15 Facts About Seymour Kneitel

Seymour Kneitel was an American animator, best known for his work with Fleischer Studios and its successor, Famous Studios.

Seymour Kneitel took evening classes at the National Academy of Design.

Seymour Kneitel's father died when Kneitel was still in high school, and he needed work to provide support for his mother and sister.

Seymour Kneitel was able to attend an annex of Commerce HS and work after school and Saturdays for Bray Studios, coloring drawings for Colonel Heeza Liar cartoons.

Seymour Kneitel began as an office boy and within a year was one of three animators.

Seymour Kneitel spent six months at MGM writing sub-titles for silent pictures, but was dismissed when sound pictures arrived.

In 1928, Seymour Kneitel returned to Fleischer Studios as an inbetweener, staying there for fourteen years, He was there only about six months when he became an animator, and a year later became a head animator.

In early 1939, Seymour Kneitel suffered a heart attack, and would be absent from the studio until late 1940.

Seymour Kneitel returned just when Fleischer obtained the right to animate Superman.

Seymour Kneitel wrote several Superman episodes with Isadore Sparber, and directed one short, The Mechanical Monsters.

Seymour Kneitel himself had become one of the most prolific directors of the Popeye shorts and directed many of the Casper the Friendly Ghost shorts.

Seymour Kneitel was married to Ruth Fleischer, becoming Max Fleischer's son-in-law, Dave Fleischer's nephew-in-law, and director Richard Fleischer's brother-in-law.

Seymour Kneitel was the nephew of musician Sammy Timberg, who wrote many of the scores for Fleischer's cartoons.

Seymour Kneitel had a cousin Abner Seymour Kneitel, who was the animator and assistant animator for Fleischers and Famous from 1935 to 1944.

Seymour Kneitel developed heart problems early in life; he died of a heart attack on July 30,1964, at the age of 56.