Pitch: Herb Klynn's The Shrimp Part One

This post is just the tip of the iceberg... see the bonus reason on our The Top Ten Reasons To Support The A-HAA for links to more great posts featuring animation art.



Over the weekend, we received another donation from the family of UPA and Format Films designer, Herb Klynn. The Klynn collection is fascinating, because it consists of portfolio cases full of unsold pitches. The one I'm featuring today is a sort of animated Leave It To Beaver in a style very similar to the films of UPA. These sketches are very likely the work of Klynn himself, and stand as an example of his impeccable design sense and appeal.

Here is Format Films' presentation for THE SHRIMP.


My name is Christopher. I'm a guy like everybody else.


This is The Shrimp. He's my brother and he's different.


He doesn't talk much. He just follows me and copies everything I do. That's his turtle, Mr. Coolidge.


His really name is Marvin. Only everybody calls him Shrimp. Except my mother. She calls him Marvin. I don't know why. My mother thinks he's an angel. She kisses him and junk like that. Someday he'll bite her. She'll see.


My father likes the Shrimp too. I don't know why. Maybe it's because he ain't home all day like me. Some day he'll find out.


My mother thinks he's more important than the President maybe. She doesn't care about me havin' fun. Oh no. I'm supposed to take care of him and watch him and keep his nose dry. It's all I do practically. He has the wettest nose on the block.


Nobody talks like my mother. Not nearly. Just listen to her: "Christopher what's the matter with you why must you be so selfish you're a big boy you're eight marvin's only four anybody would think you'd love to take him with you wherever you go if you ever tie him to a fire hydrant again and leave him there so he has to ring false alarms for help you'll be so sorry I'll do more than just tell your father I'll take away your bicycle for good!" See? She never even has to take a breath.


These are the guys in our gang. With our shadow.


The Shrimp never wants to play with the little kids. He only wants to be with me and the other big guys. Like the ones in my gang. Which are swell.


This if Funk-Funk. He's keen. When he grows up, he wants to get tattooed all over and be in the circus.


This is Fats. He's neat. Once he ate twenty two Eskimo Pies without throwing up. He just got a rash.


This is Cannonball. He's cool. He never takes off his skates. Except in bed. Or on Christmas.


Caption missing.


This is Hubba. He's slick. He likes girls.


I do too. But it depends on the girl.

Although the humor in South Park is from a totally different universe, imagine how much better the show would be if it had half the style and expressiveness of these sketches. Quality design and expressive animation matters.

Many thanks to the family of Herb Klynn. I'll post more from this pitch soon.

If you found this article to be interesting, see also... Herb Klynn And The Animated Feature That Might Have Been.

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive

Stumble It!