Here is a list of my top 15 best resources for animation orientied knowledge and goodies. I am making this list because I want to. This is the list of websites I use the most for research for this blog or websites I use for fun.
Before I begin my list here are a few other sites that didn't make it but are honorable mentions.
A. Cartoon Brew
B. Extinct Attractions Club
C. Michael Sporn's Splog
D. Animation Magazine
E. The Fleischer Studios Website
Now time for the real list---
15. Mousetracks
This site is the best place to go on children's records most specifically with the label Walt Disney Records. This site's blog has moved to Jerry's site. This site is run by Greg Ehrbar who, with Tim Hollis, wrote Mousetracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records.
14. Animation Resources
Animation Resources is a website created and run by Stephen Worth. This website has a huge selection of goodies and the amount continues to expand. This website is a great resource.
13. Scrappyland
This website is about a character who most people have never heard of. Harry McCracken's Scrappyland is the most definitive website on any cartoon character ever. No other cartoon star has a website this good.
12. The Animation Guild ASIFA-Hollywood
This is a tie! This is a tie between probably animation's two most important organizations: ASIFA-Hollywood and the Animation Guild. Both Sites include great treasures for any animation fan.
11. The Internet Animation Database
This site is animation's IMDB. It is a fun site that also includes the archived sites from the website that would've made the list if it had survived. All of the Golden Age of Cartoons sites (even the fourms) are here.
10. Animation Scoop
This site is the best place to go for animation news. It is run by Jerry Beck and he is always keeping us updated on what's going on in animation.
9. Inkwell Images Thunderbean Animation Cartoons on Film
3 different sites get #9 because it's hard to choose between them. The first one is Inkwell Images Ink which includes great DVDs put together by animation historian extrodiner Ray Pointer. The second one is Thunderbean. Thunderbean is another DVD company run by Steve Stanchfield. Steve continues to make great DVDs and is the one company that proves that DVDs aren't dead. The reason I combined the two is that Steve keeps us updated on Jerry Beck's site and sells the Blu-Rays through Amazon and I believe that his site isn't updated often. Steve makes THE BEST Blu-Rays though. The third site is Cartoons on Film and is run by Tom Stathes. Tom has the biggest collection of silent animated films in the world. He often sells collections on Blu-Ray and has all of his stuff even catalouged on the site.
8. Michael Barrier.com
Michael Barrier is another one of animation's best historians. His website is on this list because of his wide selections of interviews. The best interviews in animation are all here. He has interviewed a lot of people including Robert Mckimson, Bob Clampett, Carl Stalling, and Hugh Harman.
7. Mark Kausler's Catblog
This blog is written by Mark Kausler. It contains old comic strips, stories, and everything you want to know. As Jerry Beck says "wise men fish here".
6. The Simpsons Archive
This website includes everything you wanted to know about The Simpsons. Just searching anything will give you a ton of results on The Simpsons. It's more than anyone can handle!
5. Behind The Voice Actors
Have you ever wanted to know every voice of Daffy Duck? What if you could listen to them all and hear whose closest to Mel Blanc! Behind the Voice Actors is the place to do that and is the best resource for the credits of voice actors.
4. Stu's Show
Here is a website not about animation but is about all things television. Stu Shostak has been doing his talk show for over a decade. His first guest was Mark Evanier. I am a huge classic TV fan in general and I am a proud VIP Stu's Show patreon. You should to and go see the archives to listen to conversations with this hundreds of different guests including but not limited to: Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Beck, Mark Evanier, Earl Kress, Doug Young, Rose Marie, Ed Asner, June Foray, and Tony Benedict. This Wednesday is his last episode of the season. It's on this year's Cinecon.
3. News from Me---
Here a very helpful contributor to my book: Mark Evanier. He is one of animation's best historians and his site is full of cool stuff. If you look around, you'll find things on Comic-Con, voice acting, and stories with the animation legends he knew like June Foray and Daws Butler
2. Yowp/Tralfaz--
We all know this guy (or dog). This tie is because they are two equally fun sites by the same dog. Yowp and Tralfaz are fun and thanks to Don Yowp, his advice and knowledge helped me create my blog.
1. Jerry Beck's Cartoon Research
There's no one who knows more about animation then Jerry Beck. He is a wealth of knowledge. He is a big contributor to my book I am writing and his site has knew stuff everyday and always with facts you never knew about.
