Phyllis Craig: A Woman of Many Colors (1929-1997)
Phyllis Craig, was Film Roman's much beloved Color Design Supervisor and Internship Coordinator. She passed away quite suddenly on May 18, 1997 a few days after surgery for a brain tumor. Phyllis was a 45 year veteran of the animation industry. She started in 1952 at Disney as a painter on Peter Pan.. She then moved to the color key department for Sleeping Beauty and worked with the first xerox camera for 101 Dalmatians. Starting in 1964, she took time off to raise her three children, Randy, Brian and Kelly. She then rejoined the animation industry working for Hanna-Barbera, Marvel and lastly Film Roman where she headed the color key department. At Film Roman she worked on Garfield and Friends, The Critic, Bobby's World, The Mask, and many, many other series. In 1993 she was the first color key artist honored with an Annie Award nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Field of Animation from ASIFA-Hollywood for her work on the feature Tom & Jerry: The Movie.
Phyllis also created art galleries to showcase fine art by animation professionals. She was an inspiration to many young art students. She managed both Film Roman's and The Television Academy's internship programs, spoke at schools, provided tours and single handedly introduced many, many students to jobs within the industry. A founding member of Women In Animation and an active member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Phyllis was also President of the National Student Film Institute. In 1990, she received the Grimmy Award from the Los Angeles Student Film Institute for her devotion and service to animation education.
In memory of Phyllis Craig, Film Roman is dedicating its in-house art gallery to her memory. The dedication ceremony will take place on July 11 in conjunction with the opening reception for an exhibition of art work by animation legend Bill Justice. This event is open to the public and an RSVP is not required. The Essentials: July 11, 1997, 5:30 p.m. at the Film Roman Studios, 12020 Chandler Blvd in North Hollywood.
Another memorial to Phyllis has also been dedicated in the form of a scholarship. You may contact the below organization for further information or to donate a contribution.
Phyllis Craig Scholarship Fund
Women In Animation, Inc.
P.O. Box 17706
Encino, California 91416-7706
Phone: (818) 759-9596
Email: info@womeninanimation.org
Following are a collection of thoughts and remembrances from Phyllis' closest friends and colleagues.
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