Lacewood Productions

Last updated
Lacewood Productions
Industry Animation
PredecessorHinton Animation Studios
Founded1988;36 years ago (1988)
FounderSheldon Wiseman
Defunct1998;26 years ago (1998)
Fate Bankruptcy and liquidation along with and by parent company
Acquired by Amberwood Entertainment
SuccessorAmberwood Entertainment Corporation
Headquarters,
Canada
ProductsTelevision series
OwnerWiseman & Sons (1984–1995)
Parent Paragon Entertainment Corporation (1995–1998)

Lacewood Productions was a Canadian animation studio and production company based in Ottawa, Ontario. [1] Founded in 1988, it was well-known for producing a television series, Katie and Orbie , as well as specials based on For Better or For Worse , and the 1990 feature The Nutcracker Prince . The company was originally owned by Wiseman & Sons. In 1995, Paragon Entertainment Corporation acquired the studio for CA $3.2 million. In 1997, Paragon raised the company's stake to 75% and eventually took control of it later that year. [2] Paragon eventually declared bankruptcy in 1998, with most of Lacewood's library and former assets being acquired by Amberwood Entertainment in 2000.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Lacewood was the successor to Hinton Animation Studios, a company created by Sheldon Wiseman, which closed down due to debt problems. [2]

The first productions made by the studio were The Railway Dragon and its sequel The Birthday Dragon .

Lacewood has also done animation services on the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show . According to Thad Komorowski, the studio had a hostile working environment comparable to that of Spümcø, not paying employees well, and its output was subpar, with John Kricfalusi's high standards demotivating the studio; it backed out after animating six episodes, despite Kricfalusi's approval of their work. [3]

Lacewood has also done animation production in partnership with Universal Cartoon Studios on season 2 of Problem Child , Monster Force and 1995 episodes of The Savage Dragon .[ citation needed ]

Spinoff company

Amberwood Entertainment Corporation
Industry Animation
PredecessorLacewood Productions
Founded1997;27 years ago (1997)
FounderSheldon Wiseman
Headquarters,
Canada
ProductsTelevision series
Owner Bell Media (2011–present)

Amberwood Entertainment Corporation (known by its animation industry name as Amberwood Productions) is a Canadian animation studio founded in 1997 by Sheldon Wiseman. The company bought Lacewood Productions' assets from Paragon Entertainment Corporation in 2000. Amberwood was best known for producing The Secret World of Benjamin Bear (a follow-up series to Lacewood's The Teddy Bears specials), Hoze Houndz , Katie and Orbie and RollBots .

Productions

ShowCreator(s)Years Aired# of seasons# of episodes producedStatus
Pumper Pups [a] Ben Wicks1999152Ended
Hoze Houndz Gerald Tripp1999–2006678Ended
Katie and Orbie [b] Ben and Susan Wicks1993–2003678Ended
The Secret World of Benjamin Bear [c] Sheldon Wiseman and Ken Anderson2003–2009452Ended
Zeroman J.D. Smith, Gerald Tripp and Jonathan Wiseman2004113Ended
The Snow Queen Sheldon Wiseman2005nonenoneCompleted
RollBots Michael Milligan ("MCM")2009126Ended
Rob the Robot [d] Manuel Rosen2010–20133104
The Magic Hockey Skates Sheldon Wiseman2013nonenoneCompleted
ShutterbugsCraig Young, Micheal Milligan and Cory Morrison2015152Ended
Wolf JoeAlexander Bar2021152Ended

Notes

  1. First series produced by the company.
  2. Only the last three season were produced by Amberwood.
  3. Follow up of Lacewood's Teddy Bears specials.
  4. Only series to be produced where Sheldon Wiseman was already working on a different project.

Books

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spümcø</span> American animation studio

Spümcø, Inc. was an American animation studio that was active from 1989 to 2005 and based in Los Angeles, California. The studio was best known for working on the first two seasons of The Ren & Stimpy Show for Nickelodeon and for various commercials. The studio won several awards, including an Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject for the music video of the song "I Miss You" by Björk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kricfalusi</span> Canadian blogger and animator (born 1955)

Michael John Kricfalusi, known professionally as John K., is a Canadian illustrator, blogger, and former animator and voice actor. He is the creator of the animated television series The Ren & Stimpy Show, which was highly influential on televised animation during the 1990s. From 1989 to 1992, he was heavily involved with the first two seasons of the show in virtually every aspect of its production, including providing the voice of Ren Höek and other characters. In 2009, he won the Inkpot Award.

<i>Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon"</i> Animated television series

Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" is an animated television series created and directed by John Kricfalusi and produced by Spümcø for TNN / Spike TV. The series was developed as a more "extreme" revamp and spin-off of Nickelodeon's The Ren & Stimpy Show, which Spümcø produced the first two seasons. The series premiered on June 26, 2003, and was removed from the network on July 24, after airing only three episodes; the remaining episodes were released on DVD. During its run, Adult Party Cartoon was heavily panned by critics, audiences and fans of the original series. It has been referred to as one of the worst animated series of all time.

<i>Katie and Orbie</i> Childrens animated TV series

Katie and Orbie is a Canadian animated television series aimed at preschoolers, originally broadcast in Canada from 1993 to 2003 on Family Channel and later aired in the USA on PBS from 1995 to 1997 and cable television network Disney Channel from 1997 to 2000. In Canada, the series aired uninterruptedly on Family Channel and beginning in 2007, on Disney Junior until December 31, 2012. A total of 78 episodes were produced over six seasons. The series has also aired in different countries around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PiP Animation Services</span> Canadian animation studio

PiP Animation Services Inc. is a Canadian full-service animation studio based in Ottawa, Ontario. Its most notable work includes the PBS Kids series Cyberchase and The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!. A toucan serves as their mascot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimpy's Cartoon Show</span> 7th episode of the 3rd season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Stimpy's Cartoon Show" is the seventh episode of the third season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on January 8, 1994.

Mans Best Friend (<i>The Ren & Stimpy Show</i>) 2nd episode of the 2nd season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Man's Best Friend" is an episode from the second season of the American animated television series The Ren & Stimpy Show. It was originally intended to air on Nickelodeon on August 22, 1992, as the second half of the second episode of Season 2, but was pulled before airing and replaced by a censored version of "Big House Blues". It eventually aired on the soft launch of Spike TV on June 23, 2003. In the episode, Ren and Stimpy learn about obedience after George Liquor takes them home with him and swears to make them "champions".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Visit to Anthony</span> 17th episode of the 2nd season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"A Visit to Anthony" is the eighteenth and penultimate episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on May 8, 1993.

Robert Paul Jaques is a Canadian-American animator and animation director. He is best known for the television series The Ren & Stimpy Show, The Baby Huey Show and SpongeBob SquarePants. He also was nominated for two Emmys in 1992 and 1993 for his contributions to The Ren & Stimpy Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire Dogs</span> 8th episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Fire Dogs" is the eighth episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 29, 1991.

Lynne Rae Naylor is a Canadian animator, artist, designer, director, and producer for television. She is best known for co-creating DreamWorks' The Mighty Ones, co-founding the animation studio Spümcø with John Kricfalusi, Bob Camp, and Jim Smith, and co-developing The Ren & Stimpy Show for Nickelodeon. She also worked on Batman: The Animated Series, The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and Wander Over Yonder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimpy's Invention</span> 12th episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Stimpy's Invention" is the twelfth episode and series finale of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on February 23, 1992.

Big House Blues (<i>The Ren & Stimpy Show</i>) Episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Big House Blues" is a 1990 American animated comedy film produced by Spümcø. Originally screened at a film festival, with a censored version later airing on Nickelodeon, it was succeeded by The Ren & Stimpy Show on the network, to which it serves as a pilot episode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space Madness</span> 3rd episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Space Madness" is the fifth episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 8, 1991. Along with "Marooned" and "Black Hole", the episode is part of a loose trilogy in the first season known as the "space episodes", centering around the show-within-the-show, a parody of Star Trek-like science fiction shows titled The Adventures of Commander Höek and Cadet Stimpy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Cartoon</span> 5th episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"A Cartoon", commonly misnamed and often officially called "Untamed World", is the tenth episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on November 10, 1991. It is the first episode of the sub-series Untamed World, which would be followed by "Lair of the Lummox", as well as the only episode in it to be produced by Spümcø.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nurse Stimpy</span> 2nd episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Nurse Stimpy" is the fourth episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on August 25, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimpy's Big Day!</span> 1st episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"Stimpy's Big Day!" is the first episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on August 11, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Shot!</span> 1st episode of the 1st season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

The Big Shot! is the second episode of the first season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on August 11, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cat That Laid the Golden Hairball</span> 8th episode of the 2nd season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

"The Cat That Laid the Golden Hairball" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 3, 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Yard Too Far</span> 2nd episode of the 3rd season of The Ren & Stimpy Show

A Yard Too Far is the second episode of the third season of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on November 20, 1993.

References

  1. Wise, Wyndham (2001), p. 9. Take One's Essential Guide to Canadian Filmmaking. ISBN   0-8020-8398-6. University of Toronto Press. Accessed April 14, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Bullock, Kelly (April 2005). Ottawa's animation action. Ottawa Insight. Retrieved April 17, 2007.
  3. Komorowski 2017, p. 90.