Conrad Vernon
{{short description|American film and television director, storyboard artist, writer and voice actor}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| name = Conrad Vernon
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|7|11}}
| birth_place = Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
| nationality =
| occupation = {{hlist|Director|producer|writer|storyboard artist|voice actor}}
| years_active = 1991–present
| spouse =
| children =
}}
Conrad Vernon (born July 11, 1968){{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/perso/index.php?langue=6002&personne=3114684 |title=Cannes Film festival: Conrad Vernon |access-date=2006-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060202115219/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/perso/index.php?langue=6002&personne=3114684 |archive-date=2006-02-02 |url-status=dead}} is an American director, producer, writer, storyboard artist and voice actor, best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated film series Shrek as well as other films such as Monsters vs. Aliens and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. He also co-directed non-DreamWorks animated films such as Sony Pictures' Sausage Party and MGM's The Addams Family.
Life and career
Conrad Vernon was born on July 11, 1968, a native of Lubbock, Texas, studied at CalArts and worked as a storyboard artist for animated productions (including Ralph Bakshi's Cool World);{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficepro.com/the-addams-family-2019-conrad-vernon-greg-tiernan/|title=A Very Animated Family Reunion: Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan Bring The Addams Family Back to Its Roots|date=October 8, 2019|website=Boxoffice|access-date=October 11, 2019|archive-date=October 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011195643/https://www.boxofficepro.com/the-addams-family-2019-conrad-vernon-greg-tiernan/|url-status=live}} he also directed Morto the Magician (a four-minute animated film written by Steve Martin).{{Cite web|url=https://animatedviews.com/2009/monsters-vs-aliens-conrad-vernon-vs-animated-views/|title=Monsters vs Aliens: Conrad Vernon vs Animated Views! – Animated Views|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011194643/https://animatedviews.com/2009/monsters-vs-aliens-conrad-vernon-vs-animated-views/|url-status=live}}
Vernon began his career in 1991.{{cite news|title=Madagascar 3 Europe's Most Wanted - Production Information|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/assets/Image/Direct/045136.pdf|access-date=May 29, 2012|newspaper=Festival Cannes|author=DreamWorks Animation|page=17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102211538/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/assets/Image/Direct/045136.pdf|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=dead}} In 1996, he joined DreamWorks, where he worked as a storyboard artist on Antz. After Antz proved a success as the first animated feature film to be produced by DreamWorks Animation, Vernon signed on as a writer for Shrek, where he was responsible for the Gingerbread Man, and eventually voiced that character. He also appeared in Shrek 4-D and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
In June 2004, he made his feature film directorial debut with the Academy Award-nominated Shrek 2 alongside Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury. He voiced Mason the chimpanzee for the DreamWorks Animation films Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (for which he is also credited as director) and its spin off Penguins of Madagascar (where he voiced Rico, one of the penguins) and reprised the voice of Mason in the television series.
In 2009, Vernon and Rob Letterman co-directed the 3D animated film Monsters vs. Aliens, which he co-wrote and supplied several voices.
Vernon and Greg Tiernan co-directed the adult animated comedy Sausage Party (2016), from a story by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Jonah Hill, as well as providing some of the voices. Vernon next co-produced and co-directed, again with Tiernan, an animated version of The Addams Family, which was released in October 2019. He supplied voice roles for both Sausage Party and The Addams Family, including Lurch in the latter. He was scheduled to return as director alongside Tiernan for The Addams Family 2, released in October 2021. In October 2020, it was announced that he would no longer be involved as director, though he ultimately received co-billing with Tiernan.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/10/the-addams-family-2-bill-hader-javon-wanna-walton-join-voice-cast-1234593614/|title='The Addams Family 2': Bill Hader & Javon "Wanna" Walton Join Voice Cast|date=October 8, 2020|author=Anthony D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008162155/https://deadline.com/2020/10/the-addams-family-2-bill-hader-javon-wanna-walton-join-voice-cast-1234593614/|archive-date=October 8, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=October 8, 2020}}
In 2017, Vernon was hired to direct an animated feature adaptation of The Jetsons, from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman, which is being made by Warner Bros., under its Warner Animation Group banner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/402671-the-jetsons-planned-as-animated-feature|title=The Jetsons Planned as Animated Feature|date=January 23, 2015|website=ComingSoon.net|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-date=January 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127011007/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/402671-the-jetsons-planned-as-animated-feature|url-status=live}}[https://variety.com/2017/film/news/anitmated-jetsons-movie-sausage-party-director-1202444840/ Animated 'Jetsons' Movie to Lift Off With 'Sausage Party' Director] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090521/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/anitmated-jetsons-movie-sausage-party-director-1202444840/ |date=2019-03-27 }}, in Variety
Filmography
=Film=
==Acting roles==
class="wikitable" |
Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
---|
1999
| Herd | Pesion | Live-action role |
rowspan="2"| 2001
| Shrek | rowspan="3"| Gingerbread Man | |
Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party
| Short film |
rowspan="2"| 2003
| |
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
| Jed | |
rowspan="2" |2004
| Shrek 2 | Gingerbread Man, Cedric, Announcer, Mongo, Muffin Man | |
Far Far Away Idol
| Gingerbread Man | Short film |
2005
| Mason | |
2005
| The Barnyard (pitch) | | |
2006
| Take Out | |
rowspan="2"| 2007
| Gingerbread Man, Rumpelstiltskin, Headless Horseman | |
Bee Movie
| Freddy | |
2008
| Mason | |
2009
| Advisor Hawk, Advisor Dither, Minister, Secret Service Man #2, Mama Dietl | |
2010
| Gingerbread Man, Muffin Man | |
rowspan="2"| 2011
| Boar | |
Puss in Boots
| Raoul | |
2012
| Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted | Mason | |
2014
| Penguins of Madagascar{{cite news|last1=Berkshire|first1=Geoff|title=Film Review: 'Penguins of Madagascar'|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-penguins-of-madagascar-1201353894/|access-date=November 12, 2014|work=Variety|date=November 12, 2014|archive-date=November 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115160414/http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-penguins-of-madagascar-1201353894/|url-status=live}} | Rico | |
2016
| Toilet paper, Sauerkraut, Grape, Catcall sausage, Beer can, Pop bottle | |
rowspan=2| 2017
| Eugene Francis | |
The Emoji Movie
| Trojan Horse | |
rowspan=2|2019
|Otis | |
The Addams Family
| Lurch, Priest, Spirit of the House, Dr. Flambe, Ggerri | |
2021
| Lurch, Spirit of the House | |
2022
| Gingerbread Man | |
==Other credits==
class="wikitable" |
Year
! Title ! Role |
---|
1991
| Special thanks |
1992
| Character designer |
1998
| Antz | Storyboard artist |
2000
| Additional storyboard artist |
2001
| Shrek | Additional dialogue/story artist/writer: "Merry Men" |
2001
| The Human Spinning-Top | Writer of episode XII "The Human Spinning-Top is a dangerous hero" And Additional storyboard artist |
2003
| Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas |rowspan=2| Additional storyboard artist |
rowspan="2" | 2004 |
Shrek 2
|Additional dialogue |
rowspan="2"| 2005
| Creative consultant |
The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper
| Creative consultant; |
2006
| Story artist |
2009
| Story writer |
2016
| Trolls | Additional story artist |
rowspan=2| 2017
| Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie | Special thanks |
The Emoji Movie
| Additional sequence director |
2019
| Story writer |
=Television=
class="wikitable" |
Year
! Title ! Notes |
---|
1993
| Storyboard artist, additional writer |
1993–94
| Storyboard artist |
1993–96
| Director |
1996
| Storyboard artist, layout artist |
1997
| Storyboard artist |
2012
| The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Executive Producer, storyboard artist |
rowspan="2" | 2024–present |
Sausage Party: Foodtopia
| Director |
2025–present
| Executive Producer{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=March 11, 2025 |title=Nickelodeon Announces Brand-New Animated Series 'Wylde Pak' |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/03/nickelodeon-announces-brand-new-animated-series-wylde-pak/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250311152716/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/03/nickelodeon-announces-brand-new-animated-series-wylde-pak/ |archive-date=March 11, 2025 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}} |
==Acting roles==
class="wikitable" |
Year
! Title ! Role |
---|
2007
| Gingerbread Man |
2009–12
| Mason |
2009
| Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space | Man on Cell, Woman |
rowspan="2"| 2010
| Gingerbread Man, Muffin Man |
Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special
| Boar |
rowspan="2" | 2012
| The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Various |
Gravity Falls
| Tate McGucket |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://conrad1968.blogspot.com/ Conrad's blog]
- {{IMDb name|nm0970447|Conrad Vernon}}
{{Conrad Vernon}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vernon, Conrad}}
Category:American animated film directors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:People from Lubbock, Texas
Category:California Institute of the Arts alumni
Category:DreamWorks Animation people
Category:Sony Pictures Animation people
Category:American storyboard artists
Category:American television directors
Category:American male television writers
Category:American television writers