Paramount Animation

Paramount Animation is the animation division and label of Paramount Pictures. The division was founded in 1921 by brothers Max Fleischer and Dave Fleischer, formerlly known as Inkwell Studios and Fleischer Studios, who ran the pioneering company from its inception until Paramount Pictures, the studio's parent company and the distributor of its films, acquired ownership. In its prime, Fleischer Studios was a premier producer of animated cartoons for theaters, with Walt Disney Productions's becoming its chief competitor in the 1930s.

Fleischer Studios is notable for Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Bimbo, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman. Unlike other studios, whose characters were anthropomorphic animals, the Fleischers' most successful characters were humans (with the exception of Bimbo). The cartoons of the Fleischer Studio were very different from the Disney product, both in concept and in execution. As a result, the Fleischer cartoons were rough rather than refined, commercial rather than consciously artistic. But in their unique way, their artistry was expressed through a culmination of the arts and sciences. This approach focused on surrealism, dark humor, adult psychological elements, and sexuality, and the environments were grittier and urban, often set in squalid surroundings, reflecting the Depression as well as German Expressionism.

In the 1940s, Max and Dave Fleischer left the studio which lead to Fleischer Studios to be renamed into Famous Studios and to Paramount Cartoon Studios, after Paramount acquired the animation studio as its first animation division, along producing with new characters such as Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Honey Halfwitch, Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, and the anthology Noveltoons series.

The Famous name was previously used as Famous Players Film Company, one of several companies which in 1912 became Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, the company which founded Paramount Pictures. Paramount's music publishing branch, which held the rights to all of the original music in the Fleischer/Famous cartoons, was named Famous Music.

Many of the Famous Studios productions are currently owned by AT&T's WarnerMedia through Turner Entertainment (for Popeye The Sailor and Superman) and Comcast's NBCUniversal through DreamWorks Animation (for Harvey Comics and Felix the Cat). The 1962-1967 cartoons are still owned by Paramount Pictures today along with the pre-October 1950 Noveltoons through Republic Pictures.

Paramount Animation is also known for producing animated feature films such as Gulliver's Travels, Mr. Bug Goes to Town, Charlotte's Web, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, TBD.

Theatrical shorts series
Inkwell Studios era Fleischer Studios/Famous Studios/Paramount Cartoon Studios/Paramount Animation era
 * Out of the Inkwell (1918-1927; earlier entries produced by John Randolph Bray from 1918 to 1921)
 * Fun from the Press (1923)
 * Song Car-Tunes (1924-1926)
 * Inklings (1926)
 * Inkwell Imps (1927-1929)
 * Screen Songs (1929-1938; 1947-1951; 2010-present)
 * Talkartoons (1929-1932)
 * Betty Boop (1932-1939)
 * Popeye the Sailor (1933-1957)
 * Color Classics (1934-1941)
 * Animated Antics (1940-1941)
 * Stone Age Cartoons (1940)
 * Gabby (1940-1941)
 * Superman (1941-1943)
 * Noveltoons (1943-1967; 2007-present)
 * Little Lulu (1943-1948, 1961-1962)
 * Casper the Friendly Ghost (1950-1959)
 * Kartunes (1951–1953)
 * Herman and Katnip (1952-1959)
 * Modern Madcaps (1958-1967)
 * Jeepers and Creepers (1960; part of the Modern Madcap series)
 * The Cat (1960-1961; part of the Modern Madcap series)
 * Abner the Baseball (1961; two-reeler special)
 * Comic Kings (1962-1963)
 * Swifty and Shorty (1964-1965)
 * Honey Halfwitch (1965-1967)
 * Nudnik (1965-1967) (produced by Gene Deitch in Czechoslovakia)
 * Merry Makers (1967)
 * GoGo Toons (1967)
 * Fractured Fables (1967)
 * The Angry Beavers (2001-2010)
 * Clippy and Winkie (2007-present)
 * Big Cat and Little Mouse (2008-present)
 * SpongeBob SquarePants (2009-present)
 * Rugrats (2011-2014)
 * The Modifyers (2012-present)
 * Jeremy Jaguar (2013-present)
 * My Little Pony (2014-present)
 * My Life as a Teenage Robot (2015-present)

Two-reel theatrical shorts

 * Darwin's Theory of Evolution (1923)
 * The Einstein Theory of Relativity (1923)
 * Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936; Popeye Color Special)
 * Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937; Popeye Color Special)
 * Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939; Popeye Color Special)
 * The Raven (1942)

Television

 * (#)-preschool show
 * (!)- adult animated series

TV series

 * Segments of Felix the Cat (1958-1962; outsourced from Joe Oriolo Productions and Trans-Lux)
 * Matty's Funday Funnies (1959-1962 episodes only)
 * Segments of Popeye the Sailor (1960-1962; outsourced from King Features)
 * Segments of King Features Trilogy (1961-1965; outsourced from King Features)
 * Twelve of the Paramount-produced shorts in this series were released theatrically in 1962 under the title Comic Kings.
 * The New Casper Cartoon Show (1963-1964, produced for Harvey Films)
 * The Mighty Thor segments of The Marvel Super Heroes (1966; outsourced from Grantray-Lawrence Animation)
 * The Noveltoons Show (1981-83, co-produced with Hanna-Barbera Productions, NTA/Republic Pictures and The Harvey Entertainment Company)
 * Betty Boop and Friends (1983-86, co-produced with Ruby-Spears Enterprises, NTA/Republic Pictures, King Features Entertainment and Fleischer Studios)
 * The New Animated Antics (1984-85, co-produced with Hanna-Barbera Productions, NTA/Republic Pictures and Fleischer Studios)
 * Gulliver's Travels (1985-1992, co-produced with Marvel Productions, NTA/Republic Pictures and Fleischer Studios)
 * Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost (1985-1992, co-produced with DiC Entertainment and Atkinson Film-Arts in season 1, Hinton Animation Studios for the remainder of the series and The Harvey Entertainment Company)
 * The Knights of Crystalland (1987-1992, first independent production)
 * Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987-1988, co-produced with Bakshi-Hyde Ventures)
 * Rugrats (1991-2004, animation produced by Anivision and Wang Film Productions, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Ren & Stimpy (1991-1996; 2003, co-produced with Spümcø (1991-1993; 2003) and Nickelodeon Animation Studios (1993-1996))
 * The All-New Modern Madcaps (1992-1995, co-produced with Cosgrove Hall Films, animation overseas at Rough Draft Korea)
 * The Misadventures of Cookie Crook and Chip the Dog (1992-1994)
 * Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-1997; 2011], animation produced by Film Roman (revival only), co-produced with Judgemental Films and MTV Animation)(!)
 * Rocko’s Modern Life (1993-1996, co-produced with Joe Murray Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Duckman (1994-1997, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Reno & Osborn Productions)
 * Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1994-1997, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Hey Arnold! (1996-2004, co-produced with Snee-Oosh, Inc. and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Peter Puppy: The Incredible Pup (1997, co-produced with Adelaide Productions and Amblin Television, Interplay Entertainment and Playmates)
 * The Angry Beavers (1997-2001, co-produced with Gunther-Wahl Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Terrytoons Show (1997-2002, animation produced by Film Roman)
 * South Park (1997-present, co-produced with Celluloid Studios (1997), Braniff Productions (1997-2006), Parker-Stone Productions (2006-2007), South Park Digital Studios (2007-present), Comedy Central Productions and Warner Bros. Animation (1997-2003))(!)
 * CatDog (1998-2005, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Alvin and the Chipmunks (1998-2005, co-produced with Bagdasarian Productions)
 * The Wild Thornberrys (1998-2004, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Terry Friends (1998-2003, animation produced by Saerom Animation)
 * Super Mae the Maned Wolf (1999-2004) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Popeye the Sailor (1999-2002, 2005-2008, animation produced by Film Roman (first season only), co-produced with King Features Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation)
 * SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present, co-produced with United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Rocket Power (1999-2004, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Velociraptor Warrior (|1999-2003; 2018], animation produced at Rough Draft Korea (season 1-4) and Digital eMation (season 5), co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios, CGI effects produced at Paramount Animation's Japanese subsidiary (season 5 only))
 * Little Bill (1999-2001, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios))(#)
 * As Told by Ginger (2000–2006, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Dora the Explorer (2000-2014, co-produced with Contender Entertainment Group, Nelvana and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * The Fairly OddParents (2001-2006, co-produced with Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Invader Zim (2001-2006, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Action League Now! (2001–2002, co-produced with Flying Mallet, Inc., Chuckimation and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Oswald (2001-2004, co-produced with Contender Entertainment Group, Nelvana and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series (2002-2005)
 * The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2002-2006, co-produced with O Entertainment, DNA Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Cheetah Thieves (2003-present)
 * All Grown Up! (2003-2008, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * My Life as a Teenage Robot (2003-2007, co-produced with Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Danny Phantom (2004–2007, co-produced with Billionfold Inc. and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Drawn Together (2004-2007, co-produced with Double Hemm and Rough Draft Studios)
 * The Backyardigans (2004-2010, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008, animation produced by JM Animation, MOI Animation, Paramount Animation's Japanese subsidiary and DR Movie, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Earthworm Jim (2005-2008, first two seasons produced by Universal Cartoon Studios, last two seasons produced independently onward. Co-produced with Interplay Entertainment and Playmates)
 * Catscratch (2005–2007, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The X's (2005–2006, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Go, Diego, Go! (2005-2011, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Wonder Pets! (2006-2009, co-produced with Little Airplane and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Behold Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (2007-2014, co-produced with United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Gatopardos the Cheetah (2007-2010, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Ni Hao, Kai-Lan (2007-2011, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Back at the Barnyard (2007-2011, co-produced with Omation Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse (2008-present, co-produced with King Features Entertainment)
 * The Penguins of Madagascar (2008-2015, co-produced with DreamWorks Animation Television and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Yaki &amp; Yumi (2010-2017, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Mittens the Cat (2010-2016, co-produced with Netflix Originals and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Jeanette of the Space Pirates (2010-2016, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * T.U.F.F. Puppy (2010-2015, co-produced with Billionfold Inc., Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011-2016, co-produced with DreamWorks Animation Television and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Bubble Guppies (2011-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * The Legend of Korra (2012-2014, animation produced by Ginormous Madman, Studio Mir, Paramount Animation's Japanese subsidiary and Studio Pierrot, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Teenage Years (2012-2017, co-produced with United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Link Show (2012-present, co-produced with Nintendo and Shaft, Inc.)
 * Robot and Monster (2012-2015, co-produced with Smasho! Productions, Lowbar Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012-2017, co-produced with Lowbar Productions, Mirage Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Monsters vs. Aliens (2013-2014, co-produced with DreamWorks Television Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Max Fleischer's Betty Boop (2013-present, co-produced with Mercury Filmworks, King Features Entertainment and Fleischer Studios)
 * Olivia and Leroy, Middle School Detectives (2013-2018, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Last Dwarf (2013-2017, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Thundermans (2013-2018, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Henry Danger (2014-2020, co-produced with Omation Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * A Girl and her Kangaroo (2014-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Herman and Katnip's Adventures (2014-present, co-produced with Harvey Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Wallykazam! (2014-2016, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Dora and Friends: Into the City! (2014-2016, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Blaze and the Monster Machines (2014-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * The Cartoon Adventures of Jeremy Jaguar (2015-present)
 * The New Adventures of Popeye the Sailor (2015-present, co-produced with King Features Syndicate and Warner Bros. Animation)
 * Pupz (2015-present, co-produced with Cartoon Network Studios and Rough Draft Studios)
 * Harvey Beaks (2015-2017, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Afterlife With María (2015-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Fresh Beat Band of Spies (2015-2016, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Shimmer and Shine (2015-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * The Loud House (2016-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Awesome Antics (2016-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios) (Wolf vs. Sheep segments only)
 * Flytrap: Savior of All (2017-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Welcome to the Wayne (2017-2019, co-produced with Yowza! Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Police Force Squad (2017-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Return of Mittens (2017-2018, co-produced with Netflix Originals and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Occhi Rossi (2017-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Nella the Princess Knight (2017-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Sunny Day (2017-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Deirdre the Cat (2017-present)
 * Gulliver's Travels (2017-present, co-produced with NTA/Republic Pictures and Fleischer Studios)
 * The Swashbuckling Adventures of Patchy the Pirate (2018-present, co-produced with United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018-2020, co-produced with Mirage Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Kaput and Zosky (2018-present; co-produced with Futurikon and Hong Ying Animation)
 * Butterbean's Café (2018-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Abby Hatcher (2018-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Nicktoonimals (2018-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Pinky Malinky (2019-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Chester Cheetah and Friends (2019-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Ren and Stimpy (2019-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Casagrandes (2019-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Adventures of Jakob Grimes (2020-present; co-produced with Man of Action Studios, Tim Burton Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * It's Pony (2020-present, co-produced with Blue-Zoo Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Glitch Techs (2020-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Beetle Bailey (2020-present, co-produced with King Features Syndicate)
 * Krabs and Plankton: Friends Forever (2020, co-produced with United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Danger Force (2020-present, co-produced with Omation Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Aye Aye Popeye (2020-present, co-produced with King Features Syndicate and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Tales of the Wild Thornberries (2020-present, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Santiago of the Seas (2020, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)(#)
 * Rugrats (2021-present, co-produced with Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Middlemost Post (2021-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Corus Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-present, co-produced with Secret Hideout, Roddenberry Entertainment, Brothers Hageman Productions, CBS Eye Animation Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Big Nate (2022-present, co-produced with Jam Filled, Brown Bag Films, Entertainment One, Nelvana, Crous Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Awesome Family (2022-present, co-produced with Netflix Originals and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Garfield! (2023-present, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Alvin and the Chipmunks (2023-present, co-produced with Bagdasarian Productions and Cartoon Network Studios)

TV specials

 * A Heckle and Jeckle Christmas (1985, animation co-produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises, animation outsourced to Bill Melendez Productions)
 * Mighty Mouse's Snow Adventure (1995, animation produced by Film Roman)
 * Popeye for President (1992, animation produced by Marvel Productions, co-produced with King Features Entertainment)
 * The Fairly OddParents: Abra-Catastrophe (2003, co-produced with Frederator Incorporated and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Fairly OddParents: Channel Chasers (2004, co-produced with Frederator Incorporated and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour (2004-2006, co-produced with Frederator Incorporated, O Entertainment, DNA Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Fairly OddParents: School's Out: The Musical! (2005, co-produced with Frederator Incorporated and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Chipmunks and Chipettes in Spain (2006, co-produced with Bagdasarian Productions)
 * Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie (2017, co-produced with Snee-Oosh, Inc. and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling (2019, co-produced with Joe Murray Productions and Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (2019, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
 * The Angry Beavers: Argentina or Bust(2022, co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studios)

Animation companies and individuals associated or collaborated with Paramount Animation

 * DiC Entertainment (1985-1998)
 * Atkinson Film-Arts (1985-1986)
 * Hinton Animation Studios (1987-1990)
 * Lacewood Productions (1990-1997)
 * Gracie Films (1987-present)
 * Universal Cartoon Studios (1991-present)
 * Adelaide Productions (1996-2002)
 * Marvel Productions (1984-1992)
 * King Features Entertainment
 * NTA/Republic Pictures
 * The Harvey Entertainment Company
 * Amblin Entertainment
 * Mainframe Entertainment
 * Ruby-Spears Enterprises
 * Film Roman
 * Hanna-Barbera Productions (1981-1990)
 * Nickelodeon Animation Studios (1990-present)
 * Klasky Csupo (1993-2004; 2003-2008)
 * United Plankton Pictures (1999-present)
 * DreamWorks Television Animation (2008-2016)
 * Bill Melendez Productions
 * Mercury Filmworks
 * Cosgrove Hall Films
 * Cartoon Network Studios (2023-present)

Foreign-based animation facilities

 * Paramount Animation (Canada)
 * Paramount Animation (Australia)
 * Paramount Animation (France)
 * Paramount Animation (Japan)
 * Paramount Animation (UK)