Obituaries : James Pabian; Animator for MGM, Disney

James Pabian of Ojai, a prominent animator who had worked for MGM, Hanna-Barbera and other studios, died Tuesday.

He was 87.

Pabian was born April 14, 1909, in Rochester, N.Y., and later studied at the Mechanics Arts Institute in Rochester.

He came to Hollywood in 1931 and did some of his earliest freelance work for Disney, said his wife of 65 years, M. Patricia Pabian, who also served as her husband’s secretary for three decades.

The Pabians moved to Ojai in 1966.

Besides Disney, MGM and Hanna-Barbera, James Pabian worked for Filmation, Warner Bros., Bill Melendez Productions and Playhouse Pictures, and did advertising work as well, his wife said.

In 1955, Pabian was hired by Le Cineastis Associates in Paris, and moved there with his family. He received an award at the Cannes Film Festival for his animation work. Later he worked for Hanna-Barbera in London.

Patricia says her husband was as animated at home as he was at work. “He was quite a good humorist, quite good,” she said.

Pabian also developed two short-lived newspaper comic strips, including “Hollywood Johnny,” which chronicled life in Tinseltown.

“It was pretty light,” said Patricia. “They tried not to step on toes, not to hurt anyone.” Pabian’s collaborator was a comic actor named Renny McEvoy, who came up with the jokes.

The second strip, “Go-go Groover,” was about “a guitar-playing hippie,” Patricia said.

Pabian was a member of the California Watercolor Society and had some of his work displayed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

“He loved to fish very much,” said his wife. “Lake Casitas was one of the reasons we moved to Ojai.”

She said her husband also loved to travel.

In addition to his wife, Pabian is survived by two daughters, Joan Houseman of Woodland Hills and Carole Holmes of Fairfax, Va.; a brother, Tony; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Private services will be held for immediate family. Donations can be made to the charity of choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.