Arthur Rankin, Jr. was a renowned American-born, Bermudian director, producer, and writer, primarily working in the realm of animation. Born on July 19, 1924, he was the son of actor Arthur Rankin, and his early life laid the foundation for a storied career in the entertainment industry.
In the early 1960s, Rankin co-founded Videocraft International, a film production company that would later be renamed Rankin/Bass, alongside his long-time collaborator Jules Bass. Over the years, the duo worked closely together, co-directing and producing a diverse array of stop-motion animated features and cartoons, many of which have become beloved classics.
Some of their most notable works include the holiday-themed TV specials, such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974 TV special),and Jack Frost. Rankin was not only a producer but also a story deviser for many of these productions, including the feature films The Daydreamer and Mad Monster Party?.
In 1977, Rankin and Bass produced a version of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, and they went on to collaborate on a wide range of animated TV series, including ThunderCats and Silverhawks. Their final joint project was the 1987 TV special based on The Wind in the Willows.
Rankin's last producing credit was on the 1999 animated version of The King and I, in which Jules Bass was not involved. Prior to this, Rankin had worked as a supervising animator on The Fox and the Hound and The Black Cauldron.
Arthur Rankin, Jr.'s grandfather, Harry Davenport, was a well-known actor, particularly for his role as Dr. Meade in Gone with the Wind (1939).
