Edwin Rehberg

Born in New York, Eddie started in the Animation Industry when it was just beginning. When everything was Black & White & Silent. At first he cleaned cells & swept floors while learning the mechanics of animation - back then - Characters had a Rubber Band kinda bouncy rhythm that could easily match the beat of any upbeat music that would be played along with the cartoon. He quickly mastered "In-Betweens" and was surrounded by "anyone who was anybody" in what is now-Animation History. Edwin Wesley Rehberg had TB. He came up to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital in Saranac Lake, New York to take the "cure", when he was 34 years old. Upon his recovery, he return to being a cartoonist and went on to a varied and memorable career. To come to Saranac Lake at the Will Rogers was free to him because this hospital was specifically for people in the Entertainment Industry and they took care of their own. He followed the industry wherever the work was: From New York to Florida- then to Santa Monica, California (Charles Mintz Studios/Screen Gems) & finally Hollywood. Eddie had the longest pedigree of studios & body of work- when he received his 50 year Golden Animation award. The evening like a reunion- from historic studios- Max Fleischer, Terrytoons, Merry Melodies. Grim Natwick (Betty Boop) also received his award that night ( A Golden Animation Disk Trophy) and a permanent place in the Animation Hall of Fame. Eddie's Signature in on the Original Animators Union Contract - and back then Walt's Studio was far from "union". Edwin, a Maverick of sorts, refused to get paid LESS for chance to work under the Disney umbrella. Needless to say- He never would work for Walt. Eddie & 9 other somewhat rebellious men-signed this vintage document of Animations History. He was proud of Gulliver's Travels released in 1939. From silent "toon" reels to Saturday Morning Cartoons, Feature Animation, Commercials & even Wartime News reels, Comic Strips and in 1972 he moved to New York. He worked for New York institute of Technology specifically to "teach" computers how to" think" & "move" animation. He stayed there for two years and when he was done he said " I have done my job" . He saw the direction the craft could go....He felt that inanimate objects and toys translated best in the new medium. If he could have lived to see the invention of "texture surface maps" like fur and water- that is now common in digital animation- he would have been filled with emotion. When he retired...he painted and painted. Oil and Acrylic Paintings. Beautiful realistic work. He started a comic strip called Senior Sid and was active cartooning for as long as he could draw.