Van Beuren Studios

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Van Beuren Studios was an animation studio that produced theatrical cartoons from 1928-1936. They closed their doors during 1936 because their distributor, RKO Radio Pictures, dropped Van Beuren's product and acquired Walt Disney Productions as its new animation producer.

Amadee J. Van Beuren first became involved in the animation industry in 1920, when he formed a partnership with Paul Terry and formed the "Fables Studios". Terry ran the animation studio while Van Beuren focused on other parts of the business.

In 1929, Terry quit to start his own Terrytoons studio and John Foster took over the animation department. It was at this time that "Fables Studios" became the "Van Beuren Studios".

Cartoon series from Van Beuren included:

Aesop's Fables (initially produced by Fables Studios}
Cubby Bear
The Little King
Rainbow Parade (color series)
Toby The Pup
Tom and Jerry (later renamed "Dick and Larry" in the 1950s)
The Foxy Terrier (1935)

Van Beuren also made cartoons using popular characters such as Felix The Cat and the Toonerville Trolley cast in the mid-1930s.

In addition the Van Beuren Corporation acquired and produced live action shorts. In 1932, Van Beuren purchased several Charlie Chaplin silent films, and added soundtracks to them for reissue.

The Van Beuren library was sold to various television, reissue, and home movie distributors in the 1940s and 1950s, including Commonwealth Pictures and Official Films.