You may have not have known him, let alone ever met him - or even heard of him at all - but, trust me, you HAVE seen his work..
..for Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, and even on the short-lived 2003-2006 edition of Ren & Stimpy Adult Carton Party.
He was one of a team of 4 animators/directors/designers in a unit called Captain Billy's Whiz Gang.
Born, bred & raised in Omaha, Nebraska, he got his name from...NOT the "peanuts" character "Pig Pen"...nor from the late Grateful Dead keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan... But, unlike ither aforementioned persona, he was always, ALWAYS, *ALWAYS* dressed to the nines...VERY dapper.....on-duty or off-duty. In the studios always in suit & tie; And on his days off....always in silk shirts and pressed trousers...even if they were dungarees...they were always pressed & creased. Thw total antithseis of what we playfully called him.
His younger brother, Pratt (born 1982) is a film, telly, & stage actor.
Pigpen was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. He DID undergo all the recuperative rigamarole...and *whipped* it..
On Saturday, 27 March - whilst pursuing his hobby - working on classic cars (He loved Ford Mustangs) - Pigpen was underneath an auto on jacks..
The jack slipped, the car fell on his head and a wheel smashed his face in. There's just no delicate or genteel way to describe it..
He leaves behind his wife, Veronica, aged 27..and a son, "Pigpen, Jr.", aged 7.
With another baby on the way...Due in May.
He was the last surviving member of Captain Billy's Whiz Gang (Named for the Claasic Magazine "Capain Billy's Whiz Bang.
Oscar "Oscy" Bain was killed in Afghanistan in August 2007.
Max Newton died in an auto accident in June 2008.
Churchill Davis died of a stroke on holidays in Baltimore in February 2009.
On 27 March, 2010, the last surviving member of Captain Bily's Whiz Gang died....
As I am writing this, a dispatch comes in from a pal i Clearwater, Florida...
Another colleague ofmine from my Cartoon Network years (1997-2005) has been shot to death in a disgruntled employee problem.
We animators, filmmakers, & artistes are all pretty much like family.. At least those of us that worked together at Time Warner...until we were all laid off in 2005.
My studio, Opinions Animation Studio, has had to sadly and heartbreakingly bury two brothers.
On 5 May, we animators, comic strip artistes, designers & directors all celebrated NATIONAL CARTOONISTS' DAY & The RUBEN AWARDS (Named after genius toonmeister RUBE GOLDBERG...And an example of his classic work below:
Anyway, Goddard "Pigpen" Thatcher received a Posthumous RUBEN for his Dependability, Crativity, & Integrity to all the projects he contributed to throughout his career and life..
One of the last projects that WE contributed to at Cartoon Network in 2005, was the FINAL installment the Classic JONNY QUEST saga. Devised and begun by both WILLIAM HANNA before his death in 2001, and continued by JOSEPH BARBERA, the project was completed in Early 2005....and it truly WAS the FINAL...as Dr. Zin, sworn enemy of the Quest family..met his death.
Yes, after more than 40 years on...They...WE....*did*...finish him off.
The Warner Brothers royalty cheques are coming in from the broadcast proceeds from Europe, Asia & Africa now...
And ALL of us that were involved in the project, the animation units known as:
Contagious Jim (No there ISN'T anyone in the unit named "Jim", nor are any of them contagious)
Ahwai Five-O (NOT named after THAT renowned guitarist...but after Veteran Animator, since 1972, PAUL KENT AHWAI)
The Amazing Blondel (Named for Master Animator ENZO BLONDEL)
....and my own unit...
Unit 909-1 (For Bonus Points, guess what Classic Song by what Classic Artiste Yours Truly derived the name from..)
...have ALL passed our FULL royalty cheques on to "Mrs. Pigpen"....that's right, Veronica Thatcher & son.
Not forgetting the one on the way...due on or about 28-31 May.
As an aaside did any of you get to see Last Sunday's "FAMILY GUY" episode "QUAGMIRES DAD(?)" ?
It was one of the last production projects that Pgpen contributed to the animation business...
I cracked up OUT *LOUD* over that bit where the hapless Brian found out *the truth* about his *date*....
Anyway, in regards to the award ceremony & Pigpen's award...received by a tearful Veronica on his behalf...
There wasn't a dry eye in the house, m8's....
Not even mine.....
In any case, I sure hope this helps Veronica and family....
And later on in the year, I plan to see a few production projects that shall also be a financial help to Mrs. Pigpen and family....
I trust I can help do Pigpen's memory well.....
One Last Thing...
It *was* put up here prior by Yours Truly..but here it is, just one more time..
Pigpen brought this gem to my girl & I's *anniversaty* party....and she & I slow-danced to it..
