The Society, back in the 1950s, held its screenings in somewhat seedy meeting halls that also hosted such events as reunions of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. More importantly, it provided a place for film buffs and scholars to meet, discuss and argue film. In those days before Cinema Studies became a respectable academic discipline, the Huff Society was key to the education of many a budding cinéaste, myself included.

I need not go into a litany of Bill's accomplishments or activities, which including being a tenured professor of cinema studies at New York University, despite being a high school dropout. Though animation was not his prime focus, he was not averse to showing Chuck Jones or Friz Freleng cartoons before they became fashionable.

I recall the time he was on an American Film Institute committee evaluating my proposal to do an oral history interview with animation pioneer J.R. Bray; to his (and my) surprise, he was the only one who knew who Bray was, and essentially shamed the others into approving my grant. For that and all the other kindnesses he showed me and others, I will always be grateful.

Harvey Deneroff
harvey@awn.com
Editor-In-Chief
Animation World Magazine