Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ Animator Ron Campbell, Gone at 81

We regret to report the death of Australian-born artist Ron Campbell. He was born December 26, 1939 in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. He died January 22, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He worked on The Beatles cartoon in the late ’60s, as well as the Yellow Submarine (1968) animated feature and Beetle Bailey, The Smurfs, The Jetsons, and Sesame Street. He worked as a storyboard artist, producer, and director for many other cartoons as his career unfolded.

Ron Campbell’s artistic career began in 1958, when he animated television commercials in his native Australia. From there he moved on to working on Krazy Kat and Beetle Bailey. He then worked on an animated series about The Beatles, and the Beatles movie, Yellow Submarine. After working on The Beatles and Cool McCool, he joined Hanna-Barbera, where he worked on many Saturday morning favorites.

He founded his own production company, Ron Campbell Films, Inc. in 1971. He worked as a producer and director on Big Blue Marble and Sesame Street, both of which were primarily live-action with some animated moments. He also worked as story director of several episodes of the ABC Weekend Specials.

In the 1990s, Campbell moved on to Disney and Nickelodeon. He worked on Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop, Rugrats, The New Adventures of Winnie-the Pooh, and Rocket Power.

He had been retired since 2009, when he worked as an exposure sheet director for Ed, Edd, and Eddy’s Big Picture Show. In retirement, he settled in Phoenix, Arizona.

For half century he worked as a storyboard artist, story director, animation timer, producer, and writer on shows as diverse as Sealab 2020, Men in Black: the Series, The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, James Bond. Jr., Bionic Six, Dragon Tales, Jumanji, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, and The Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Puppy Hour. If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons, the odds are good you have seen his work.

Thank you, Mr. Campbell, for a lifetime of memories, and a life well lived indeed.

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Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions,  Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.