Tom Ruegger (Template:IPAc-en) 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.[1] He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1972.[2]
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,[3] he moved to Los Angeles to become an animator.[1] Ruegger began his career at Filmation, writing for Gilligan's Planet.[4] 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.[5] He also wrote one episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[6]
In 1989, he began working alongside Jean MacCurdy and Steven Spielberg at Warner Bros. Animation to create and produce several animated series,[7] including Tiny Toon Adventures, Taz-Mania,[8] Batman: The Animated Series, The Plucky Duck Show, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain,[7] Freakazoid, Road Rovers, and Histeria.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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.[9] Along with Nicholas Hollander, he developed and story-edited another animated series entitled Sushi Pack.[10]
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.[11]
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.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Ruegger's sons also are the primary inspiration behind the main characters in Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot.[12]
As of 2017, Cody is serving as an attorney in New York City,[13] 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
| 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
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Jana of the Jungle | Animator |
| 1978–1979 | Godzilla | |
| 1979 | The New Fred and Barney Show | |
| Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo | ||
| Casper and the Angels | ||
| Super Friends | ||
| Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle | Writer | |
| 1980 | The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour | |
| 1980–1981 | Sport Billy | |
| 1981 | Hero High | |
| The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! | ||
| Blackstar | ||
| 1982 | Flash Gordon | |
| Gilligan's Planet | ||
| Shirt Tales | ||
| The Gary Coleman Show | ||
| 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 |
| 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 | 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 | Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures | Writer, Creator, Developer |
| 2014–2016 | The 7D | Executive Producer, Writer, Composer, Story |