Karel Dodal


Karel Dodal was a Czech advertising filmmaker, animator, animated film director and producer and founder of animation in Czechoslovakia. Together with Irena Dodalová they founded IRE-film company, which produced first animated advertising films and independent animations of the 1930s.

Life

Karel Dodal was born in Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary on 21 January 1900. After World War I he was trained as a varnisher, soon he got his first job as a backdrops painter in theatre and film studio Urania, Prague. In mid 1920s he became animator and special effects assistant in Elekta Journal studio, creating graphs, animated backgrounds and film tricks.

Work

In Elekta Journal Dodal created his first animations. In the late 30's Elekta Journal policy in cinema advertisement changed, Dodal and Týrlová were fired and unsuccessfully tried to establish their own animation film studio. Couple divorced shortly after. Soon Karel Dodal met her future wife and collaborator Irena Leschnerová. They married in 1933 and founded a new animation studio IRE-film in Prague. Týrlová, Dodal's first wife was their first emploee and animator.
In 1935 he received first big contract to make an animation advertisement from Czechoslovak broadcast company Radiojournal. The film was called The Adventures of a Ubiquitous Fellow and became a successful start of their career, which lasted until 1938. Within 5 years they created more than 30 advertising films, which include Fantasie érotique or A Thoughts Penetrating Light.
Dodal had to close their studio due to financial crisis in 1938. He moved to the United States, his wife Irena was transported to Theresienstadt Ghetto. They met after World War II in the United States. As they were not successful in continuation of their animation film production, they moved to Argentina, where they were offered jobs. Dodal moved without his wife to the United States, where he became a university film professor until his retirement.
Dodal died on 6 July 1986 Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Filmography

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