288 | Michael Hirsh (Animation Nation)

My Summer Lair Chapter #288: What’s The Key To Great Animation?

Raise your soul finger in the air if you’ve seen any of the following cartoons:

Berenstain Bears, Beetlejuice, The Magic School Bus, Star Wars: Ewoks, Strawberry Shortcake, Star Wars: Droids, The Adventures of Tintin, Inspector Gadget oh and The Care Bears Movie.

That’s just the cartoons…for real life shows remember The Edison Twins? Yo!  The Hardy Boys, a late ’90s show and of course T. and T. a Canadian-American crime drama TV show notable for starring Mr. T following the tragic cancellation of The A-Team.

That’s just a snapshot of Michael Hirsh’s work. Michael has written a fascinating show business biography Animation Nation: How We Built A Cartoon Empire, featuring compelling stories about making some of the most cherished cartoons of all time.

The Nation in Animation Nation is in part Canada. In Toronto, Michael co-founded Nelvana which of course if you grew up in Canada watching TV in the ’80s and ’90s you can instantly picture that polar bear logo.

By the end of the 1990’s, Nelvana was the leading independent animation company in North America with more shows on US TV than any other network. And yes that includes Disney.  

In September 2000, Corus Entertainment bought Nelvana. I’m skipping several chapters of his outstanding book, Michael is now at Cookie Jar Group. By 2012, Cookie Jar was the largest supplier of kids cartoons to Netflix and other streaming platforms.

See the shift?

Nelvana was getting everything on linear TV: your classic sit down with a remote TV. Understandably for that era.

Now with Cookie Jar Group it was Netflix and streaming.

The ability to adapt…to correctly evolve is one the most crucial business skills. Right now every single industry is navigating AI and determining how to use or reject AI.

Towards the end of this My Summer Lair conversation Michael even talks about YouTube and going online. Thankfully, that’s not his station in life; rather he’s adapting to retirement.

In his memoir Animation Nation, Michael offers readers an extraordinary glimpse into the creative process and entrepreneurial spirit that fueled Nelvana’s success. Michae’s memoir is both: show and business.

Michael Hirsh produced and created over 6,000 episodes of children’s TV programming. These cherished programs ran on every children’s network and cable channel around the world: PBS, Cartoon Network, CBS, FOX, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon…to name just a few.

Also included in Animation Nation are stories and insights from his collaborations with acclaimed personalities. We’re talking George Lucas, Roseanne Barr, Mr. T., Debbie Harry and Tim Burton.

I dunno how this dude doesn’t have a Canadian heritage minute. Yes, a Canadian invented basketball. And yes one of the guys who co-created Superman was from Toronto. But behold all the most incredible animation work Michael and his creative teams have unleashed.

These cartoons…these TV shows: they made our lives better. They stirred our imaginations and were the cementing bonds of playground friendships.

I dig this line from the back of the book: “Packed with humour and hard-won wisdom, Animation Nation is a frame-by-frame account of how creative talent and entrepreneurial zeal built a global cartoon empire.”

Animation Nation is out now and I highly recommend you check it out.

And even with all the big time names Michael and I drop in this conversation…George Lucas, Tim Burton and many more…this My Summer Lair conversation kicks off with somebody close to my heart.

I ask Michael about the time he had dinner…in Toronto…with Mr. T. Yo, that’s fresh.

Michael Hirsh @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Friday, October 11, 2024 at 11:00 am (EST)

Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have so much fun…like celebrating the best Saturday Morning Cartoons!