Otmar Gutmann

Otmar Gutmann
Born(1937-04-24)24 April 1937
Münstertal, Nazi Germany
(now Germany)
Died13 October 1993(1993-10-13) (aged 56)
Russikon, Switzerland
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, Animator
Years active1960–1993
Known forPingu

Otmar Gutmann (24 April 1937 – 13 October 1993) was a German filmmaker who specialised in animation. He co-created the stop-motion television series Pingu alongside Erika Brueggemann.[1]

He started as an amateur in the 1960s. As a professional he only made one personal work, Aventures (1978). It was based on a piece of music by György Ligeti. He brought the sculptural universe of Lubomir Stepan to life as an exploration of human condition. In 1980, he was one of the leading animators of the plasticine characters Frédéric and Frédéri from Lucy the Menace of Street.[2] Later, in 1986, he designed the character of Pingu. A TV series starring the character, which Gutmann co-created with Erika Brueggemann, became successful internationally.[3]

Health problems and death

On 13 October 1993, Gutmann died of a heart attack at the age of 56.[4] He was buried at the Russikon Cemetery. His company, The Pygos Group, decided to keep producing Pingu episodes with a new team. On 29 October 2001, the company collapsed and its assets were sold to HIT Entertainment.[5]

References

  1. ^ Pingu season 5 end credits. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Originated by: Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann
  2. ^ Pingu - Helvetische Errungenschaften Archived 30 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine Neue Zurcher Zeitung vom 4. Januar 2006.
  3. ^ Giannalberto Bendazzi (23 October 2015), Animation: A World History: Volume II: The Birth of a Style - The Three Markets, CRC Press, ISBN 978-1-317-51991-1, retrieved 5 July 2020
  4. ^ "German Cartoon Creator Dies in Switzerland". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  5. ^ Mazzola, Silvio (20 October 1993). "Obituary: Otmar Gutmann". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.


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