P. D. Eastman


Philip Dey Eastman was an American screenwriter, children's author, and illustrator.

Early life

P.D. Eastman was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to Clarence Willis and Anne Hull Eastman. After studying at Phillips Academy Andover and Williston Academy, he graduated from Amherst College in 1933 and later from the National Academy of Design in New York City.

Career

Film and animation

From 1936 to 1941, Eastman worked at Walt Disney Productions in assistant animation, story-sketch, and production design. From 1941 to 1942, he worked in the story department of Leon Schlesinger Productions, Warner Bros.'s cartoon unit, and was a member of Local Number Eight Hundred And Thirty-Nine of Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, the trade union representing cartoonists in the United States.
In 1942, Eastman was drafted by the Army and assigned to the Signal Corps film unit, which was headed by Theodor Geisel, who later became known as Dr. Seuss. Here, Eastman conducted picture planning for animated sequences in orientation and training films, and he also wrote scripts and drew storyboards for the Private Snafu series for Army-Navy Screen Magazine.
From 1945 to 1952, Eastman worked at United Productions of America. He was a writer and storyboard artist for the Mr. Magoo series. Eastman and Bill Scott co-wrote the screenplay for the animated comedy Gerald McBoing-Boing, which won an Academy Award for Short Subject, Cartoons, in 1950. Eastman also directed educational films and worked on the Flight Safety series for the United States Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics while at UPA.

Author and illustrator

Eastman, a protégé and colleague of Theodor Geisel, wrote many books for children in his own distinct style. He worked with the Dr. Seuss brand of Random House, many of which were in the Beginner Books series. His titles include:Are You My Mother? Go, Dog. Go! The Best Nest Flap Your Wings The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary What Time Is It? - currently only available as an ebookSam and the Firefly Big Dog...Little Dog, 30th anniversary edition with additional story, words and illustrations by Peter Anthony Eastman Red, Stop! Green, Go! Sam and Gus Light Up The Night My Nest Is Best The Alphabet Book Are You My Mother? Big Dog...Little Dog: A Bedtime Story Big Dog...Little Dog Aaron is a Good Sport adapted from Everything Happens to Aaron in the Spring Aaron Has a Lazy Day adapted from Everything Happens to Aaron in the Summer Aaron Loves Apples and Pumpkins adapted from Everything Happens to Aaron in the Autumn Aaron is Cool adapted from Everything Happens to Aaron in the Winter
He was the illustrator for:A Fish Out of Water adapted by Helen Palmer Geisel Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words by Michael K. Frith Go, Dog. Go!: P.D. Eastman's Book of Things That Go I'll Teach My Dog a Lot of Words by Michael K. Frith
He wrote but Eastman did not illustrate:Snow illustrated by Roy McKie
His work is included in:The Big Red Book of Beginner Books The Big Blue Book of Beginner Books The Big Purple Book of Beginner Books

Direct-to-video

The P.D. Eastman collection was a series released by Random House. They are a video version of a "book on tape". None of these productions are animated.

''P.D. Eastman Beginner Book Video''

Are You My Mother? plus Go, Dog. Go! and 'The Best Nest'''''

Other affiliations

Eastman was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, Westport Artists, the Screen Cartoonists Guild, and the Audubon Society.

Family

In 1941, P.D. Eastman married Mary Louise Whitham of Glendale, California. He had two sons, Allan and Peter Anthony. Peter Anthony Eastman, sometimes known as Tony, is an animator and children's book writer who has directed film adaptations of children's books by Richard Scarry, and wrote and illustrated books including Fred & Ted Go Camping, Fred & Ted Like to Fly, and Fred & Ted's Road Trip. Tony Eastman contributed new illustrations to reissues of his father's books including The Alphabet Book, Big Dog... Little Dog, Red Stop! Green Go!, and The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary.