AWN Headline News

Fox Family's newly picked up ANGELA ANACONDA rings in the New Year with a

14-episode marathon on January 1, 2000. The seven-hour event will start at

7 am and run 'til 2 pm on Fox Family. The show that TV Guide recently named

one of the top ten new kids shows of 1999 regular airs at 1 pm on Saturdays

and Sundays on Fox Family.

Florida, U.S.-based AARGH! ANIMATION, Inc., one of the largest independentcel animation houses, has produced a series of national spots for Cold-Eezecold medicine that combine live-action with cel animation. The celanimation was directed by Mark Simon and Dave Kallaher of AARGH! Nowrunning and continuing through the cold season, these spots, three :10spots and two :30 spots, are running in heavy rotation on major U.S.networks. The spots feature live-action actors whose sneezes morph theminto animated characters.

Disney's television animation chief Charles Hirschhorn has been given theboot. The now former head of Walt Disney Television and Walt DisneyTelevision animation officially exited the position on Wednesday, December8, 1999. It's speculated that Hirschhorn's responsibilities at WONDERFULWORLD OF DISNEY will most likely be taken over by ABC movies andmini-series head Susan Lyne, while his duties for TV animation anddirect-to-video flicks will most likely be folded into the feature

"Spike & Mike" fest organizers, Mellow Manor Prods. has teamed up withNetcaster IFilm to bring its twisted toon vault exclusively to Cyberspace.The two year deal will allow Net surfers the chances to see animationshorts only previously showcased at the "Spike & Mike's Classic Festival ofAnimation" and "Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation."BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD-creator Mike Judge, SOUTH PARK's Trey Parker and MattStone, TOY STORY's John Lasseter, and the NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS'

The Downtown Athletic Club (DAC), presenters of the Heisman Memorial Trophyfor the year's outstanding U.S. college American football player, havecontracted with Lemon Custard Comics, the San Francisco-based computeranimation production house, to produce a Flash-animated comic strip for theWeb to tell the story of the trophy and football in general. The firstinstallment, "The John W. Heisman Story," will run simultaneously onHeismanMemorialTrophy.com and LemonCustard.com. DAC plans to use the Web to

Cinanima '99 finished its week-long run on November 14, 1999. The Espinho,Portugal festival highlights the best in animation from around the globe.This year, the International Jury gave their Grand Prize to AlexanderPetrov's film THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA. The Canadian and Japanese producedfilm also won the RTP Prize, an award given by the Portuguese StateChannel's special jury, and the Best Soundtrack Prize. TheCanadian-produced film by Eugene Fedorenko and Rose Newlove entitled

Linda Simensky, Cartoon Network's VP of original animation, received one ofGirls Inc.'s four 1999 honors. With over 50 years of service, Girls Inc.has been dedicated to helping American girls become strong, smart and boldthrough educational programs. Each year the organization honors industryexecs who have helped challenge and inspire young girls across America.Along with CBS pres. Nancy Tellem, Lifetime VP Kelly Goode Abugov, andEntertainment VP at WB Jordan Levin, Simensky was recognized for her work