Margaret Nichols (animator)

Margaret Nichols (c. 1930 – November 5, 2012) was an American animator and television director. Professionally, she was also known as Margaret Flores Nichols and Margaret Grewell.

She directed several animated television series, including ''The Transformers'' from 1985–86; four series in 1986 - ''The Glo Friends'', ''MoonDreamers'', ''Inhumanoids'' and ''Potato Head Kids''; ''My Little Pony 'n Friends'' from 1986 to 1987; and the ''Fraggle Rock'' animated series in 1987.

Nichols was employed between 1955 until 1993 by such studios as Warner Bros., Walt Disney Animation Studios, UPA, Fleischer Studios, Snowball Animation, Ray Patin, TV Spots, Creston, Eagle, Hanna-Barbera, Marvel Productions, Universal Studios and Graz Entertainment. She served on the executive board of The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839 (1980–85).

Career

While Nichols had worked in animation since 1955, she received her first professional credit for her work as layout artist for the 1970 primetime television movie, '' Uncle Sam Magoo'', an arm of the ''Mr. Magoo'' cartoon. She soon worked as on the 1971 film, ''Shinbone Alley'', as a layout and background artist.

1970s

Nichols worked extensively as animator for television series and specials during the 1970s. She was an assistant animator for the 1973 Hanna-Barbera theatrical release, ''Charlotte's Web'', based on the children's book of the same name by E. B. White. Her credits as animator for television films, shorts and specials included ''Great Escape'' in 1974, ''The White Seal'' in 1975, and ''A Flintstone Christmas'' in 1977.

Her 1970s television series production credits, many for Hanna-Barbera, included ''The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show'' in 1971; ''The Flintstone Comedy Hour'' in 1972; ''Speed Buggy'' in 1973; '' These Are the Days'' in 1974; '' Partridge Family 2200 A.D.'' in 1974; the ''ABC Afterschool Special'', ''Cyrano'', in 1974; '' The Tom and Jerry Show'' in 1975; ''The Mumbly Cartoon Show'' in 1976; ''The ''Scooby-Doo''/''Dynomutt, Dog Wonder'' Hour'' in 1976; ''CB Bears'' in 1977; ''The All-New Super Friends Hour'' in 1977; ''Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics'' in 1977; three 1978 series - ''Jana of the Jungle'', ''Dynomutt, Dog Wonder'' and ''Challenge of the Superfriends''; the ''Godzilla'' animated series from 1978 to 1979; '' Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo'' in 1979; '' The World's Greatest Super Friends'' in 1979; and ''Casper and the Angels'' in 1979.

1980s

Nichols expanded to become a director and animation director during the 1980s. She served as the animation director for two 1986 theatrical films, '' My Little Pony: The Movie'' and '' The Transformers: The Movie'', as well as the direct-to-video '' G.I. Joe: The Movie'', released in 1987. She was also a character animator for the 1982 theatrical musical, ''Heidi's Song'', and an animator for the 1987 animated feature film, '' Rock Odyssey''.

Nichols also became the animation director for several television series, including ''Jim Henson's Muppet Babies'' from 1985 to 1988 and ''Defenders of the Earth'' in 1986. She similarly held the positions of animation director during the production of the television movies ''Solarman'' in 1986 and '' X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men'' in 1989.

Nichols began work for Walt Disney Animation Studios during the mid and late 1980s. She held the post of a clean-up animator for Disney's 1985 film, '' The Black Cauldron''. She then served as an assistant animator for ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' by Touchstone Pictures and Disney's ''Oliver & Company'', both released in 1988. Nichols later became a key character animator on Disney's ''The Little Mermaid'', released in 1989, and ''The Rescuers Down Under'', released in 1990.

In addition to her work as an animation director, Nichols became a sequence director for the 1985 television movie, ''The Glo Friends Save Christmas'', and ''Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines''. She also directed the sequences for ''Robotix'' in 1985; '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' from 1985 to 1986; ''The Transformers'' from 1986 to 1987 (which she also directed); and ''The Little Wizards'' in 1987.

Her additional animation credits during the 1980s Tex Avery's ''The Kwicky Koala Show'' in 1981; '' Trollkins'' in 1981; ''The Smurfs'' from 1981 to 1984; ''Shirt Tales'' in 1982; ''Pac-Man'' in 1982; ''Jokebook'' in 1982; ''The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show'' in 1983; and ''The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show''.

1990s

Nichols became the animation director of ''I Yabba-Dabba Do!'', a television movie based on ''The Flintstones''. She became the animation director for the television series ''Bobby's World'' in 1990 through 1998; ''Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars'' in 1991; ''Space Cats'' in 1991; ''The Addams Family'' in 1992; ''Tom & Jerry Kids'' in 1992; ''The Pirates of Dark Water'' from 1992 to 1993; and ''Droopy, Master Detective'' in 1993.

Nichols worked as both a timing director and sheet timer for Saban Entertainment's ''X-Men'' from 1992 until 1994 as well as the timing director for '' The Tick'' in 1994.

Nichols retired in the mid-1990s. She died on November 5, 2012, aged 82.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Margaret
1930s births
2012 deaths
American animated film directors
Women animated film directors
American television directors
Walt Disney Animation Studios people
Warner Bros. Cartoons people
Date of birth missing
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing
American women animators
Hanna-Barbera people
American women television directors