David McGowan
@animatedstardom.bsky.social
Author of Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts, out now from University of Texas Press. Reseach interests include animation, classic Hollywood, stardom, & home video/streaming. Lecturer at UAL. Views my own.
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Animated Personalities
David McGowan
David McGowan is an Animation and Cinema Studies lecturer and historian, and author of the book Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts (Uni...
animatedpersonalities.com
Information about my research, including my book Animated Personalities, can be found at: animatedpersonalities.com. A list of my publications (including a number of pre-publication manuscripts that can be read for free) is available at: researchers.arts.ac.uk/2140-david-m....
My pre-ordered copy of Joanna Quinn & Les Mills' new book, Beryl, just arrived! I still can't quite believe that Joanna agreed to present a keynote for us at the Society for Animation Studies conference this year, & I'm looking forward to learning even more from the book.
October 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM
My pre-ordered copy of Joanna Quinn & Les Mills' new book, Beryl, just arrived! I still can't quite believe that Joanna agreed to present a keynote for us at the Society for Animation Studies conference this year, & I'm looking forward to learning even more from the book.
A nice treat arrived in the post - a copy of the issue of Screen with my article on Rocky IV inside. It's been so long since I've received a physical copy of anything that I've published, with so much academic work being digital only these days.
September 17, 2025 at 12:22 PM
A nice treat arrived in the post - a copy of the issue of Screen with my article on Rocky IV inside. It's been so long since I've received a physical copy of anything that I've published, with so much academic work being digital only these days.
A long held scholarly wish has finally been fulfilled. Today I'm visiting the Margaret Herrick Library to do some Hollywood-based research!
August 25, 2025 at 5:48 PM
A long held scholarly wish has finally been fulfilled. Today I'm visiting the Margaret Herrick Library to do some Hollywood-based research!
I was very fortunate this afternoon to attend an event with Paul Dooley (best known to me as Wimpy from the live-action Popeye movie) at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. He's 97 years old and still going strong!
August 25, 2025 at 5:26 AM
I was very fortunate this afternoon to attend an event with Paul Dooley (best known to me as Wimpy from the live-action Popeye movie) at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. He's 97 years old and still going strong!
I'd always wanted to visit Portmeirion since seeing The Prisoner (1967) on DVD a quarter of a century ago. I finally got to go last weekend, and it did not disappoint!
August 22, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I'd always wanted to visit Portmeirion since seeing The Prisoner (1967) on DVD a quarter of a century ago. I finally got to go last weekend, and it did not disappoint!
I got to spend a couple of days with Biddy Baxter when I was working at the BBC. As the link indicates, she had a reputation for being quite short with people & my colleagues has experienced this on previous visits. Somehow I met her approval and she was very nice to me when I had to deal with her!
Biddy Baxter: Blue Peter's formidable editor dies aged 92
Blue Peter's long-serving editor turned the children's show into a television institution.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I got to spend a couple of days with Biddy Baxter when I was working at the BBC. As the link indicates, she had a reputation for being quite short with people & my colleagues has experienced this on previous visits. Somehow I met her approval and she was very nice to me when I had to deal with her!
My Blu-ray copy of Essential Polish Animation has arrived. Looks fantastic!
July 26, 2025 at 12:41 PM
My Blu-ray copy of Essential Polish Animation has arrived. Looks fantastic!
I had a good time at the preview of the new Naked Gun movie last night, thanks to @empiremagazine.bsky.social. I know the studio is leaning heavily into this in the marketing, but it really was nice to once again see a silly comedy on the big screen with a packed and appreciative audience.
July 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I had a good time at the preview of the new Naked Gun movie last night, thanks to @empiremagazine.bsky.social. I know the studio is leaning heavily into this in the marketing, but it really was nice to once again see a silly comedy on the big screen with a packed and appreciative audience.
A few days late, but here are some photos that I took from the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference. First up, UAL's own Kim Noce in PANEL 3C: MICRO TALKS. #SAS36 @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social
July 14, 2025 at 10:12 AM
A few days late, but here are some photos that I took from the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference. First up, UAL's own Kim Noce in PANEL 3C: MICRO TALKS. #SAS36 @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social
Reposted by David McGowan
July 8, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by David McGowan
Starting this year's Society for Animation Studies conference strong with a fascinating keynote by Malcolm Cook! #SAS36 @sasanistudies.bsky.social @malcolmcook76.bsky.social
July 7, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Starting this year's Society for Animation Studies conference strong with a fascinating keynote by Malcolm Cook! #SAS36 @sasanistudies.bsky.social @malcolmcook76.bsky.social
Reposted by David McGowan
The 36th Annual SAS Conference begins TOMORROW, July 7 (hosted by London College of Communication
@unioftheartslondon.bsky.social). Use #SAS36 to tag any conference-related posts and/or follow to see what is happening. Info about the conference is at bit.ly/46qkcDZ. Have a great conference!
@unioftheartslondon.bsky.social). Use #SAS36 to tag any conference-related posts and/or follow to see what is happening. Info about the conference is at bit.ly/46qkcDZ. Have a great conference!
July 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
The 36th Annual SAS Conference begins TOMORROW, July 7 (hosted by London College of Communication
@unioftheartslondon.bsky.social). Use #SAS36 to tag any conference-related posts and/or follow to see what is happening. Info about the conference is at bit.ly/46qkcDZ. Have a great conference!
@unioftheartslondon.bsky.social). Use #SAS36 to tag any conference-related posts and/or follow to see what is happening. Info about the conference is at bit.ly/46qkcDZ. Have a great conference!
Reposted by David McGowan
Opening of #SAS36! Thanks to David McGowan and the team at London College of Communication at @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social!
July 7, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Opening of #SAS36! Thanks to David McGowan and the team at London College of Communication at @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social!
Last week, my wife proposed that we cancel Netflix as we don't use it as much as we used to. I managed to talk her down, and then today Netflix emailed me this supposedly 'personalized' recommendation. I went to bat for you, Netflix, and *this* is what you think of me...?!
June 27, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Last week, my wife proposed that we cancel Netflix as we don't use it as much as we used to. I managed to talk her down, and then today Netflix emailed me this supposedly 'personalized' recommendation. I went to bat for you, Netflix, and *this* is what you think of me...?!
Am excited to see that my newest article, '"If I can change": multigenerational cinematic franchises, retconning, and the spectre of Rocky IV', has recently been published in
Screen! Available at: academic.oup.com/screen/artic...
Screen! Available at: academic.oup.com/screen/artic...
‘If I can change’: multigenerational cinematic franchises, retconning, and the spectre of Rocky IV
The Rocky saga, created by and starring Sylvester Stallone, has been through various stages of activity and dormancy, success and failure. Rocky IV (Sylves
academic.oup.com
June 23, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Am excited to see that my newest article, '"If I can change": multigenerational cinematic franchises, retconning, and the spectre of Rocky IV', has recently been published in
Screen! Available at: academic.oup.com/screen/artic...
Screen! Available at: academic.oup.com/screen/artic...
I'm a bit late to the party but finally saw the latest Mission: Impossible film this weekend, and was disappointed that it went even further than its predecessor in being quite grim and self-important for the majority of its extended running time.
June 12, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I'm a bit late to the party but finally saw the latest Mission: Impossible film this weekend, and was disappointed that it went even further than its predecessor in being quite grim and self-important for the majority of its extended running time.
FINAL REMINDER: Tickets for this year's Society for Animation Studies conference must be purchased by the end of today (Friday, June 6)! Book now or miss out on a fanstastic line-up of speakers! sas2025.cargo.site/registration
June 6, 2025 at 8:50 AM
FINAL REMINDER: Tickets for this year's Society for Animation Studies conference must be purchased by the end of today (Friday, June 6)! Book now or miss out on a fanstastic line-up of speakers! sas2025.cargo.site/registration
My Switch 2 arrived! Am still cursing Nintendo for releasing this while I am so swamped with conference admin, but hopefully I'll find a bit of time to give it a try!
June 5, 2025 at 1:11 PM
My Switch 2 arrived! Am still cursing Nintendo for releasing this while I am so swamped with conference admin, but hopefully I'll find a bit of time to give it a try!
Registration closes on June 6! Last chance to join us for the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies conference in London next month!
sas2025.cargo.site
sas2025.cargo.site
June 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Registration closes on June 6! Last chance to join us for the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies conference in London next month!
sas2025.cargo.site
sas2025.cargo.site
I had a fantastic time talking about Mickey Mouse and cartoon stardom on the Fantasy/Animation podcast. Thanks to Chris and Alex for inviting me on!
HEALTH WARNING: A drinking game based on the number of times I say 'um' or 'yeah' may prove fatal.
www.fantasy-animation.org/all-episodes...
HEALTH WARNING: A drinking game based on the number of times I say 'um' or 'yeah' may prove fatal.
www.fantasy-animation.org/all-episodes...
Episode 157 - Mickey Mouse (with David McGowan) — Fantasy/Animation
For this new episode of the podcast, Chris and Alex try and do justice to the global stardom of perhaps the most famous animated character of them all - Mickey Mouse. They are joined by David McGowa...
www.fantasy-animation.org
May 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I had a fantastic time talking about Mickey Mouse and cartoon stardom on the Fantasy/Animation podcast. Thanks to Chris and Alex for inviting me on!
HEALTH WARNING: A drinking game based on the number of times I say 'um' or 'yeah' may prove fatal.
www.fantasy-animation.org/all-episodes...
HEALTH WARNING: A drinking game based on the number of times I say 'um' or 'yeah' may prove fatal.
www.fantasy-animation.org/all-episodes...
Once again, for reasons completely unknown to me, the Kindle version of my book Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts, has had a temporary price cut, down to £1.99 at Amazon UK. Nice to see it at an affordable price! www.amazon.co.uk/Animated-Per...
April 27, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Once again, for reasons completely unknown to me, the Kindle version of my book Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts, has had a temporary price cut, down to £1.99 at Amazon UK. Nice to see it at an affordable price! www.amazon.co.uk/Animated-Per...