Animation advertising veteran Lou Hertz died at his home in Atlanta on July 4, 2005, after a brief battle with cancer; he was 73.
Hertz was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and studied at the University Of Miami, where he claimed to have majored in suntanning, according to a family bio. He served two years as a lieutenant in the Air Force where he began his career as an animator by making training films for bomber crews. Hertz was an animator for United Artists in Hollywood before he settled in Atlanta in 1957.
An active member of the Atlanta business and communications community for more than 45 years, he was the president of Louis Hertz Advertising and a local innovator in the combination of animation and live action in local advertising. He pioneered advertising techniques for the first regional shopping malls in Atlanta area and developed media campaigns for several local politicians. Hertz was also the president of the Hertz Communications Group, operating several radio stations throughout the Southeast.
More recently, Hertz was an artist and innovator in pen-and-ink animation for Crawford Communications (which had acquired Design Efx), Turner Communications and the Cartoon Network. Since his retirement, Hertz had taught courses in animation at Atlanta College of Art, American Intercontinental University and The Creative Circus.
He had been serving as president of the Atlanta ASIFA chapter and sat on the ASIFA International board of directors.
Hertz was active in community service for the 45+ years that he lived in Atlanta, contributing his leadership and serves as various points to Temple Sinai, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the University of Miami Presidents Council, the Jewish Educational Loan Fund, the Friends of Piedmont Park and the Morningside-Lenox Park Assoc.
Hertz is survived by his wife of 28 years, Judith B. Hertz; his four children: Dr. Paul L. Hertz of Washington, D.C.; Karen Hertz Everett of New York City; Dr. Amy L. Hertz of Memphis; and Dr. Claire Hertz Bernstein of Chicago; as well as his 12 grandchildren; his cat, Inky, and his beloved poodle, Sam. Services were held July 6 at Arlington Cemetery of Sandy Springs. The family requests donations in Hertz's memory be made to the Jewish Educational Loan Fund, 4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, Georgia 30338.
