Ralph Bakshi, a renowned animation legend, rose to prominence from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn. Born in Palestine under the British Mandate to Mina (Zlotin) and Eliezar Bakshi, of Krymchak Jewish descent, he was raised in Brownsville, New York, after his family fled World War II.
Bakshi attended Thomas Jefferson High School and later transferred to the High School of Industrial Arts, graduating in 1957 with an award in cartooning. He began his career at Terrytoons studio as a cell polisher, eventually becoming an inker and animator, working on shows like Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle, Deputy Dawg, Foofle, and Lariat Sam.
At 28, Bakshi created and directed the superhero spoof cartoons, The Mighty Heroes. In 1967, he joined Paramount Studios, collaborating with producer Steve Krantz on episodes of the Spider-Man TV series and short films.
The 1970s saw Bakshi pioneering innovative animated films, starting with Robert Crumb's "Fritz the Cat" comic book, which premiered in 1972 and received an X rating, becoming the first feature-length animated film to do so. The film's success allowed Bakshi to produce films featuring his own characters and ideas, such as "Heavy Traffic" and "Coonskin," which were both controversial but praised by critics.
During this period, Bakshi also produced the fantasy films "Wizards" and part one of an animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." Although these films were financially successful, they were misunderstood by critics, and United Artists refused to fund the sequel to Bakshi's ambitious adaptation.
In the 1980s, animation declined, and Bakshi's films, such as "American Pop" and "Fire & Ice," were unsuccessful. His last film of the decade, "Cool World," was critically scorned and a box office flop. Fans felt that the film was not a true Bakshi film.
However, the Internet and DVD releases of Bakshi's work brought him a new generation of fans, encouraging him to produce another film. "Last Days of Coney Island" is currently in production. Bakshi resides in New Mexico, and a three-day retrospective was held at American Cinematheque in 2005.
