9: Lillian Friedman Astor, American animator (Fleischer Brothers), dies at age 77. July 10: Mel Blanc, American voice actor (voice of various characters in the Looney Tunes franchise, Barney Rubble in The Flintstones, original voice of Woody Woodpecker), dies at age 81. July 29: Rudy Zamora, Mexican-American animator and animation director (Jay Ward Productions, Hanna-Barbera), dies at age 79. August August 4: Paul Murry, American animator, comics artist and writer (Walt Disney Company), dies at age 77. August 12: Vic Kephart, American television producer (The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, ALF Tales) and production assistant (DIC Entertainment), dies at age 26. August 27: Bill Shirley, American actor and singer (voice of Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty), dies at age 68. October October 4: Graham Chapman, English actor and comedian (occasional voices in Terry Gilliam's animated shorts in Monty Python's Flying Circus and the film spin-offs), dies from cancer at age 48. October 12: Jay Ward, American animator and producer (Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Hoppity Hooper, George of the Jungle, Tom Slick, Super Chicken), dies at age 69. October 21: Jean Image, Hungarian-French animator and film director (Johnny the Giant Killer, Kiri le Clown, Joe), dies at age 79. November November 17: Billy Lee, American actor (voice of the boy in The Reluctant Dragon), dies at age 60. November 22: Gerry Chiniquy, American animator and film director (Warner Bros. Cartoons, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises), dies at age 77. November 28: Ion Popescu-Gopo, Romanian graphic artist, animator and film director (Scurtă Istorie, The White Moor, Gopo's Little Man), dies at age 66. December December 6: Frances Bavier, American actress (model for Flora in Sleeping Beauty''), dies at age 86. Sammy Fain, American composer (Walt Disney Animation Studios), dies at age 87. December 13: Sammy Lerner, Romanian songwriter (Popeye theme), dies at age 86. Specific date unknown Karel van Milleghem, Belgian journalist and chief editor (initiator of Belvision), dies at age 65 or 66. George Wheeler, American animator and comics artist (Walt Disney Company, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation), dies at age 69 or 70. See also 1989 in anime References External links Animated works of the year, listed in the IMDb 1980s in animation