Tom Ruegger

{{Infobox person

| name = Tom Ruegger

| image = Tom Ruegger by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Ruegger at the 2023 WonderCon

| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|58|2014|07|20}}

| birth_place = Metuchen, New Jersey, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = American

| alma_mater = Dartmouth College

| occupation = {{hlist|Animator|songwriter}}

| years_active = 1976–present

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Adrienne Alexander|1983|2004|end=div}}
{{marriage|Annie Malley|2006}}

}}

| children = 3, including Nathan

| website = {{URL|http://cartoonatics.blogspot.com/}}

}}

Tom Ruegger ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|uː|g|ər}}) is an American animator and songwriter. Ruegger is known for his association with Disney Television Animation and Warner Bros. Animation. He also created Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Histeria!.

Early life and career

Ruegger was raised in Metuchen, New Jersey. During his childhood, he made drawings of The Flintstones when it aired.{{cite web |last=O'Donnell |first=Chuck |date=July 20, 2014 |title=Cartoon genius inspired by childhood in Metuchen |url=http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2014/07/20/tom-ruegger-cartoon-genius-inspired-childhood-metuchen/12863593/ |work=Courier News |access-date=August 28, 2017}} He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1972.{{cite news |last=Tufaro |first=Greg |date=July 26, 2015 |title=Metuchen 'welcomes back' alumni for Hall of Fame nominations |url=https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/in-our-schools/2015/07/26/metuchen-hall-fame/30567035/ |work=Courier News |access-date=August 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523143641/https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/in-our-schools/2015/07/26/metuchen-hall-fame/30567035/ |archive-date=May 23, 2019}}

In 1976, he made his first cartoon, called The Premiere of Platypus Duck, while he was a student at Dartmouth College. Shortly after graduation from Dartmouth that year,{{cite journal |last=Hunter |first=Sara Hougland |url=http://dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/class-note-1976-43 |title=Class Note 1976 |issue=September–October 2016 |journal=Dartmouth Alumni Magazine |access-date=August 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828143042/http://dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/class-note-1976-43 |archive-date=August 28, 2017}} he moved to Los Angeles to become an animator. Ruegger began his career at Filmation, writing for Gilligan's Planet.{{cite book |last=Perlmutter |first=David |date=2018 |title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FMFTDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA426 |location=Lanham, Maryland |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |page=426 |isbn=978-1538103739}} He soon after joined Hanna-Barbera, writing and producing various animated series, most notably The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, Snorks, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Pound Puppies, and A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.{{cite book |last=Erickson |first=Hal |date=2005 |title=Television Cartoon Shows: The shows, M-Z |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7eQLAQAAMAAJ |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |pages=639, 724 |isbn=0-7864-2256-4}} He also wrote one episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.{{sfn|Perlmutter|2018|p=275}}{{cite book |last=Perlmutter |first=David |date=2014 |title=America Toons In: A History of Television Animation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=riYXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA189 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=189 |isbn=978-0-7864-7650-3}}

In 1989, he began working alongside Jean MacCurdy and Steven Spielberg at Warner Bros. Animation to create and produce several animated series,{{cite news |last=Kent |first=Milton |date=January 29, 1994 |title=Warner Bros. is whistling a happy toon |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-01-30-1994030011-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 27, 2017}} including Tiny Toon Adventures, Taz-Mania,{{cite news |last=Trusdell |first=Brian |date=May 28, 1995 |title=Focus : Warner's Toon Factory for the '90s |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-28-tv-6798-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 27, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411231138/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-28-tv-6798-story.html |archive-date=April 11, 2020}} Batman: The Animated Series, The Plucky Duck Show, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid, Road Rovers, and Histeria.{{sfn|Perlmutter|2018|pp=220, 285, 507}}

In 2004, Ruegger started Tom Ruegger Production, a full-service animation studio. In 2006, Ruegger began developing, story-editing and serving as executive producer on the 40-episode animated series Animalia, based on the picture book by Graeme Base.{{cite web |url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/animalia-and-art-talking-animals |title='Animalia' and the Art of Talking Animals |last=Hetherington |first=Janet |date=June 11, 2008 |website=Animation World Network |access-date=August 27, 2017}} Along with Nicholas Hollander, he developed and story-edited another animated series entitled Sushi Pack.{{cite web |url=https://www.awn.com/news/cbs-enhanced-action-packed-sushi-quirky-dino |title=CBS Enhanced by Action-Packed Sushi, Quirky Dino |last=Baisley |first=Sarah |date=November 2, 2007 |website=Animation World Network |access-date=August 27, 2017}}

In 2011, Ruegger began working for Disney Television Animation, where he executive produced 40 half-hours of The 7D for Disney XD, a comedy based on the seven Dwarfs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.{{cite web |url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/the-7d-report-for-july-7-disney-xd-premiere/ |title='The 7D' Report for July 7 Disney XD Premiere |last=McLean |first=Tom |date=April 25, 2014 |website=Animation Magazine |access-date=June 16, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714141544/http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/the-7d-report-for-july-7-disney-xd-premiere/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}

Ruegger has received fourteen Emmy Awards for his work in animation.

Personal life

Ruegger married voice actress Adrienne Alexander in 1983; they have three sons together, Nathan, Luke and Cody. The couple divorced in 2004. In 2006, he married marathon runner Annie Malley, and they reside near Los Angeles, California. Nathan and Luke have become voice actors. Nathan voiced the baby version of Plucky Duck on Tiny Toon Adventures, Skippy Squirrel on Animaniacs and Froggo on Histeria, where Luke provided the voice for the Flame and Bumpo Basset on Animaniacs and Big Fat Baby on Histeria. Cody performed the voice of Little Blue Bird on Animaniacs and Loud Kiddington on Histeria.{{sfn|Perlmutter|2018|p=285}} Ruegger's sons also are the primary inspiration behind the main characters in Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2867289/animaniacs-netflix-freakazoid-pinky-brain/ |title=11 Secrets You Never Knew About Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, and Freakazoid! |last=Lamour |first=Joseph |date=April 14, 2016 |website=MTV.com |publisher=MTV Networks |access-date=September 1, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901110308/http://www.mtv.com/news/2867289/animaniacs-netflix-freakazoid-pinky-brain/ |archive-date=September 1, 2017}}

As of 2017, Cody is serving as an attorney in New York City,{{cite tweet |last=Ruegger | first=Tom |user=tomruegger |number= 714570306522849284 |date= March 28, 2016 |title=My son Cody Ruegger -voice of the Blue Bird #animaniacs & Loud Kiddington #Histeria sworn in as attorney today in NY |access-date=August 29, 2017}} while Nathan and Luke have careers in film and television in Los Angeles.

Ruegger himself also made occasional cameos on his shows in caricature form, most notably as the recurring character of director Cooper DeVille in Tiny Toon Adventures.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role
1976 \|The Premiere of Platypus Duck \|Director
1985 \|Pound Puppies \|Writer
1988 \|The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound \|Writer, Lyricist
1992 \|Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation \|Writer, Producer, Lyricist
1993 \|Batman: Mask of the Phantasm \|Executive Producer
1999 \|Wakko's Wish \|Writer, Producer, Director, Lyricist
2011 \|The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle \|Writer

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

1976

|The Premiere of Platypus Duck

|Director

1985

|Pound Puppies

|Writer

1988

|The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound

|Writer, Lyricist

1992

|Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation

|Writer, Producer, Lyricist

1993

|Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

|Executive Producer

1999

|Wakko's Wish

|Writer, Producer, Director, Lyricist

2011

|The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle

|Writer

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role
1978 \|Jana of the Jungle \|rowspan=6\|Animator
1978–1979 \|Godzilla
rowspan=5\|1979 \|The New Fred and Barney Show
Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo
Casper and the Angels
Super Friends
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle \|rowspan=12\|Writer
1980 \|The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour
1980–1981 \|Sport Billy
rowspan=3\|1981 \|Hero High
The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!
Blackstar
rowspan=4\|1982 \|Flash Gordon
Gilligan's Planet
Shirt Tales
The Gary Coleman Show
rowspan=2\|1983 \|The Dukes
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
1983–1984 \|The New Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show/The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries \|Developer, Writer, Story Editor, Co-Producer
rowspan=2\|1984 \|Challenge of the GoBots \|Story, Story Editor
Snorks \|Story
1985 \|The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo \|Creator, Developer, Story, Story Editor, Executive & Associate Producer
1985–1988 \|Yogi's Treasure Hunt \|rowspan=2\|Writer, Story Editor
1986–1987 \|Pound Puppies
1988 \|A Pup Named Scooby-Doo \|Creator, Developer, Writer, Producer, Storyboard Artist, Title Card Designer, Lyricist, Story
1990–1992; 1994; 1995 \|Tiny Toon Adventures \|Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist
1991–1995 \|Taz-Mania \|Executive Producer, Creator, Developer
1992 \|The Plucky Duck Show \|Creator, Story, Writer, Producer
1992–1995 \|Batman: The Animated Series \|Writer, Executive Producer, Story, Story Editor
1993–1998 \|Animaniacs \|Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist, Voice Actor
1995–1997 \|Freakazoid! \|Writer, Developer, Senior Producer
1995–1998 \|Pinky and the Brain \|Creator, Writer, Story, Producer, Senior Producer, Story Editor, Lyricist
1996–1997 \|Road Rovers \|Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Composer
1998–2000 \|Histeria! \|Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Character Designer, Lyricist
1998–1999 \|Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain \|Creator, Writer, Senior Producer
2000 \|Batman Beyond \|Story
2004 \|Duck Dodgers \|Writer, Story (Episode: Of Course You Know, This Means War and Peace)
2005 \|Loonatics Unleashed \|Creative Consultant
2007 \|Sushi Pack \|Writer, Developer, Executive Producer
2007–2008 \|Animalia \|Developer, Story Editor, Executive Producer, Writer
2010; 2018; 2023 \|Nostalgia Critic \|Special Guest Star
2013–2015 \|Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures \|Writer, Creator, Developer
2014–2016 \|The 7D \|Executive Producer, Writer, Composer, Story

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

1978

|Jana of the Jungle

|rowspan=6|Animator

1978–1979

|Godzilla

rowspan=5|1979

|The New Fred and Barney Show

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo