also wrote of Caldwell’s sense of humor, writing that it takes a “special kind of genius” to be both as “dry and warm” as his late friend.

“No artist ever mocked the insanity of the Hollywood cartoon [system] with such devastating incisiveness, and yet loved its creative output so much. At least, I believe he did,” he wrote. “You don’t last too long in the cartoon business unless you have some true affection for the characters and the people you work with to bring them to life.”

Dini continued, “That spirit was on display for as long as I knew him, and in all the places we worked together, Filmation, Ruby-Spears, Warner Bros, Disney, so many others. Barry knew how to make a blah assignment sing and turn a good one into something wonderful.”

Born on June 19, 1957, in New York City, Caldwell trained at the School of Visual Arts before going on to work at Warner Bros. Animation, Walt Disney Television Studios and DreamWorks throughout his career.

Caldwell is also known for his work as a storyboard artist on classic shows including The New Adventures of Zorro, The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Smurfs and Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, and also worked on Tiny Toon Adventures, The Tigger Movie (2000), Kim Possible and DreamWorks Dragons.