Xerographer Robert "Tiger" West dead at 81

Robert "Tiger" West, a key developer of Xerox equipment for all animation cartoon processing, died February 13 at 81.

An assistant animator, animation checker and supervisor, West started at Disney in 1944, where he was an animation checker and scene planner under Ub Iwerks. He was a character assistant under Bob Carlson and an effects assistant under Josh Meador.

West actually began his show business career as an infant actor in silent film shorts at Warner Brothers from 1924 to 1926.

He worked for MGM as an assistant on the Tom and Jerry cartoons from 1950 to 1953, and was vice-president and production manager at Grantray-Lawrence between 1953 and 1958.

From 1968 to 1977, he supervised the Xerox department at Hanna-Barbera. He had numerous credits as the head of H-B's Xerox department. In addition, West helped set up Hanna-Barbera Productions in Australia.

He later worked for Ruby-Spears and Marvel until his retirement in 1989. He also animated for DiC and DePatie-Freleng.

West was production supervisor for Spider-Man (1967). He handled xerography for Wacky Races and The Adventures of Gulliver (both 1968); Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines (all 1969); Josie and the Pussycats and The Harlem Globetrotters (both 1970); The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show and Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch (both 1971); Roman Holidays and The New Scooby-Doo Movies (both 1972); Hong Kong Phooey (1974); The New Tom & Jerry Show (1975), The All New Pink Panther Show (1978); The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show and Spider-Woman (both 1979); and Heathcliff (1980).

West spoke some Spanish and Korean.

In 2005, The Animation Guild (IATSE Local #839) presented "Tiger" West with the Golden Award for his 50-year career in the animation field. He was a longtime member of Local #839.


[Thanks to artytoons for advising me of Mr. West's passing.]