Alex Anderson, the cartoonist who created animated characters Rocky the Squirrel and his friend Bullwinkle, has died. He was 90.Anderson died Friday in Carmel, Calif., of complications from Alzheimer's.Anderson was business partner to Jay Ward, producer of the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. And while Ward and writer-director Bill Scott are known for their association with the show, Anderson was almost unknown. Anderson had to sue Ward's heirs in the 1990s to regain full credit as creator of characters such as Rocky, Bullwinkle and Mountie parody Dudley Do-Right. Anderson is credited with setting the tone of rapid-fire humour in the show, which was sophisticated enough for adults though aimed at children. He parodied Cold War tensions by setting the sharp Rocky and dimwitted Bullwinkle against Russian enemies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale.
Anderson's death is a sad story. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show was one of the first cartoons which was able to successfully engage both children and adults. The show combined topical humour and satire with silly entertainment. Without question, the entertainment world has lost a true pioneer.
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