Paul Julian (artist)
Paul Hull Husted (June 25, 1914 – September 5, 1995), better known as Paul Julian, was an American background animator, sound effects artist, and voice actor for Warner Bros. Animation Studios. Julian worked on Looney Tunes short films, primarily on director Friz Freleng's Sylvester and Tweety Bird shorts. During his time at Warner, Julian also provided the vocal effects of the Road Runner. His warm and tightly-cropped urban scenes were also featured early in his career in the Bugs Bunny film Baseball Bugs (1946), and in the crime syndicate-themed Daffy Duck film Golden Yeggs (1950). Julian also worked extensively as a WPA mural artist.
Paul Julian | |
---|---|
Born | Paul Hull Husted June 25, 1914 |
Died | September 5, 1995 81) Van Nuys, California, U.S. | (aged
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Animator, artist, voice actor |
Years active | 1939–1994 |
Biography
Born in Illinois, Julian worked on mural projects all around Southern California for the WPA prior to beginning his career in Hollywood. In 1942, an oil and canvas mural (Orange Pickers) painted by Julian was added to the interior of the Fullerton, California post office. When completed, the Post Office and interior mural brought to the Fullerton community a symbol of government efficiency, services, and culture. Julian's 1942 mural works are also at the Upland Elementary School in Upland, California at the side of the school auditorium. Though faded, the murals are in decent shape. Julian used a technique called petrachrome for this fine mural that utilized 24 different colors of marble to complete the mural's four panels. The mural inside the Fullerton Post Office is in excellent condition.[1]
Later, while working at Warner Brothers as a background artist, Julian provided the Road Runner's "Beep-Beep!" sound.[2][3] Julian first made the sound on the Warner Bros. studio lot. He imitated a car horn as a lighthearted way to get people out of his way when he was in a hurry. Editor Treg Brown recorded Julian's noises and ultimately used them for the Road Runner films, which are still in use in modern Looney Tunes media.
Julian directed the animated films Baby Boogie (1955), and The Hangman (1964), which was produced by Les Goldman. The film garnered over 15 international film festival awards. He also produced (1964) and was a production designer for the 1978 anime fantasy Winds of Change, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. Julian also had a long working relationship with Roger Corman providing artwork for many of his movies, including Dementia 13 and The Terror.[1]
Julian was still working as artist when he died in Van Nuys, California in 1995.[1]
Partial filmography
Background artist
Actor
- Soup or Sonic - The Road Runner
- Fast and Furry-ous - The Road Runner
- Sugar and Spies - The Road Runner
- The Road Runner Show - The Road Runner
- Freeze Frame - The Road Runner
- Boulder Wham! - The Road Runner
- Fast and Furry-ous - The Road Runner
- Chariots of Fur - The Road Runner (last cartoon produced in Paul Julian's lifetime)
- Coyote Falls - The Road Runner
- Fur of Flying - The Road Runner
- Rabid Rider - The Road Runner
- Flash in the Pain - The Road Runner
- Chaser on the Rocks - The Road Runner
- Hopalong Casualty - The Road Runner
- Dexter's Laboratory - Dee-Dee imitating the Road Runner
- Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over - The Road Runner
- The Electric Company - The Road Runner
- Zip Zip Hooray! - The Road Runner
References
- https://web.archive.org/web/20130825153424/http://www.fullertonheritage.org/Views_Tours/National_Register/postofffice/postoffice.html
- There is confusion over whether the sound made is "beep beep" or "meep meep". In this clip on YouTube, the sound is clearly labeled "beep beep". According to Michael Barrier in his commentary for "Fast and Furry-ous" on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 DVD: "Even though the expression was spelled 'beep beep' on the screen, and that the word 'beep' was used in many subsequent Road Runner cartoon titles, Paul Julian insisted that the correct spelling was 'H-M-E-E-P"; 'hmeep hmeep', rather than 'beep beep'."
- The interviews included in the DVD commentary were recorded by animation historian Michael Barrier for his book Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age.