Rumen Petkov (; 26 January 1948 – 11 June 2018) was a Bulgarian

animator An animator is an artist who creates 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. Animat ...

, 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 indicat ...

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 Comic magazine or comics magazine may refer to: * A comic book * A comics anthology * ''Comic Magazine'', a 1986 Japanese film * Comic Magazines, the parent company of Quality Comics * British comics * List of Franco-Belgian comics magazines, Franc ...

for several generations of Bulgarian children. His series '' The Adventures of Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog'' was popular in

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

, 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 film, science fiction adventure film directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Musker, Clements and Rob Edwards (screenwriter), Rob Edwards. Produced by Walt Disney ...

'', 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 Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

. 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. The second of the network's Cartoon Cartoons, it aired from July 14, 1997, to August 27, 2004. The titular Johnny Bravo (voiced by ...

'', ''

Dexter's Laboratory ''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. The series follows Dexter, an enthusiastic boy-genius with a science laboratory in his bedroom, which he keeps secret from his u ...

'', ''

Cow and Chicken ''Cow and Chicken'' is an American animated comedy television series created by David Feiss for Cartoon Network. It is the third of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. It follows the surreal adventures of two talking animal siblings, Cow and Chic ...

'', ''

I Am Weasel ''I Am Weasel'' is an American animated television series created by David Feiss for Cartoon Network. It is the fourth of the network's Cartoon Cartoons and the final to be produced solely by Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network Studios. The series ...

'', ''

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

'' 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 referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

'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 CBS on April 16, 1984. Background The special is presented as an ...

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

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! ''Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!'' is the 30th prime-time animation, animated television special based upon the comic strip ''Peanuts,'' by Charles M. Schulz. It aired on the CBS network on January 1, 1986, at 8:30 p.m. The special focuses on Cha ...

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

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? ''Why, Charlie Brown, Why?'' is a 1990 American animated television special, and 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 ...

'' (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 te ...

'' (1994)--animator * '' It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown'' (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 Elmo Shropshire in 1979 under the brand of Elmo and Patsy, the double act Shropshire had with his then-wife Patsy Trig ...

'' (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. It is the fifth Nicktoons, Nicktoon after ''Doug (TV series), Doug'', ''Rugrats'', ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' and ''Rocko's Modern Li ...

'' (1994-1997) * ''

'' (1996-2003) * ''

Duckman ''Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man'', commonly known simply as ''Duckman'', is an American adult animated sitcom created and developed by Everett Peck, based on the characters he created in his 1990 one-shot comic book published by Dark Horse Com ...

'' (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 20th-century Bulgarian painters Storyboard artists Bulgarian art directors Artists from Sofia {{animator-stub