Animator Robert Taylor dies

Fritz The Cat animator Robert Taylor has died, aged 70. Taylor passed away last Thursday (11Dec14) in California, following complications from the lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
Taylor was best known for his animation on 1972’s Fritz the Cat, the first X-rated cartoon. Based on a comic strip by Robert Crumb, the movie featured a randy pot-smoking cat whose wild New York City adventures involved sexual escapades.
The film, written and directed by acclaimed animation director Ralph Bakshi, was received with both critical and fan acclaim.
Fritz the Cat’s success led to a sequel in 1974, The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat, which Taylor then directed, co-wrote, and animated. The movie became the first animated film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival for the coveted Palme D’Or prize.
Taylor continued his animation career throughout the 1980s, with films including Hanna-Barbera’s Heidi’s Song and Rock Odyssey (1987), and cartoons on the small screen, including the DuckTales, Aladdin, Wild Thornberrys and Rugrats.
In 1991, he won an Emmy for co-producing Disney Channel series TaleSpin.