Don R. Christensen (1916 - 2006)

(Source: www.toonzone.net)

Don R. Christensen, whose many cartoon credits include the script for the 1943 Looney Tunes short "Scrap Happy Daffy," has died aged 90. Christensen was also known to the animation community as "Don Arr" or "Don Arr Christensen."

A graduate of the Minnesota School of Art in Minneapolis, Christensen worked as a sketch artist for Walt Disney Studios, drawing for such films as Pinocchio and Dumbo. After becoming another casualty of the Great Disney Strike of 1941, he started producing scripts for Warner Bros., creating such classic Looney Tunes shorts as "Daffy's Southern Exposure" "The Impatient Patient" and "Gopher Goofy." No less a figure than Bob Clampett claimed that Christensen was one of Warner Bros.' best writers.

From the early 1950's to the early 1970's, he was a storyman for Western Publishing. While with the company, he cranked out an insane number of scripts for Disney (Donald Duck, Gyro Gearloose, Ludwig von Drake, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto), Warner Bros. (Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Road Runner), Walter Lantz (Woody Woodpecker, Andy Panda, Homer Pigeon, and Oswald the Rabbit) and Hanna-Barbera (Quick Draw McGraw, Harlem Globetrotters, Huckleberry Hound, and Scooby Doo).

He was also an art director for many productions including Batman, Superman, Superboy, Oliver Twist, The Brady Kids, and Star Trek: The Animated Series.

From 1975 to 1982, he tried his hand at producing, working on such productions as The Secret of Isis, The Young Sentinels, Flash Gordon, Tom & Jerry, Heckle & Jeckle, and Mighty Mouse in the Great Space Chase.

In 1981, Christensen was hired as the story director for the Kwicky Koala Show, and also wrote scripts for My Little Pony before his retirement in the late 1980's.

Animator Mark Evanier called him "one of the great talents in the world of animation and 'funny animal' comics, and one of my favorite people."

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