Elbert Tuganov, the father of Estonian animation, died on March 22, 2007. He was 87.

Tuganov was actually born in Baku, Azerbaijan (1920), and began his animation career in Germany. When Hitler took power, Tuganov returned to Estonia.

Michel M. Grilikhes -- producer of the first primetime cartoon series, CBS CARTOON THEATER -- died March 9, 2007, in Los Angeles of kidney failure, reports THE BIG CARTOON DATABASE. He was 83 years old.

CBS Cartoon Theater only aired one year -- 1956 -- and was hosted by Dick Van Dyke. The series was comprised mainly of Terrytoons. In some episodes, Van Dyke would interact with some of his cartoon guests.

E. Natatcha Estebanez, series producer for PBS' POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER, passed away from the complications of a metastasized sarcoma on March 15, 2007, reports the Big Cartoon Database. She was 45. Previously, she survived battles with Hodgkin's disease and breast cancer.

In 2005 and 2006, she was part of the team nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Children's Series for POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER.

Comedian Richard Jeni, who made more appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO than any other comic, died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the face, reports various news outlet. He was taken to the hospital in Los Angeles after a 911 call where he died of his injuries. He was 45.

Eustace Lycett, a 43-year Disney veteran who won Academy Awards for his special photographic effects in MARY POPPINS and BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, passed away on Nov. 16, 2006. He died of natural causes at Park Vista at Morningside Nursing Home in Fullerton, California. He was 91.

Walker Edmiston, a veteran voice actor, died on Feb. 15, 2007, at a Woodland Hills, California hospital, according to the Big Cartoon Database. He was 81 years old.

Edmiston may be best known for taking over the role of Beany on Bob Clampett's original TIME FOR BEANY after Daws Butler left the puppet show. He would later host his own puppet show, THE WALKER EDMISTON SHOW, for Los Angeles' KTLA.

Italian cartoonist Osvaldo Cavandoli, whose pen name was Cava, died on March 3, 2007 of natural causes. He was 87 years old. He is most known for his short cartoon series, LA LINEA (THE LINE).

Born in Maderno, Italy, he moved to Milan when he was two. From 1936 to 1940, he did technical design for Alfa Romeo. He moved into cartoons in 1943 when he began working with Nino Pagot, the creator of CALIMERO. In 1950 he started working in animation independently directing and producing his work. LA LINEA debuted on TV in 1969.

U.K. based producer Dick Arnall, who produced Robert Bradbrook's multi-award winning HOME ROAD MOVIES and helped start the animate! scheme, died on Feb. 6, 2007. His other producing credits included Ruth Lingford's DEATH AND THE MOTHER (1988), Lizzie Oxby's EXTN. 21 (2002), Run Wrake's RABBIT (2005) and Jo Ann Kaplan's ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY (2006). He was nominated for two BAFTA awards for his work on HOME ROAD MOVIES as well as Tim Webb's A IS FOR AUTISM (1992).

AWN is sad to report the passing of legendary animator Ryan Larkin at 10:30 pm on Feb. 14, 2007, in Canada. He was 63 years old. Larkin was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

Born in Montreal, Larkin was nominated for the Oscar for his 1969 short film, WALKING. In 1972, he was again honored with an Oscar nod for his short film, STREET MUSIQUE. Moreover, he provided animated effects for Mort Ransen’s RUNNING TIME, for which he acted in three small roles.

Peter Ellenshaw, the Oscar-winning visual effects pioneer and matte artist who worked his inventive magic on such classic Disney live-action films as MARY POPPINS, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE, TREASURE ISLAND and THE BLACK HOLE, passed away at his home in Santa Barbara on Monday (Feb. 12, 2007) at the age of 93.