Klein, I.

I. (Isidore) Klein (1897-1986) was a Jewish American cartoonist and animator. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he studied at the National Academy of New York and the Art Students League, and began his career drawing cartoons for silent movies. He went on to work on Mutt and Jeff and Krazy Kat cartoons and for educational and promotional films, but returned to cartoon animation in the late 1920s when sound was developed for films.

Over his career Klein worked for several significant animation studios including Van Beuren Studios, Screen Gems, Hal Seeger Productions, and Walt Disney, often writing as well as animating. For several years he was an animator and writer for Paul Terry's Terry-Toons studio, drawing popular characters such as Mighty Mouse and Farmer Al Falfa. In the 1940s he moved to Paramount's Famous Studios where he wrote for several animated series including Casper, Little Audrey, Little Lulu, and Popeye . In the 1960s Klein began animating, producing and directing his own work as a freelancer for several studios including Famous. He worked on many theatrical cartoon shorts and television shows, and was key animator for Beetle Bailey and for Hal Seeger's The Milton the Monster Show .

In addition to his cartoon work, Klein produced animated television commercials, political and comical illustrations for major publications including Common Sense, New Masses, New Yorker, Colliers, and Life, and wrote articles for various trade journals. He was active in his union, Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Local 841 in New York City, serving on the Executive Board and twice as President, and as editor of Top Cel, the union's monthly paper. He also contributed several articles to the multi-volume Walt's People, about the Disney Studios.

He is sometimes credited as I. Klein, Izzy Klein, and I. Klien.

From the guide to the I. Klein Papers, 1926-1981, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)