Barry Caldwell (1957-2026)
Barry Caldwell, an animation veteran who worked on classic shows like "Animaniacs," "Pinky and the Brain," and the movie "Osmosis Jones," has passed away. He was 68. News of his passing was revealed by fellow animator Paul Dini ("Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Batman: The Animated Series).
Animaniacs
"Barry Caldwell was one of the first animation artists I met when I started my career fresh out of school way back around 1980," Paul wrote on a Facebook post. " He was also one of the finest artists I ever met, and easily one of the best people. The man's talent as a cartoonist, designer, and director was revered throughout the industry, and I'll get to that. First, I'd rather talk about Barry himself, funny, kind, a genial giant of a guy that you liked from the moment you met him. He knew more about cartoons than you or I ever will (trust me on this), yet he was incredibly generous with his time and his talent."
Osmosis Jones
Born on June 19, 1957, in New York City, Barry honed his animation skills at the School of Visual Arts. He first worked as a storyboard artist for TV shows like "The New Adventures of Zorro," "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," "The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show," "The Smurfs," and "Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers." In the '90s, he worked on iconic Warner Bros. titles like "Animaniacs" and "Pinky and the Brain." By the 2000s, he would move on to work for timeless shows like "Clifford the Big Red Dog" and Disney's "Kim Possible." For feature-length films, Barry is credited for his work on "Osmosis Jones," "The Tigger Movie," "Curious George," and "Mulan II."