Phil Roman

Philip Roman is an American animator and the director of the Peanuts and Garfield animated specials. He is the founder of the animation studios Film Roman and Phil Roman Entertainment. Philip Roman was born in Fresno, California. His parents were Mexican migrant farm workers. He spoke only Spanish until kindergarten. After graduating from San Joaquin Memorial High School, he moved to Hollywood, California and earned a scholarship to the Hollywood Art Center School. Roman begin his career in 1955 as an assistant animator for the Disney animated classic Sleeping Beauty. Early in his career, Roman was an animator for Chuck Jones's independent studios, Sib Tower 12 Productions and later Chuck Jones Productions. He was a lead animator for How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and later provided an audio commentary with June Foray on the DVD release of the film. In the 1970s, Roman directed several of the Peanuts animated specials produced at Bill Melendez' studio. In 1984, Roman founded his own animation studio, Film Roman, which produced the animation for the Garfield television specials. He directed all the twelve Garfield specials broadcast from 1982 to 1991. He also appeared in the documentary special Happy Birthday, Garfield, which went behind the scenes of both the comic strip and the animated versions of Garfield. In 1992, Roman became animation executive producer for The Simpsons, which his company started working on beginning with season four, taking over from Klasky Csupo, who animated the first three seasons. In the same year, he directed Tom and Jerry: The Movie, his studio's first theatrical feature. In 1999, Roman sold his studio and later formed Phil Roman Entertainment. The company produced the animated special Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Roman has served as the production supervisor and executive producer in the Mexican-American animated film El Americano: The Movie, which was released in 2016. Following Film Roman's purchase by Waterman Entertainment, Roman returned to the company he founded as chairman emeritus. In 2016, Roman was awarded the Inkpot Award. Garfield and Friends (1988–1994) – executive producer Bobby's World (1990–1998) – executive producer Zazoo U (1990–1991) – executive producer The Simpsons (1992–1999) — animation executive producer Mother Goose and Grimm (1991–1993) – executive producer Mighty Max (1993–1994) – executive producer The Critic (1994–1995) — animation executive producer The Mask: The Animated Series (1995–1997) – executive producer Klutter (1995–1996) (as part of Eek! Stravaganza) – executive producer The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (1995–1997) – executive producer Richie Rich (1996) – executive producer Bruno the Kid (1996–1997) – executive producer King of the Hill (1997–1999) — animation executive producer How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) — animator He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968) – graphic blandishment It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969) – graphic blandishment Horton Hears a Who! (1970) – animator Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (1971) – animator You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972) – graphic blandishment The Cricket in Times Square (1973) - animator There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973) – graphic blandishment A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) – director It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974) – director It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) – director Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975) – director You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975) – director Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown (1976) - animation director It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976) – director It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977) – director What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! (1978) – director You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown (1979) – director She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown (1980) – director Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown (1980) – director It's Magic, Charlie Brown (1981) – director Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown (1981) – director No Man's Valley (1981) – co-director Here Comes Garfield (1982) – director Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown? (1983) – director It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown (1983) – sequence director Garfield on the Town (1983) – director Garfield in the Rough (1984) – producer/director Garfield's Halloween Adventure (1985) – producer/director Garfield in Paradise (1986) – producer/director Garfield Goes Hollywood (1987) – producer/director A Garfield Christmas Special (1987) – producer/director Garfield: His 9 Lives (1988) – producer/director Garfield's Babes and Bullets (1989) – producer/director Garfield's Thanksgiving (1989) – producer/director Garfield's Feline Fantasies (1990) – producer/director Garfield Gets a Life (1991) – producer Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (2000) – director A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) – animator (uncredited) The Phantom Tollbooth (1970) – animator (credited as Philip Roman) Snoopy Come Home (1972) – graphic blandishment Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977) – co-director The Lord of the Rings (1978) – animator Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back! !) (1980) – co-director Tom and Jerry: The Movie (1992) – producer/director El Americano: The Movie (2016) – producer/co-screenwriter Phil Roman at IMDb Phil Roman at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television