Willard Bowsky
| Willard G. Bowsky | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1907 New Jersey |
| Died | November 27, 1944 (aged 37) near Barr, Bas-Rhin, France |
| Buried | Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1944 |
| Rank | Second lieutenant |
| Unit | 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 14th Armored Division |
| Awards |
 Purple Heart Silver Star
|
| Other work | animator |
Willard Bowsky (1907 – November 27, 1944) was an American animator best known for his work at Fleischer Studios in New York City and Miami, Florida, where he worked on cartoons featuring Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman, in addition to two feature-length animated films.
Bowsky was killed in World War II in eastern France, while serving combat duty in the United States Army. He was awarded posthumously the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
Bowsky was born in New Jersey in 1907 into an Italian-German Jewish immigrant family, the second son of Herman Bowsky and Emma L. Bowsky (née Cimiotti), both born in New York City. Herman Bowsky's parents emigrated from Germany; while Emma's father was born in Austria of Italian descent and emigrated from there as a young adult. Willard's brother, Merle, was born December 25, 1904.
Bowsky grew up as a child in Manhattan and across the Hudson River in New Jersey. He attended local schools and began drawing when young. In the 1920s, while still living with his parents, he began his career in animation.
In the late 1920s, Bowsky began working at the Fleischer Studios. He was promoted to credited animator in 1930 in Screen Song "bouncing ball" cartoons and Talkartoons, starring the character Betty Boop. Bowsky began his long association with Popeye the Sailor with the 1933 cartoon Blow Me Down!. For these cartoons, Bowsky was head animator, and effectively served as animation director. Dave Fleischer, the credited director of all of the Fleischer work, served as creative producer and head storyman.
In 1938, Bowsky relocated to Florida with the Fleischer Studios. He went on to work on the Superman cartoons and the Fleischer Studios' two feature-length films, Gulliver's Travels and Mr. Bug Goes to Town.
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