Programs to Honor Animators Tashlin, Iwerks and Littlejohn

Three special programs will salute three important but lesser-known animation figures this month.

* On Friday, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will present “A Taste of Tashlin: Early Hollywood Cartoons.” Although Frank Tashlin is known for directing such live-action comedies as “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?,” he began his career in animation. He worked at Warner Bros., Screen Gems and Disney, and is credited with introducing rapid cutting into cartoons in such films as “Porky’s Romance” (1937).

* On Saturday, LACMA will screen “Ub Iwerks: The Man Behind the Mouse.” One of the greatest animators of the silent era, Iwerks designed the physical appearance of Mickey Mouse and animated the first three Mickey cartoons virtually single-handedly. Included in the program will be excerpts from “The Man Behind the Mouse,” a documentary by Ub’s granddaughter, Leslie Iwerks.

“A Taste of Tashlin” and “Ub Iwerks” will screen at 7:30 p.m. in the Bing Theater of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Admission: $7, general public; $5 for museum and AFI members, seniors and students with valid I.D. Information: (323) 857-6010.

* On May 15, the UCLA Film and Television Archive in association with the UCLA Animation Workshop will present “An Evening With Animator Bill Littlejohn.”

Littlejohn began his career at the Van Buren Studios in 1931, and his career encompasses the award-winning shorts of John and Faith Hubley and many of the “Peanuts” specials and features, as well as numerous commercials.

“Bill Littlejohn” will screen at 7:30 p.m. in the James Bridges Theater, Melnitz Hall, UCLA. Admission: $6, general; $4, students with I.D., seniors and ASIFA members. Information: (310) 206-8013 or https://www.cinema.ucla.edu.