PRAGUE – Gene Deitch, an American Oscar-winning illustrator, animator, film director and producer has died.
He was 95. His Czech publisher, Petr Himmel, told The Associated Press Deitch died unexpectedly during the night from Thursday to Friday in his apartment in Prague’s Little Quarter neighborhood.
No further details were given. Deitch’s movie “Munro” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1960. He was also nominated for the same award twice in 1964 for “Here’s Nudnik” and “How to Avoid Friendship.” Earlier, he had created the “Tom Terrific” series, while the “Sidney’s Family Tree," which he co-produced was nominated for an Academy Award in 1958.