Celebrated Hollywood animator Eli Noyes dies at 81
What's the story
Eli Noyes, a trailblazing figure in the world of stop-motion animation, has passed away at the age of 81. His death was confirmed by his long-term collaborator, Ralph Guggenheim, from Alligator Planet. The specifics surrounding his death remain undisclosed.
Noyes was a celebrated animator who won many accolades for his work. He also bagged an Academy Award nomination.
Early days of Noyes
The early life and revolutionary career of Noyes
Born on October 18, 1942, Noyes was a master of stop-motion animation, employing clay and sand as his primary mediums.
His student film at Yale University, Clay, or The Origin of Species, was a groundbreaking black-and-white short that depicted the evolution of life on Earth from its inception.
This innovative work also earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Celebrated works
Other popular works of Noyes
Noyes's next film, Alphabet was another innovative piece that used sand as its primary medium. The film received a Special Jury Award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 1967. For many years, Alphabet was used to teach children the alphabet on PBS's Sesame Street.
He continued to produce shorts using clay and sand throughout his career, including Sandman (1973) and Peanut Butter & Jelly (1976), which later aired on Nickelodeon.
Recognition in the TV industry
Remembering his contribution to television
In 1983, Noyes teamed up with Kit Laybourne to establish Noyes & Laybourne Enterprises. He directed the pilot for Braingames, an HBO series that earned him a CableACE Award in 1983. They then created two popular shows for Nickelodeon: Eureeka's Castle and Gullah Gullah Island.
In 1988, they founded Colossal Pictures, a company instrumental in the development of MTV's Liquid Television. It introduced the world to iconic characters - Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-head and Peter Chung's Aeon Flux.
Last leg of his career
Noyes's later career and his impact on the animation industry
In his later years, Noyes, who was based out of Northern California, worked on projects for industry giants Pixar and Disney Studios.
He contributed to programs for Zoog Disney, an animation segment that aired on Disney Channel from 1998-2002. He also held the position of Director of Interactive Design at TV's Oxygen network from 1999-2001.
In 2002, Noyes joined forces with Guggenheim to establish Alligator Planet, where they continued to create animated content until the end of Noyes's life.