The CAT on a Hot Thin Groove

A complete collection of the "78RPM" artwork by Gene Deitch from the old Record Changer magazine.

In 1945, at age 21, Gene Deitch, then an apprentice at the revolutionary animation studio UPA Hollywood, began to draw his fanatic jazz record collector, "The CAT." He soon began designing the covers as well. He became the Art Director of the magazine until it was sold in 1951. Over the years, his drawings became rare collectors items. Gene, in the meantime rose to become the Creative Director of UPA/New York and then Creative Director of CBS-Terrytoons,where he created the landmark first animation serial for Network television, TOM TERRIFIC, WITH MIGHTY MANFRED THE WONDER DOG, for the Captain Kangaroo show. In 1960 he moved to Prague to direct animation for the New York company Rembrandt Films. His first Prague produced film, MUNRO, won him the Hollywood Oscar, and eventually five Oscar nominations and over 100 other film awards.

He directed hundreds of movie and TV cartoons, but for many of his fans, it was his CAT cartoons for the old Record Changer magazine, that burned in their memories, and now they have all finally been issued in a magnificent coffee table book from Fantagraphics, with full color reproductions of all the RC magazine covers, as well as all the CATtoons, including many never published before!

This historic book is available in major bookshops and on amazon.com and bn.com