A vital name behind the classic Rankin/Bass specials has passed away. According to Deadline, the stepdaughter of Paul Coker Jr. has confirmed his passing at 93. Coker was an illustrator whose work has expanded from magazines to television, but his most widely known contributions were to the classic stop-motion specials.
Coker began studying drawing and painting at the University of Kansas, afterward landing a job designing Hallmark greeting cards in the 1950s. He landed a big break in 1961 when he began working for Mad Magazine. There, he would illustrate for hundreds of articles throughout the decades. Many of the articles he provided illustrations for included parodies of television and film, including Star Trek, Jurassic Park, Twister, Frasier, Sabrina: The Teenage Witch, and Caroline in the City. Because of his contributions, he was among the publication’s named “Usual Gang of Idiots.” Coker would also freelance for other publications, some of which included Esquire, Good Housekeeping, and even Playboy.
Coker began working for Rankin/Bass in the late ’60s and would contribute to various specials throughout the ’70s. He was the character designer behind the 1969 2D animated special Frosty the Snowman, and is credited with the iconic look of Frosty and his pals. Along with Frosty, he is credited with designing many of the beloved colorful characters that danced their way through television. Such characters include Kris Kringle, the Winter Warlock and Burgermeister Meisterbuger from 1970s Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town; and even the much beloved Snow and Heat Miser brothers from 1974’s The Year without a Santa Claus. Coker also provided character designs for 1971’s Here Comes Peter Cottontail, 1972’s The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye; The Emperor’s New Clothes, and 1979’s Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July.
The Timeless Faces We Love
Santa Claus is Comin to Town
Coker would continue to work with Rankin/Bass, lending his talent to the production design of many specials. His credits include the 1976 titles Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, The First Easter Rabbit, and Frosty’s Winter Wonderland. In 1977 he worked on The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town and Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey. He would also contribute to 1978’s The Stingiest Man in Town, 1979’s Jack Frost, 1980’s Pinocchio’s Christmas, and 1981’s The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold. He would return to collaborate with Rankin/Bass for the 2001 TV movie, Santa, Baby!, this would be the company’s final Christmas special.
Coker also found himself contributing to Cartoon Network’s Whatever Happened to… Robot Jones?. His credits include prop models for the show’s pilot episode. A fitting choice considering the show’s visuals draw heavy inspiration from the era of illustration and television that he himself was a big name in!
The specials and shorts from Rankin/Bass continue to air on television and streaming to this day. Parents, and grandparents, show the charming specials to their own children, who themselves fall in love with the charismatic characters and contagious songs. Even after jumping from network to network for broadcast, they are still in high demand, be it Rudolph, Frosty, or Santa Claus himself. Coker’s undeniably charming designs lent themselves well into the models that danced across televisions for decades, and they will continue to dance thanks to him.
