Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Jul 25, 2010, 2:59 AM
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John Callahan, the father of "Quads," dead at 59
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John Callahan, probably the only quadriplegic to create a TV cartoon series, died Saturday in his home town of Portland, Oregon. He was 59.
He died at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital from complications caused to his paralysis. For over a year, he had been ill, suffering from infections caused by surgery.
A musician and artist, Callahan drew his cartoons by clutching a pen between both hands. He made fun of his disability with a semi-autobiographical animated series, Quads, co-produced in 2000 by Canada's Nelvana Limited and Australian studio Media World Features Pty. Ltd.
Produced entirely with Flash animation, the politically very incorrect sitcom told the story of Reilly O'Reilly, a foul-mouthed drunk who gets run over by a millionaire and rendered a quadriplegic. The driver of the car, ridden by guilt and fearful of lawsuits, gives Reilly a mansion. Reilly fills the mansion with people "less fortunate than himself," and together, the handicapped anti-heroes form a dysfunctional little family.
Another animated series based on Callahan's cartoons, 2000's Pelswick, was made by Nelvana and aired on Nickelodeon. Intended for children, it told of Pelswick Eggert, a boy confined to a wheelchair.
Callahan, the creator and executive producer of Quads, was born on February 5, 1951. Adopted as a child by a Catholic family in The Dalles, Oregon, he had five siblings.
He himself was paralyzed by a car accident at age 21. Callahan was noted for dealing with macabre subjects or physical disabilities, maiming and dismemberment.
"John is the funniest man on four wheels," friend and comedian Robin Williams once said.
His artistic style was simplistic and often rough, though still legible and humorous. It was likened to that of William Steig, James Thurber and Ben Wicks.
Callahan's cartoons dealt with subjects often considered taboo. His black humor may be exemplified by the title of his "quasi-memoire," Will the Real John Callahan Please Stand Up?.
Callahan's autobiography, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot, made it to the New York Times Best Seller list. It got him an appearance on 60 Minutes and the cover of The New York Times Sunday Magazine. He also had the distinction of being the only cartoonist mentioned in the O.J. Simpson trial.
He was seen on the Dave Attel show Insomniac on Comedy Central.
Callahan was also a songwriter; his first CD was released in 2006. The London Indpendent called his songs "Beautiful, but dark..." He wrote all the music and lyrics himself, and was backed up by many notable musicians.
A Dutch film crew recorded the studio sessions, in which Callahan played a simplified piano version of "Roll Away The Day." The album was produced by blues legend Terry Robb, with a special cameo appearance by Tom Waits.
Callahan was the author of six cartoon collections: Freaks of Nature, The Night, They Say, Was Made for Love, My Sexual Scrapbook, Do Not Disturb Any Further, Digesting the Child Within and Do What He Says! He's Crazy!
He also wrote the autobiography What Kind of God Would Allow a Thing Like This to Happen? and a children's book, The King of Things and the Cranberry Clown. His print cartoons appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Daily News, London Observer, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Harper's, Utne Reader and 50 other publications.
TriStar Pictures purchased the movie rights to his story as a vehicle for Williams and director Gus Van Sant. However, work on the film did not proceed.
John Callahan is survived by his dog Annie and his cat Stanley.
[Via Willamette Week -- http://blogs.wweek.com/...callahan-dead-at-60/, Portland Tribune -- http://www.portlandtribune.com/...d=128008998502590900]
(This post was edited by eminovitz on Jul 26, 2010, 7:58 AM)
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