1999 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.
Events
January
January 4: The first episode of the CN series, Ed, Edd n Eddy first airs.
January 18: Season 6 of Rugrats begins on Nickelodeon with the premiere of the episodes "Chuckie's Duckling/A Dog's Life".[1]
January 29: The Japanese animation studio TNK is founded.
January 31: The first episode of Family Guy airs.[4]
February
February 1: Anime producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki is arrested after a handgun, 131 bullets and 20 grams of stimulant drugs were seized from his house in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Nishizaki, voluntarily submitted two automatic rifles, 1,800 bullets, and 30 howitzer shells kept in a station wagon in his garage, police said. Police say that Nishizaki had hidden an Austrian handgun loaded with three bullets under a zaisu chair in a study. Nishizaki told them that he had bought the handgun in Hong Kong 10 years earlier.[5][6][7]
May 2: The Family Guy episode "A Hero Sits Next Door" premieres on Fox, this episode marks the debut of iconic character Joe Swanson (as well as his wife Bonnie and their son Kevin). It was seen by just over 12.6 million viewers that night.[19]
Family Guy concludes its first season on Fox with the episode "Brian: Portrait of a Dog", which was watched by over 10 million viewers that night.
May 18: King of the Hill concludes its third season on Fox with the episode "As Old as the Hills...", leaving the show on a cliffhanger. It was seen by over 7.1 million viewers that night.[21]
Specific date unknown: Gene Fowler founds animation studio Fatkat, which will last until May 2009.[22]
June
June 10: I Am Weasel gets its own spinoff series after separating from Cow and Chicken.[23] This spinoff completely changes aspects from the previous seasons as I. R. Baboon receives his "hero" status over I. M. Weasel.[24][25]
Ed, Edd n Eddy concludes its first season on Cartoon Network with the premiere of the episodes "Button Yer Ed/Avast Ye Eds".
June 12: The Walt Disney Company releases Tarzan.[citation needed] This Disney input had suffered legal problems after its release as Disney limited the use of these characters while using them outside the Tarzan franchise were restricted since they were owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.[27]
July 17: SpongeBob SquarePants makes it official premiere on Nickelodeon with the episodes "Bubblestand/Ripped Pants". The show's official premiere was seen by just over 2.5 million viewers that morning (with it only being viewed by 1.9 million children from ages 2–11).[30][31]
July 28: André Franquin's heirs and copyright holders win the trial against the Walt Disney Animation Studios over their animated TV series version of Franquin's comics character Marsupilami, citing breaches of its license contract: Disney had failed to produce thirteen half-hour episodes (instead producing six to eight minute shorts) or use its "best efforts" to secure a commitment from a network to air the show, and it launched its marketing campaign during a time when the show was not being broadcast. Marsu also accused Disney of fraudulent concealment; the judge noted that Disney had decided to not devote sufficient resources to the Marsupilami project, and had concealed this fact from Marsu.[32][33] Disney pays back the damage and hands the rights to the series back to Franquin's company Marsu Productions.
July 31: The SpongeBob SquarePants episodes "Jellyfishing/Plankton!" premiere on Nickelodeon, the latter episode marks the debut of the show's main antagonist Sheldon J. Plankton and his computer wife Karen. The episodes were seen by nearly 2.9 million viewers that morning.[34]
August
August 6: The Iron Giant premieres, but doesn't do well at the box office. It will only become a cult classic later.[35]
August 7: The SpongeBob SquarePants episodes "Naughty Nautical Neighbors/Boating School" premiere on Nickelodeon, the latter episode marks the debut of SpongeBob's driving teacher Mrs. Puff. The episodes were seen by over 2.8 million viewers that morning.[36]
August 21: The SpongeBob SquarePants episodes "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy/Pickles" premiere on Nickelodeon, the former episode marks the debut of the titular episode characters, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. The episodes were seen by over 2.9 million viewers that morning.[37]
August 30: Sonic Underground aired. Unlike the proclaimed twoseries that aired in 1993, this incarnation of Sonic the Hedgehog became a disappointment to the fans of the video game series, ending it after 40 episodes.[38]
September 17: The SpongeBob SquarePants episodes "Sandy's Rocket/Squeaky Boots" premiere on Nickelodeon, the latter episode marks the debut of Mr. Krabs' teenage whale daughter Pearl. The episodes were watched by exactly 2.4 million viewers that night.[39]
September 23: Season 2 of Family Guy begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater", which was watched by over 7 million viewers that night.[40]
Season 4 of King of the Hill begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "...Peggy Hill: The Decline and Fall", which follows up from the events of Season 3's finale "As Old as the Hills...". It was seen by over 9.7 million viewers that night.
October 4: The infamous Arthur episode "Arthur's Big Hit" premieres.
October 5: Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is released. It was deemed controversial during the time of release due to the religious groups claiming the film as "Satanic".[41] This direct-to-video movie was not a marketing success[42] as it suffered production woes over the generally acclaimed Zombie Island.[43]
December 29: The South Park episode "Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus" premieres on Comedy Central, this was the final episode to premiere in the 90s. It was seen by over 2.1 million viewers that night.[53]
June 27: Chandler Riggs, American actor and DJ (voice of Carl Grimes in the Robot Chicken episode "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking").
November 23: Nikki Castillo, American actress (voice of Betsy and Sarah in Summer Camp Island, the title character in Pibby, continued voice of Gabriella in Big City Greens).
April 14: Vic Herman, American illustrator, designer, cartoonist, puppeteer, television producer, and comics artist (designed title cards for Merrie Melodies), dies at age 79.[74]
^"Toonz to hold Animation Masters Summit". Business Standard News. Retrieved February 8, 2017. 'It was in 1999 that Toonz first held the Week with the Masters event in Kerala. We want to continue this tradition and create a platform for dialogue amongst experts, industry and academia to chalk out a roadmap for animation industry in India,' said P. Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Media Group.
^"Baboon Man and Weasel Boy". I Am Weasel. Season 5. Episode 60. 1999. Cartoon Network.
^"I Are Legend". I Am Weasel. Season 5. Episode 79. 2000. Cartoon Network. I. R. Baboon is revealed to be the star of the show instead of Weasel as he declared himself as "a tool" with dismay.
^Stanley, T. L. (November 8, 1999). "Marketers of the Next Generation; Unique On-Air Promos and Off-Air Partnerships Have Made Cartoon Network a Destination". Brandweek. Vol. 40, no. 42. Adweek. p. 28. ISSN1064-4318.
^"Creator Of Tarzan". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 2568. Western Australia. May 11, 1947. p. 23 (SUPPLEMENT TO THE SUNDAY TIMES). Retrieved October 13, 2024 – via National Library of Australia., ...Since 1923, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., has been sole owner and exploiter of Tarzan...
^Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
^Peters, Ken (October 13, 1999). "Wilt's death brings death to a legend". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1A. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
^Richardson, Don (1999). "Bio of Terry Gilkyson". elizagilkyson.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2007.
