Paul Julian (artist)
Paul Julian (born Paul Hull Husted; June 25, 1914 – September 5, 1995) was an American artist and designer most noted for his work as a background artist for Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes short films. He worked primarily for director Friz Freleng's Sylvester and Tweety Bird shorts. His warm and tightly-cropped urban scenes were also featured early in his career in the 1946 Bugs Bunny film Baseball Bugs, and in the crime syndicate-themed Daffy Duck film Golden Yeggs. Mr. Julian also worked extensively as a WPA mural artist.
Born in Illinois,Mr. Julian did mural projects all around Southern California for the WPA prior to starting his career in Hollywood. In 1942, an oil and canvas mural (“Orange Pickers”) painted by Mr. Julian, was added to the interior of the Fullerton, California post office. When completed, the Post Office and interior mural brought to the Fullerton community a symbol of government efficiency, services , and culture. Mr. Julian's 1942 mural works are at also at the Upland Elementary School in Upland, California at the side of the school auditorium. Though faded, the murals are in decent shape. Mr. Julian used a technique called petrachrome for this fine mural that utilized 24 different colors of marble to complete the mural's four panels. The mural inside the Fullerton Post Office is in excellent condition. Later while working at Warner Brothers as a background artist, Mr. Julian also provided the Road Runner's "Beep-Beep!" sound.[1][2] Julian first made the sound on the Warner Bros. studio lot. He imitated a car horn, as a lighthearted way to get people out of his way when he was in a hurry. Editor Treg Brown recorded Julian's noises and ultimately used them for the Road Runner films, which are still in use in modern Looney Tunes media.
Julian directed the animated films "Baby Boogie" (1955), and "The Hangman", which was produced by Les Goldman. The film garnered over 15 international film festival awards. He also produced (1964) and was a production designer for the 1978 anime fantasy Winds of Change (film), based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. Julian also had long working relationship with Roger Corman providing artwork for many of his movies, including Dementia 13 and The Terror.
Mr. Julian was still working as artist when he died in 1995 in Van Nuys, California.
References and notes
- ↑ There is confusion over whether the sound made is "beep beep" or "meep meep". In this clip on YouTube, the sound is clearly labeled "beep beep". According to Michael Barrier in his commentary for "Fast and Furry-ous" on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 DVD: "Even though the expression was spelled 'beep beep' on the screen, and that the word 'beep' was used in many subsequent Road Runner cartoon titles, Paul Julian insisted that the correct spelling was 'H-M-E-E-P"; 'hmeep hmeep', rather than 'beep beep'."
- ↑ The interviews included in the DVD commentary were recorded by animation historian Michael Barrier for his book Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age.
3. http://www.fullertonheritage.org/Views_Tours/National_Register/postofffice/postoffice.html