Gerald Potterton (1931–2022), “Heavy Metal” director
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2 min readGerald Potterton was a director and animator best known for directing the 1981 animated cult classic film “Heavy Metal.”
- Died: Tuesday, August 23, 2022. (Who else died on August 23?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 91.
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Heavy Metal
Gerald Potterton was born in England in 1931 and came to Canada in 1954 to work with the National Film Board of Canada in animation. After working with NFB, he created his own short animation films and was nominated for an Academy Award in that category three times. He directed the live action film “The Ride” in 1963. In 1968, he went back to England to work among many animators on the legendary Beatles feature film “Yellow Submarine.” Back in Canada, he was asked by producer Ivan Reitman to direct the animated feature film “Heavy Metal.” The science fiction anthology movie became a cult classic and featured a soundtrack by Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Sammy Hagar and other rock bands. Potterton also did animation and live sequences for “Sesame Street” and wrote a children’s book.
Tributes to Gerald Potterton
Full Obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
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