Ub Iwerks (full name: Ubbe Ert Iwerks, March 24, 1901 – July 7, 1971) was a two-time Academy Award winning American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician, who co-created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney.
When he was 18 years old, Iwerks met and befriended Walt Disney who was a fellow employee at the Pesman-Rubin Commercial Art Studio in Kansas City. After an unsuccessful attempt to go into business for themselves in 1920, the two young artists went to work at the Kansas City Film Ad Company (which produced animated advertisements for local movie theaters).
After setting up his own Hollywood cartoon studio in 1923, Disney invited Iwerks to join the organization the following year. When the distributor of Disney’s popular Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon series raided Disney’s staff in 1927, only Iwerks remained loyal to his old Kansas City colleague. The two men came up with a new cartoon character named Mickey Mouse.
Iwerks received Academy Awards for his technical achievements in 1960 and 1965 and an additional nomination for his special-effects work in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963).
Iwerks was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His father was born in the village of Uttum in East Frisia (northwest Germany, today part of the municipality of Krummhörn) and immigrated to the United States in 1869. The elder Iwwerks, who worked as a barber, was 57 when Ub was born and had fathered and abandoned several previous children and wives. When Ub was a teenager, he abandoned him as well, forcing the boy to drop out of school and work to support his mother. Iwerks despised his father and never spoke of him; upon learning that he had died, he reportedly said, "Throw him in a ditch." Ub's full name, Ubbe Ert Iwwerks, can be seen on early Alice Comedies that he signed. Several years later he simplified his name to "Ub Iwerks", sometimes written as "U. B. Iwerks".
He is the father of Disney Legend Don Iwerks and grandfather of documentary film producer Leslie Iwerks.
If you want to read a lot more about him, go here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ub_Iwerks
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- Place potatoes in a soup pot, add just enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender; drain.
- In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat potatoes and cream cheese until smooth. Add onion, eggs, flour, parsley, salt, and pepper, and continue to beat until well blended.
- Spoon potato mixture into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with French-fried onions and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until heated through and edges are golden.
1917 – Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (d. 1984)
1919 – Alan Young, British-born American actor (Mister Ed) (d.2016)
1961 – Meg Ryan, American actress
National Play Monopoly Day on November 19th recognizes the iconic board game that lands us on Park Place, Boardwalk or even in jail.
Known as one of the most popular board games in the world, Monopoly was originally based on a board game designed by Elizabeth Magie in 1902. Since then, the game has been played by an estimated 500 million people since 1935.
The object of the game is to collect as many properties as you can to create a monopoly. When players land on your property, you get to collect rent. The more properties you own, the more money you make, too. But watch out, there are taxes and other fees involved. To win the game, you need to bankrupt your opponents and be the last landowner standing. Many families have house rules that make the game more interesting, too.
Monopoly also comes in numerous versions. Do you enjoy a particular book or movie franchise or hobby? The game likely comes in themes focusing on famous characters and likely scenarios. How about sports teams or pop culture? Monopoly money goes there, too!
Monopoly was published by Parker Brothers, an American toy and game manufacturer since 1883.
