Rick Calabash's illustrious career began in his teenage years, designing sets for the iconic Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1968.
He went on to collaborate with animation legends William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, contributing to the development of beloved characters such as Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo.
Following the acquisition of Hanna-Barbera Studios by media giant Ted Turner, Calabash was paired with music superstar Michael Jackson to create feature films and television projects for Turner Pictures.
Calabash served as a Writer and Musical Sequence Director on Turner Pictures' Annie Award-winning animated feature, Cats Don't Dance, in 1997. The film, choreographed by acclaimed actor/dancer Gene Kelly, starred Scott Bakula and Hal Holbrook, and featured songs by Randy Newman and Natalie Cole.
Next, Calabash joined Walt Disney Studios, earning two Emmy nominations and winning a Golden Reel Award and an Angel Award for Excellence in Media for producing and directing the animated series 101 Dalmatians: The Series in 1997.
Calabash then worked alongside Studio Chairman Roy Edward Disney as a writer and director on the Emmy Award-winning series, House of Mouse, featuring James Woods and John Cleese, in 2001.
After five years of working with Disney's classic characters, Calabash was sought by Walt Disney Imagineering to serve as a Creative Consultant on the 3D musical featurette, Mickey's PhilharMagic, in 2003. This innovative multi-media attraction premiered on the largest screen in the world at Walt Disney World, followed by installations at Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Disney's California Adventure.
Calabash then joined forces with The Zanuck Company, working with award-winning producers Richard D. Zanuck and Dean Zanuck to develop family content with Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Next, Calabash teamed with Dean Zanuck to form Zanuck Family Entertainment, where he continues to oversee development and production on a slate of multi-platform content. The first project to go into production was Little Ludwig, a 3D animated rock opera, with Warner Bros. Pictures. Currently in pre-production at ZFE is The Rise and Fall of Arbogast J. Hogg, an innovative multi-platform venture encompassing movies, books, apps, and other digitally integrated products.
