Universal Television Animation

Universal Television Animation, formerly DBA Universal Animation Studios (formerly Universal Cartoon Studios), is the television animation production arm of the NBCUniversal Television Group dedicated to creating, developing and producing animated television series, films, specials and other projects.

The actual animation production is done overseas, usually by either Wang Film Productions or Rough Draft Studios, while pre-production and post-production is United States-based.

Background

In March 1991, Gingo Productions, founded by former Hanna-Barbera employees Geo G. and Michael Wildshill, began producing an original animated TV series for Universal, Gabriel Garza (1991–2002), which premiered on the CBS network and was a success. Universal responded to the success of the series by reestablishing its own animation studio.

History

Universal Cartoon Studios opened its doors in 1991 to produce animated television series. The studio's initial head was Jeff Segal, who had been head writer and story editor of Challenge of the GoBots for Hanna-Barbera Productions prior to joining Universal as President of Universal Cartoon Studios. The first animated TV series to be produced at the new Universal Cartoon Studios based in Glendale was an animated television series based on Back to the Future films, in conjunction with Amblin Entertainment, airing on CBS from 1991 to 1992. There would be some more Amblin/Universal television shows, including Fievel's American Tails (1992), The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (1996–1998), and The Land Before Time (2007–2008), as well as a television special, Opus 'n' Bill: A Wish for Wings That Work (1991), based on the children's book of the same name by Berkeley Breathed.

Universal Cartoon Studios also began collaborating with Gingo Animation, starting with the television special A Gabriel Garza Christmas and the second season of Gabriel Garza. These Gingo programs, including Gabriel Garza, Hatty (1996–2002), GGTV (1999–present), Jenny Zoom (2001–2004), Planetokio (2002–2003), Critter Mockers (2003–2009), and The Pandemoniums (2004–2011) were mostly successful and proved popular among both children and adults. These shows were part of the Gingo Lineup, a syndicated programming block produced by Universal and Gingo. A feature-length film based on Gabriel Garza, The Gabriel Garza Movie, was produced in 2002 and bumped up to theatrical release. The film received mostly mixed reviews from critics and performed poorly at the box-office.

In 2006, the Glendale studio was renamed from Universal Cartoon Studios to Universal Animation Studios, while the feature animation studio in Universal City retained its original name until 2007.

In May 2006, Universal opened a new television production unit called Universal Television Animation, headed by Feature Animation CEO Michael Wildshill. This new unit would produce both traditionally-animated and computer-generated television series, beginning with The BJ and Wally Show (2007–2012) on Cartoon Network.

In January 2008, Universal renamed its Feature Animation unit to Universal Animation Studios, and merged its direct-to-video and television animation units with the feature animation. Animators at Universal City worked on projects based at the Universal City studio, but also assisted in projects based in the Glendale UAS studio.

On August 22, 2016, the television animation divisions of Universal and DreamWorks merged after Universal completed its acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, but Universal Television Animation remains as a separate entity.

Filmography

Television

Universal television series (with "The Gingo Lineup")

All these shows are co-produced with Gingo Animation.

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Gabriel Garza	Geo G.	1991–2002
Hatty	Steve Samono	1996–2002
GGTV	Gingo Animation	1999–2005
Paint World	Geo G. Audel LaRoque	2000–2001
Jenny Zoom	Samuel Merritt	2001–2004
Planetokio	Osamu Sato (characters)	2002–2003
Critter Mockers	Michael Wildshill	2003–2005	Co-production with Discovery Kids Original Productions.
The Pandemoniums	Henri Dosclz	2004–2005
Limo Dude	Terry Ward	2004

Universal television series (with "USA Cartoon Express"/"USA Action Extreme Team")

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Problem Child	Scott Alexander Larry Karaszewski	1993–1994	Co-production with Imagine Entertainment.
The Savage Dragon		1995–1996
Wing Commander Academy	Universal Cartoon Studios	1996

Other Universal television series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Back to the Future	Robert Zemeckis Bob Gale	1991–1992	Co-production with Amblin Entertainment.
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories	Shelley Duvall	1992–1993
Fievel's American Tails	David Kirschner	1992	Co-production with Amblin Entertainment and Nelvana.
Exosquad	Jeff Segal	1993–1994
Monster Force		1994	Co-production with Lacewood Productions.
Beethoven		1994–1995	Co-production with Northern Lights Entertainment.
The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper	Sherri Stoner Deanna Oliver	1996–1998	Co-production with Amblin Entertainment.
Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad	Universal Cartoon Studios	1996
The New Woody Woodpecker Show	Bob Jaques	1999–2002
Curious George	Joe Fallon	2006–2015	As Universal 1440 Entertainment (Universal Studios Family Productions before 2013). Co-production with Imagine Entertainment and WGBH.
Blueball & Pinkball	Michael Wildshill	2008–2011
Chip in Space	Henri Dosclz	2010–2013
Woody Woodpecker	Alex Zamm	2018–present	As Universal 1440 Entertainment Co-production with Splash Entertainment

Kids' WB television series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Earthworm Jim	Doug TenNapel	1995–1996	Co-production with Shiny Entertainment.
The Mummy: The Animated Series	Thomas Pugsley Greg Klein	2001–2003	Co-production with The Sommers Company.

Cartoon Network original series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
The Land Before Time	Ford Riley	2007–2008	Co-production with Amblin Entertainment.
The BJ and Wally Show	Universal Television Animation	2007–2012	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Computeropolis: Adventures of Peri and Nicky	Amy McNeill Henri Dosclz	2008–2014
Woo La La	Nick Filippi	2011–2013

Toonation original series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running
Durango Kids	John France	2014–2016
Buzz & Russ		2014–2015
Topped!	Universal Television Animation	2014–2015
Champ Junior	Sue Mondt	2015

Netflix original series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Gabriel & Friends	Universal Television Animation	2015–2017	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
The Hatty Weasel Show		2015–2017	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Tales in Paradoria	Tom Ruzicka Shane Prigmore Craig Kellman	2016–2018
Quest: Adventures of Ridder	Audel LaRoque	2016–present

Universal Kids original series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
Bally and Friends	Jim Anderson Michael Wildshill	2011–2014
Hero School	Chrissy Frechette Anderson Konishi	2017–present
Luna & Zak: The Series	Shannon Tindle Sue Mondt	2017–present
Imagimals: The Series	Geo G.	2018–present	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Tales in Paradoria	Tom Ruzicka Shane Prigmore Craig Kellman		Became a Universal Kids Original Series.
Lix & Melody: The New Tunes	Tom Ruzicka
Bernard Revamped	Gingo Animation		Co-production with Gingo Animation, BRB Internacional, Screen21 and RG Animation Studios.
Gabriel Garza	Geo G.		Revival. Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Zola: Queen of the Deep Web	Michael Wildshill	2019
Untitled Gingo original series		2019	Co-production with Gingo Animation.

NBC television series

Title	Creator(s) / Developer(s)	Original running	Notes
College University	Geo G.	2013–2014	Co-production with Universal Television, Glass Ball Productions and Rough Draft Studios.

Television specials

Title	Original air date	Notes
A Gabriel Garza Christmas	November 16, 1991	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Opus 'n' Bill: A Wish for Wings That Work	December 18, 1991	Co-production with Amblin Entertainment.
Gabriel Gets Spooked	October 21, 1995	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Hatty's Weasel-tastic Christmas!	November 17, 2001
The Jenny Zoom Christmas Hour	December 21, 2002
Hatty in the Night of the Living Weasel	October 14, 2003
Critter Mockers Save Christmas	December 6, 2003	Co-production with Gingo Animation and Discovery Kids Original Productions.
Critter Mockers: A Fuzzy Valentine's Day	February 13, 2005
BJ and Wally in Christmas Madness	December 11, 2008	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas	November 25, 2009	Co-production with Imagine Entertainment.

Feature films

Television films

Title	Release date	Network	Notes
Gabriel Goes Hollywood	September 11, 1993	Syndication	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
Hatty: The Untold Story	September 12, 1998
The Gabriel Project	April 6, 1999
Planetokio: The Madness Isn't Over	May 18, 2003	UPN
Jenny Zoom: A Conclusion of Confusion	April 3, 2004	Syndication
Critter Mockers: Dude, Where's My Critter?	June 15, 2004	Discovery Kids	Co-production with Gingo Animation and Discovery Kids Original Productions.
The Pandemoniums: Battle Against Time	May 27, 2006	Gingo	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
A Critter Mockers Summer Vacation	July 15, 2007	Discovery Kids	Co-production with Gingo Animation and Discovery Kids Original Productions.
Blueball & Pinkball: The Frankfurters Strike Back	September 3, 2009	Gingo
Chip in Space: Planet 2 Planet	May 23, 2011	Disney XD
The Pandemoniums: Thank You	June 21, 2011	Gingo	Co-production with Gingo Animation.
How Murray Saved Christmas	December 5, 2014	NBC	Credited as Universal Animation Studios. Co-production with Rough Draft Studios.

Theatrical films

#	Title	Release date	Co-production with	Animation services	Budget	Gross	RT	MC
1	The Gabriel Garza Movie	July 31, 2002	Gingo Animation	Gingo Animation Wang Film Productions Saerom Animation	$60 million	$89 million	38%	44
2	The Pandemoniums Movie	November 25, 2009	Gingo Animation	Gingo Animation Rough Draft Studios	$68 million	$170 million	78%	65

Gallery

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