Fred Stuhr was a man who loved to take chances. Before becoming an animator, he was a competitive skateboarder, and was involved with "extreme sports" like snowboarding, skateboarding and bungee jumping even after leaving the ranks of professional skateboarders. As an animator, Stuhr also took chances. His style, although somewhat comparable to that of Jan Svankmejer and the Brothers Quay, was powerful and experimental, and he often made puppets out of meat, gelatin and other weird materials. He was also a very accomplished sculptor and model maker, creating puppets, props and sets which range from the surreal to the incredibly realistic.
Sadly, an automobile accident in October, 1997 took his life, barely 30 years after it had begun. His career was at a high point, with plans to do an animated short, studies for which were filmed 3 months before his fatal accident. He also had assignments to do several commercials and music videos which he was to embark on after moving his studio from Pasadena to Venice Beach, CA.
Stuhr was a friend and supporter of Animation Nerd's Paradise and a personal friend of the Webkeeper. He had promised to keep ANP apprised of his projects, a promise he kept many times, including in July of this year when he invited us on the set where he shot a few scenes of "Motor Creeps", which he never completed.
This page will be added to as time goes on. We'll never forget you, Fred, and hope that animation history will remember your talent and your mastery of the art of animation.
This is a set built by Stuhr for the opening sequence for the ill-fated Chevy Chase late-night show for the Fox TV network in the US. Notice the very exacting detail, which is fully the equal of sets used in major motion pictures.
The set in the background was built for the unreleased "Are You Experienced" video for the Hendrix Estate. The puppet in the foreground was first built for a personal project, which inspired the Hendrix Estate to contact Stuhr to make the video. The head was based on, but not made from, a bird skull. The puppet is highly articulated, with individual movement possible in the individual fingers of the hands.
This picture was taken during the filming of the video "Insanity" by Oingo Boingo. The video, unfortunately, was not given much airplay on MTV due to its criticism of religion and its sometimes very intense imagery.
A humorous picture taken at the behest of the artist. Note the detail and realism in the Chevy Chase puppet...the puppet is not only animatable due to its many articulations, but also its long black coat as well, which has wires inside to allow for the coat to give the impression of movement in animation. The neon letter was pulled off of one of the very realistic Hollywood buildings in the opening sequence for the Chevy Chase show.
See more Fred Stuhr animation art?
Experience Fred's videos for the rock band Tool?
Read more about The Artist?
Find out about the trust fund for his son Griffin?
Thanks to all who signed the Book of Condolence. It is now closed.
All art on this page © 1994,1996 Fred Stuhr, renewed 1997 Fred Stuhr estate. All rights reserved by the Fred Stuhr estate under international and US law and convention. Photos by Michelle Klein-Häss. No images can be used or linked to without the permission of the Fred Stuhr estate and the Photographer.
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Page last updated 1/15/1998
This web site was built by Catseye Creative Services, Ink.