#john sutherland productions

[oldshowbiz]

The Midcentury Art Direction of John Sutherland Productions - 201 N. Occidental Blvd

[theendofthefilm]

Going Places

John Sutherland Productions USA, 1948

[godfatherofsol]

Rhapsody of Steel (1959)

     In the 1950s, John Sutherland Productions was the go-to animation studio for many of the deep-pocketed giants of American industy such as U.S. Steel, General Electric, American Petroleum Institute, Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation, DuPont, Union Carbide, and the New York Stock Exchange. In the words of Sutherland script writer Bill Scott, they were making films for “some of the greatest wheelers and dealers and corporate pirates, as yet unhung, that I’ve ever met.” He remorsefully added, “Everything I’d thought or suspected about big business turned our to be absolutely true.”

     Sutherland’s most ambitious project of the decade was Rhapsody of Steel sponsored by U.S. Steel with a boastful message proclaiming “The progress of man... is the progress of steel.” What was said to be the most expensive industrial film produced up to that time ($350,000), its budget allowed for extravagances like an elaborate film score compsed by Dimitri Tiomkin and recorded by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as well as art direction from the renowned illustrator, Eyvind Earle, fresh off his work on Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

[theendofthefilm]

Albert in Blunderland

John Sutherland Productions USA, 1949

[popsixsquishcicerolipschitz]

Destination Earth (1956) - Designed by Tom Oreb for John Sutherland Productions

ZarakPhoto

Wonderful, stylized, mid-century modern film produced for the American Petroleum Institute depicting the benefits of oil and capitalism. Beautifully designed by both Tom Oreb and Victor Haboush. I believe Tom did the designs for Earth, and Victor for Mars. I'm not interested in hearing anybody's political views about this, just enjoy the cartoon for what it is. You can download a copy at http://archive.org/details/Destinat1956 or it can be purchased, along with many other mid-century animation gems here: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007...

[gypsyastronaut]

[cartoonmodern]

It Never Rains Oil (1953, John Sutherland Productions)

Director: Arnold Gillespie

Designers: Gerald Nevius, Ed Starr