Rumen Petkov ( bg, Румен Петков; 26 January 1948 – 10 June 2018) was a Bulgarian

animator An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video games ...

, painter and

comic a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...

creator. He is best remembered for his animated series ''Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog'', which he also adapted into a comic strip. His influence spawned a new generation of young Bulgarian comics artists, such as Vladimir Nedialkov, Koko Sarkisian, Ivan Kirjakov, Sten Damyanov, and others.

Career

Petkov was one of the main artists of the comics magazine '' Duga'' ("''Rainbow''"), which was the most popular comics magazine for several generations of Bulgarian children. His series '' The Adventures of Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog'' was popular in

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

during the 1970s and 1980s. Other famous animated films he directed are ''Friends of Gosho the Elephant'', ''

Treasure Planet ''Treasure Planet'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The 43rd Disney animated feature film, it is a science fiction adaptat ...

'', etc. He won the Grand Prize at the Ottawa Animation Festival and the Palme d'Or for ''Best Short'' at the 1985

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

. In the 1990s, Petkov worked as a writer, storyboard artist, animation director and director on some episodes of ''

Johnny Bravo ''Johnny Bravo'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It is the second of the network's Cartoon Cartoons, which aired fr ...

'', ''

Dexter's Laboratory ''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It follows Dexter, a short, enthusiastic boy-genius with a hi ...

'', ''

Cow and Chicken ''Cow and Chicken'' is an American animated comedy television series created by David Feiss for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It is the third of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. It follows the ...

'', ''

I Am Weasel ''I Am Weasel'' is an American animated television series created by David Feiss for Cartoon Network and produced at Hanna-Barbera. It is the fourth of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. The series centers on I. M. Weasel (voiced by Michael Dorn), a ...

'', ''

The New Woody Woodpecker Show ''The New Woody Woodpecker Show'' (titled ''The Woody Woodpecker Show'' on-screen) is an American animated comedy television series based on the animated short film series created by cartoonist and animator Walter Lantz. It was developed by ani ...

'' and other series. He said about animation: "Animation will never die because it's like music, because it's like running with the wind, because it's funny."

Work

Theatrical animated films

* ''

'' (1982) (not to be confused with

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

's 2002 film)

Comics

* '' The Adventures of Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog''

Animated television specials

* ''

It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown ''It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown'' is the 27th prime-time animated musical television special based upon the comic strip ''Peanuts,'' by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on the CBS network on Monday, April 16, 1984. The special is present ...

'' (1984)--additional animator * ''

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! ''Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!'' is the 30th prime-time animated television special based upon the popular comic strip ''Peanuts,'' by Charles M. Schulz. It aired on the CBS network on January 1, 1986. The special focuses on Charlie Brown' ...

'' (1986)--animator * '' Snoopy: The Musical'' (1988)--animator * ''

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? ''Why, Charlie Brown, Why?'' is the 33rd prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip ''Peanuts'' by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on March 16, 1990, and was also nominated for an Emmy. It is the first Charlie Brown special ...

'' (1990)--animator * ''

You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown ''You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown'' is the 37th prime-time animated television special based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip ''Peanuts''. It premiered on January 18, 1994 on NBC. It was the last new ''Peanuts'' special to air on tele ...

'' (1994)--animator * ''

It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown ''It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown'' is the 38th animated television special based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip ''Peanuts''. It is one of two direct-to-video ''Peanuts'' specials that have yet to air on U.S. TV. ...

'' (1997)--animator * ''

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is a novelty Christmas song. Written by Randy Brooks, the song was originally performed by the then-husband-and-wife duo of Elmo Shropshire and Patsy Trigg in 1979. Lyrics The lyrics tell the story of a grandm ...

'' (2000)--sheet timer * '' Tom and Jerry Blast Off to Mars!'' (2005)--animation and timing director * '' Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie!'' (2017)--animation director

Animated television series

* ''

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters ''Aaahh!!! Real Monsters'' is an American animated television series developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon. The show focuses on three young monsters—Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm—who attend a school for monsters under a city dump and learn to ...

'' (1994-1997) * ''

'' (1996-2003) * ''

Duckman ''Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man'' is an American adult animated sitcom that aired on the USA Network from March 5, 1994, through September 6, 1997. It was created and developed by Everett Peck, and is based on characters he created in his 19 ...

'' (1994-1997) * ''

'' (1997-2004) * ''

'' (1997-1999) * ''

'' (1997-2000) * '' Mike, Lu and Og'' (1999-2000) * ''

'' (1999-2002)

References

External links

* 1948 births 2018 deaths Bulgarian animators Bulgarian comics artists Bulgarian emigrants to the United States Bulgarian animated film directors Bulgarian film directors Bulgarian television directors Bulgarian painters Storyboard artists Bulgarian art directors Artists from Sofia {{animator-stub