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Tom Ruegger

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Tom Ruegger
Ruegger at the 2023 WonderCon
Born1955 or 1956 (age 68–69)
Metuchen, New Jersey, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materDartmouth College
Occupations
  • Animator
  • songwriter
Years active1976–present
Spouses
Adrienne Alexander
​
​
(m. 1983; div. 2004)​
Annie Malley
​
(m. 2006)​
Children3, including Nathan
Websitecartoonatics.blogspot.com

Tom Ruegger (/ˈruːɡər/) is an American animator and songwriter. Ruegger is known for his association with Disney Television Animation and Warner Bros. Animation. He also created Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Histeria!.

Early life and career

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Ruegger was raised in Metuchen, New Jersey. During his childhood, he made drawings of The Flintstones when it aired.[1] He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1972.[2]

In 1976, he made his first cartoon, called The Premiere of Platypus Duck, while he was a student at Dartmouth College. Shortly after graduation from Dartmouth that year,[3] he moved to Los Angeles to become an animator.[1] Ruegger began his career at Filmation, writing for Gilligan's Planet.[4] He soon after joined Hanna-Barbera, writing and producing various animated series, most notably The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, Snorks, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Pound Puppies, and A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.[5] He also wrote one episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.[6][7]

In 1989, he began working alongside Jean MacCurdy and Steven Spielberg at Warner Bros. Animation to create and produce several animated series,[8] including Tiny Toon Adventures, Taz-Mania,[9] Batman: The Animated Series, The Plucky Duck Show, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain,[8] Freakazoid, Road Rovers, and Histeria.[10]

In 2004, Ruegger started Tom Ruegger Production, a full-service animation studio. In 2006, Ruegger began developing, story-editing and serving as executive producer on the 40-episode animated series Animalia, based on the picture book by Graeme Base.[11] Along with Nicholas Hollander, he developed and story-edited another animated series entitled Sushi Pack.[12]

In 2011, Ruegger began working for Disney Television Animation, where he executive produced 40 half-hours of The 7D for Disney XD, a comedy based on the seven Dwarfs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[13]

Ruegger has received fourteen Emmy Awards for his work in animation.

Personal life

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Ruegger married voice actress Adrienne Alexander in 1983; they have three sons together, Nathan, Luke and Cody. The couple divorced in 2004. In 2006, he married marathon runner Annie Malley, and they reside near Los Angeles, California. Nathan and Luke have become voice actors. Nathan voiced the baby version of Plucky Duck on Tiny Toon Adventures, Skippy Squirrel on Animaniacs and Froggo on Histeria, where Luke provided the voice for the Flame and Bumpo Basset on Animaniacs and Big Fat Baby on Histeria. Cody performed the voice of Little Blue Bird on Animaniacs and Loud Kiddington on Histeria.[14] Ruegger's sons also are the primary inspiration behind the main characters in Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot.[15]

As of 2017, Cody is serving as an attorney in New York City,[16] while Nathan and Luke have careers in film and television in Los Angeles.

Ruegger himself also made occasional cameos on his shows in caricature form, most notably as the recurring character of director Cooper DeVille in Tiny Toon Adventures.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role
1976 The Premiere of Platypus Duck Director
1985 Pound Puppies Writer
1988 The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound Writer, Lyricist
1992 Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation Writer, Producer, Lyricist
1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Executive Producer
1999 Wakko's Wish Writer, Producer, Director, Lyricist
2011 The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle Writer

Television

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Year Title Role
1978 Jana of the Jungle Animator
1978–1979 Godzilla
1979 The New Fred and Barney Show
Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo
Casper and the Angels
Super Friends
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle Writer
1980 The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour
1980–1981 Sport Billy
1981 Hero High
The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!
Blackstar
1982 Flash Gordon
Gilligan's Planet
Shirt Tales
The Gary Coleman Show
1983 The Dukes
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
1983–1984 The New Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show/The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries Developer, Writer, Story Editor, Co-Producer
1984 Challenge of the GoBots Story, Story Editor
Snorks Story
1985 The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo Creator, Developer, Story, Story Editor, Executive & Associate Producer
1985–1988 Yogi's Treasure Hunt Writer, Story Editor
1986–1987 Pound Puppies
1988 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Creator, Developer, Writer, Producer, Storyboard Artist, Title Card Designer, Lyricist, Story
1990–1992; 1994; 1995 Tiny Toon Adventures Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist
1991–1995 Taz-Mania Executive Producer, Creator, Developer
1992 The Plucky Duck Show Creator, Story, Writer, Producer
1992–1995 Batman: The Animated Series Writer, Executive Producer, Story, Story Editor
1993–1998 Animaniacs Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist, Voice Actor
1995–1997 Freakazoid! Writer, Developer, Senior Producer
1995–1998 Pinky and the Brain Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist
1996–1997 Road Rovers Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Composer
1998–2000 Histeria! Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Character Designer, Lyricist
1998–1999 Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain Creator, Writer, Senior Producer
2000 Batman Beyond Story
2004 Duck Dodgers Writer, Story (Episode: Of Course You Know, This Means War and Peace)
2005 Loonatics Unleashed Creative Consultant
2007 Sushi Pack Writer, Developer, Executive Producer
2007–2008 Animalia Developer, Story Editor, Executive Producer, Writer
2010; 2018; 2023 Nostalgia Critic Special Guest Star
2013 Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures Writer, Creator, Developer
2014–2016 The 7D Executive Producer, Writer, Composer, Story

References

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  1. ^ a b O'Donnell, Chuck (July 20, 2014). "Cartoon genius inspired by childhood in Metuchen". Courier News. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  2. ^ Tufaro, Greg (July 26, 2015). "Metuchen 'welcomes back' alumni for Hall of Fame nominations". Courier News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  3. ^ Hunter, Sara Hougland. "Class Note 1976". Dartmouth Alumni Magazine (September–October 2016). Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  4. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 426. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  5. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: The shows, M-Z. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 639, 724. ISBN 0-7864-2256-4.
  6. ^ Perlmutter 2018, p. 275.
  7. ^ Perlmutter, David (2014). America Toons In: A History of Television Animation. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-7864-7650-3.
  8. ^ a b Kent, Milton (January 29, 1994). "Warner Bros. is whistling a happy toon". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  9. ^ Trusdell, Brian (May 28, 1995). "Focus : Warner's Toon Factory for the '90s". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  10. ^ Perlmutter 2018, pp. 220, 285, 507.
  11. ^ Hetherington, Janet (June 11, 2008). "'Animalia' and the Art of Talking Animals". Animation World Network. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  12. ^ Baisley, Sarah (November 2, 2007). "CBS Enhanced by Action-Packed Sushi, Quirky Dino". Animation World Network. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  13. ^ McLean, Tom (April 25, 2014). "'The 7D' Report for July 7 Disney XD Premiere". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  14. ^ Perlmutter 2018, p. 285.
  15. ^ Lamour, Joseph (April 14, 2016). "11 Secrets You Never Knew About Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, and Freakazoid!". MTV.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  16. ^ Ruegger, Tom [@tomruegger] (March 28, 2016). "My son Cody Ruegger -voice of the Blue Bird #animaniacs & Loud Kiddington #Histeria sworn in as attorney today in NY" (Tweet). Retrieved August 29, 2017 – via Twitter.
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