Iconic Producer and Director DIES – He’s Gone!

Iconic Producer and Director Passes Away at 87

(USNewsBreak.com) – If you watch the holiday classic cartoons “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” this year, take a moment to remember the man behind them. Producer, director, and writer, Jules Bass, passed away on October 25. His representative Jennifer Fisherman-Ruff confirmed the 87-year-old died from age-related health issues at an assisted living facility.

Jules Bass, 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' director, dead at 87https://t.co/Nm8bE7ppT3

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 26, 2022

Born in September of 1935 and educated at New York University, he became best known as the producer of classic holiday cartoons in the 1960s and ’70s, many of which have become a part of family traditions. The stop-motion films had winter or Christmas themes and included “Jack Frost,” “The Year Without Santa Claus,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”

Bass had a long-time partnership with Arthur Rankin Jr, who died in 2014. The pair produced their hits under Rankin/Bass Productions. In addition to films, they also did some animation work in the ’70s and ’80s. They were behind “The Hobbit,” “The Last Unicorn,” “The Return of the King,” and more. Bass and Rankin also produced the popular television show, “Thundercats.”

Following his death, many people took to social media to express their sadness. One civil rights lawyer posted on Twitter, crediting Bass for helping define “the Christmas season for my childhood.” Meanwhile, an independent film producer hailed him on Twitter as “one of the great names in animation.”