The latest news about Johnny Bravo & Dexter’s Lab Animator Rumen Petkov is not positive at all. The award-winning animator and filmmaker from Bulgaria passed away on 11th of June 2018 at the age of 70. In his home country Bulgaria, Petkov began his career as a cartoonist and animator. He became famous for his cartoons that he made exclusive for Cartoon Network.
Petkov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. There he entered the field of animation in 1969. Ten years later, he created the popular animated television series Choko the Stork and Boko the Frog, which was later adapted into a comic strip in the magazine Duga (which translates to “rainbow” or, literally, “arc”). As a cartoonist and animator, his work inspired Bulgarian artists in these fields, and he even helmed the nation’s first animated feature film. The Treasure Planet came out in 1982. Three years later, his animated short “Marriage” earned him a Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1985 even.
Media in Bulgaria revealed Petkov’s passing
Bulgarian newspaper has been publicized about Petkov’s passing. His work touched millions of young people across the world in the 90s. Especially during his time at Cartoon Network, where he managed to release Johnny Bravo & Dexter’s Lab under Hanna-Barbera for them.
While his Bulgarian cartoon series didn’t get popular in USA, Petkov Cartoon Network cartoons certainly did. He did lots of traveling to California in the 90s and connecting with Cartoon Network during their crucially creative period. Petkov’s time with the budding channel would produce the work which he would become best known for by the world audiences thru Cartoon Network. As a storyboard artist, writer, and animation director, his portfolio includes episodes of popular series Johnny Bravo, I Am Weasel, Dexter’s Laboratory, Cow and Chicken, The Powerpuff Girls, and others.
He left the Animation Business in the early 2000s
Petkov left the animation business in the early 2000s, but worked as a professor at the California Institute of the Arts beginning in 1998, a university which houses one of the top 10 best fine arts programs in the United States – and also the school which originally trained Disney’s animators during The Great Depression. He was reportedly still teaching courses at the time of his passing.
A relatively private creator, but responsible for many beloved cartoons that were crucial to young people growing up in the late 90s, Rumen Petkov’s work remains memorable and treasured by many people around the world.
For me, Cartoon Network something that was part of my childhood. I loved the cartoons that Petkov made for Cartoon Network. Especially Johnny Bravo is one of my favorite cartoons. Hanna-Barbera was founded in 1957 by former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation directors and Tom and Jerry creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. After Cartoon Network came, people like Petkov entered the scene. This channel helped Petkov to become world famous and now he is gone. Its sad that one of the most influencial cartoon makers is gone. Thanks to everything you’ve done.
Its very interesting though that nothing about Petkov is mentioned in the Wikipedia article about Hanna-Barbera. Why?
Source: dnevnik.bg, hanna-barbera.com, cartoon network
