The cartoon artwork of Ron Campbell, director of the Beatles 1960s Saturday morning cartoon series and animator of the film, “Yellow Submarine,” will be on display and available for purchase at a special pop-up art exhibit for three days only – Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 17, at Arete Gallery, 122 S. Main St., New Hope.
Campbell, who died in January 2021, directed over half of the episodes about the Fab Four, which debuted on ABC-TV on Sept. 25, 1965. The Saturday Morning Beatles Cartoon series received monstrous ratings in its time slot. Campbell also wrote the forward to the definitive book on the Beatles cartoon series, “Beatletoons.”
Beginning in 1958 in his native Australia with cartoons like Popeye, Beetle Bailey and Krazy Kat, Campbell’s career spanned the entire golden age of Saturday morning cartoons.
Through his studio, Ron Campbell Films, Inc., Campbell was involved with some of the most beloved cartoons spanning three generations, including Scooby Doo, Winnie The Pooh, Krazy Kat, George of the Jungle, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, the Smurfs, Goof Troop, Sesame Street, Captain Caveman, Rugrats, Ed, Edd n’ Eddy, Yogi Bear and dozens more.
His show, “The Big Blue Marble,” won many awards including a Peabody for Excellence in Broadcasting and an Emmy for Best Children’s Show of the Year.
After retiring from a 50-year career, Campbell began painting subjects always based on the animated cartoons he helped bring to the screen. With emphasis on The Beatles, his Cartoon Pop Art has been featured in galleries worldwide.
Show hours are 4 to 8 p.m. July 15; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 16 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 17. Visit BeatlesCartoonArtShow.com; call the gallery at 484-353-9859 or visit Arete Gallery online for information.
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