Albert Philip Brodax (February 14, 1926 – November 24, 2016) was an American film and television producer who was credited as "Al Broadax".

Career

Brodax grew up in

Washington Heights, Manhattan Washington Heights is a neighborhood in the uppermost part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest natural point on Manhattan by Continental Army troops to defe ...

but moved to Brooklyn as a teen and attended Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York. He continued his education at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

. At the age of eighteen, Brodax enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. He was wounded in action, and was subsequently awarded the

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

, the

Combat Medical Badge The Combat Medical Badge is an award of the United States Army which was first created in January 1945. Any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of colonel or below, who is assigned or attached to a ground combat arms unit of brigad ...

, and three battle stars. From 1950 to 1960 Brodax worked in program development for the William Morris Agency, where he helped develop '' Your Show of Shows'', ''Pulitzer Prize Playhouse'', and ''

Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...

''. He joined

King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...

in 1960 as the head of their then-newly created film and television development department. After Paramount's contract to produce Popeye cartoons ran out in 1957, King Features acquired the television rights. Brodax oversaw the production of over 200 new shorts in 1960–62, with five different animation studios simultaneously involved. The rapid pace of production, coupled with limited animation due to low budgets, resulted in shorts that are held in low esteem by some ''Popeye'' fans. Brodax was also the producer of King Features' animated revival of Krazy Kat, as well as ''

Cool McCool ''Cool McCool'' is a Saturday morning animated series that ran on NBC from September 10, 1966 to January 21, 1967, with three segments per show, in all consisting of sixty segments. It was created by Bob Kane – who was most famous as one of th ...

'', '' Beetle Bailey'', '' Snuffy Smith'', and ''

Casper the Friendly Ghost Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He is a pleasant, personable and translucent ghost, but often criticized by his three wicked uncles, the Ghostly Trio. The ...

'' (1963–64 segments of ''The New Casper Cartoon Show''). After seeing

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...

perform on '' The Ed Sullivan Show'', Brodax approached the band's management with the idea of producing an animated series featuring the Fab Four. The series, of which 39 episodes were produced, premiered on September 25, 1965, on ABC. He was later involved in the production of the Beatles' animated film, '' Yellow Submarine'', for

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

, as producer and co-screenwriter. From 1969 to 1980, Brodax worked as a freelance producer, writer, lyricist and director. He supervised animation for ABC's '' Make a Wish'' (1971–76), and '' Animals, Animals, Animals'' (1976–81).

Retirement

In 2004 Brodax released a memoir, ''Up Periscope Yellow: The Making of the Beatles' Yellow Submarine''. He resided in Weston, Connecticut, where he was the head of the Brodax Film Group, a television and production company. He died on November 24, 2016.

References

External links

*
Transcript of interview with Al BrodaxAnimationscoop.com: R.I.P. “Yellow Submarine” Producer Al Brodax (1926-2016)
American animated film producers 1926 births 2016 deaths People from Brooklyn Military personnel from New York City Film producers from New York (state) United States Army personnel of World War II Television producers from New York City United States Army soldiers University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni People from Weston, Connecticut Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Film producers from Connecticut Midwood High School alumni People from Washington Heights, Manhattan Television producers from Connecticut {{US-animator-stub