Ernest Pintoff was a multifaceted American filmmaker, born on December 15, 1931, in Watertown, Connecticut, and raised in New York City.
Initially, Pintoff pursued a career as a jazz trumpeter, teaching painting and design at Michigan State University. However, his true passion lay in animation, and he began writing scripts in 1956.
His breakthrough came in 1957 with the script for Flebus, followed by the critically acclaimed animated short film, The Violinist, in 1959. Narrated by Carl Reiner, this film earned Pintoff an Oscar nomination and showcased his potential as a film director.
In 1964, Pintoff won an Academy Award for his direction of the 1963 film, The Critic. This satirical masterpiece, narrated by Mel Brooks, humorously explores the world of modern art through the eyes of a grumpy character.
Throughout his career, Pintoff directed numerous episodes of popular television series, including Hawaii Five-O, Kojak, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Dukes of Hazard, Falcon Crest, and Voyagers!. He also directed documentaries as part of NBC's "Experiments in Television" in the late 1960s, featuring prominent figures such as Marshall McLuhan and Sholem Aleichem.
Pintoff produced and directed a range of low-budget independent films, including Harvey Middleman, Fireman, Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?, and Dynamite Chicken, a film featuring a collection of vintage music clips and appearances by John Lennon, Richard Pryor, and Andy Warhol.
After his last film in 1985, Pintoff dedicated himself to teaching directing at various institutions, including the School of Visual Arts, American Film Institute, USC School of Cinematic Arts, California Institute of the Arts, and UCLA.
In recognition of his lifetime contributions to animation, Pintoff received the International Animated Film Society's Winsor McCay Award in 1998.
Pintoff passed away on January 12, 2002, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and innovative filmmaker.
