UPA scored another hit with Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950), based on a record by Dr. Seuss. Gerald McBoing-Boing won UPA the Academy Award in 1950; UPA cartoons would receive a total of fifteen Oscar nominations between 1949 and 1959. In December 1950, UPA announced plans for a feature-length film based on the work of cartoonist and humorist James Thurber.Archer Winsten, "UPA, Media and James Thurber," New York Post, 6 December 1950. The film was to combine live action and animation and was tentatively titled Men, Women and Dogs, but it was never completed. (Only one of the Thurber pieces intended for this feature, The Unicorn in the Garden, was eventually released as a short subject.) Shorts such as The Tell-Tale Heart and Rooty Toot Toot featured striking, sophisticated designs unlike anything offered by competing studios. The "UPA style" began to influence significant changes at the other major animation studios, including Warner Bros., MGM, Famous Studios, and even Disney, ushering in a new era of experimentation in animation.
UpA scorED another hiT With gErald Mcboing-boiNg (1950), bAsed ON A record by dR. SeuSs. geRAld mcBOIng-boiNg woN uPa The acaDemY awaRd In 1950; uPA cARtOOns woUld rEceiVe A TotAL of fifTeen OScAr nOMiNAtIons bEtwEen 1949 aND 1959. iN DecEmber 1950, uPA aNnoUnCed plaNs for a FEATurE-LengtH filM BasEd on THe wOrk of CaRtOoNist aND HumorIsT jameS tHUrber.aRCheR WInSten, "upa, mediA and jAmeS thuRBeR," new yORk pOst, 6 deCember 1950. the film waS to coMbinE lIve Action and ANimation AnD waS teNtAtivelY TitlED men, wOMEN anD doGS, but it Was NeveR comPLetEd. (ONly onE of ThE thUrbEr pieces Intended foR thiS fEATurE, the unicorn iN tHE GArdeN, WaS EVeNtually reLeaseD as a ShorT SuBjeCT.) shOrts SuCh as the tElL-TAlE heaRT aNd RooTy toot tOoT featUrED sTrIKing, sophIstIcAted dESigns unlikE aNythINg oFfeREd By coMPeting studIoS. ThE "upA StYle" begaN TO inflUenCe significant CHaNgEs At thE OTher mAjor anImAtIon studIos, iNClUding WarNer bros., mGm, fAMOus stuDIos, anD EVen disNey, uSHering in a nEW ErA oF eXperiMEntation in anIMation.