In early 1933, Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising split their business relationship with Leon Schlesinger. Leon decided to open a new studio that summer, leaving Harman and Ising without work. Hugh and Rudy subcontracted work from the Van Beuren Corporation on a trio of cartoons with Cubby Bear. Harman-Ising then commissioned an animated sequence of the Walrus and the Carpenter in Paramount’s all-star adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.
For this post, Mark Kausler provided an essential document from Harman’s papers: a typewritten list of Harman-Ising employees on the studio payroll during the hiatus between the end of Hugh and Rudy’s contract with Schlesinger and the start of their MGM release in early 1934. Bob Clampett, the first recruit in Leon’s new studio, is absent from the personnel sheet. Also, note that Hugh, Rudy, and animators Rollin “Ham” Hamilton and Carmen “Max” Maxwell had relatives on staff at H-I.
Notably, the payroll records specify that Hugh and Rudy highly valued Isadore “Friz” Freleng and Ham Hamilton—Freleng at $225 a week and Hamilton at $200 a week. [In 2024 US currency, Friz: $5,457.13; Ham: $4,850.78.]
In future posts, this blog will profile a few of the Harman-Ising employees listed on the roster below.
An annotated guide that lists when various H-I staffers left the payroll:
September 14
Paul Conlon
September 19
Herman F. Ising
September 24
Frank Marsales [received a check for Cubby Bear #3 (Mischievous Mice) on November 6, 1933]
September 27
Jonathan “Mo” Caldwell
Otto Englander
Friz Freleng
Rita Gulick
Walker Harman
September 28
Don Smith
September 29
Rollin Hamilton
Larry Martin
Bob McKimson
Larry Silverman
September 30
Sandy Walker
October 2
Tom McKimson
Bob Stokes
October 3
Norm Blackburn
October 4
Bob Allen
Tom Byrne
Hugh Harman
Murray Hudson
Rudolf Ising
Charles McKimson
Mel Shaw
Francis Smith
Paul Smith
Gladys Stout
Elmer Wait
James Williams
October 5
Idelle G. Berkson
Lillian Freleng
Dale Lemon
Carman Maxwell
Jack Maxwell
Irene Urban (née Hamilton, Rollin Hamilton’s sister)
October 7
Marie Coffey
Lawrence "Art" Goble
Howard Hanson
James Hazell
Anna McCaskill
Melvin Millar
Irene “Pee-Wee” Wyman
October 9
Bill Hanna
October 11
Max Ising
Special thanks to Mark Kausler for providing the rare production materials for this post.
It's a little stunning to see some names this early. Elmer Wait was barely 20 when he was listed on this payroll.
ReplyDeleteWhere did Hanna go? He didn't work for Schlesinger, did he? I was under the impression he was an H-I loyalist until Quimby waved money at him.
No, Hanna didn’t move with Leon. Bill remembered very little money coming in during the hiatus, which might account for his last pay stub listed on these records.
DeleteInteresting if not surprising to see relatives on the payroll. The McKimson boys seemed to work together throughout their career, but look at the other Harmans, Isings, and I assume Lilyan Freleng was Isadore/Friz's wife; sister?
ReplyDeleteLily was Friz's wife.
DeleteBRAVO!! This is tremendously helpful!! Many thanks Devon & Mark for these vital details!
ReplyDelete