Ernest Pintoff

Directing

Ernest Pintoff

Born — Died

1931-12-15 — 2002-01-12

Place of birth

Watertown, Connecticut, USA

Known for

Directing

Credits

24 titles

Ernest Pintoff (December 15, 1931 in Watertown, Connecticut – January 12, 2002 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles) was an American film and television director, screenwriter and film producer. He won the Oscar for Best Animated Short for The Critic (1963), a satire on modern art written and narrated by Mel Brooks. Born in Watertown, Connecticut, but raised in New York City, Pintoff originally began as a jazz trumpeter who taught painting and design at Michigan State University. However, he had always shown an interest in the animation of film and began writing in 1956. His career took off in 1957, when he wrote the script for Flebus, followed by 1959 as a producer and director for the animate…

Known for

Behind the camera

Who Killed Mary Whats'ername? poster
4.9

A prostitute is murdered on the streets of a tough, low-income neighborhood. A diabetic retired boxer who knew her is appalled by the lack of interest shown in the case by the police or anybody else in the neighborhood, and decides to investigate the case himself.

Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?

1971

Jaguar Lives! poster
4.2

The world's newest kung fu legend, Joe Lewis, takes on evil gangsters and saves the world.

Jaguar Lives!

1979

Lunch Wagon poster
4.2

Three women start a lunch wagon business but run into stiff resistance from a competitor.

Lunch Wagon

1981

St. Helens poster
6.0

Centers on the events leading up to the cataclysmic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington, with the story beginning on the day volcanic activity started on March 20, 1980, and ending on the day of the eruption, May 18, 1980.

St. Helens

1982

Dynamite Chicken poster
5.5

A collection of subversive comedy sketches and routines relating to the peace movement.

Dynamite Chicken

1971

Dynamite Chicken poster
5.5

A collection of subversive comedy sketches and routines relating to the peace movement.

Dynamite Chicken

1971

Dynamite Chicken poster
5.5

A collection of subversive comedy sketches and routines relating to the peace movement.

Dynamite Chicken

1971

The Critic poster
6.6

An old man at the movies narrates over an abstract cartoon with vocal displeasure, to the annoyance of his fellow audience members.

The Critic

1963

The Critic poster
6.6

An old man at the movies narrates over an abstract cartoon with vocal displeasure, to the annoyance of his fellow audience members.

The Critic

1963

Blade poster
5.5

A homicide detective goes after a woman-hating serial killer, who uses knives to murder his victims.

Blade

1973

Blade poster
5.5

A homicide detective goes after a woman-hating serial killer, who uses knives to murder his victims.

Blade

1973

Harvey Middleman, Fireman poster
5.0

Harvey Middleman (Eugene Troobnick), a New York fireman, lives a very ordinary life with his wife (Arlene Golonka) and children. After he rescues a beautiful girl (Patricia Harty) from a fire, he fancies himself to be in love with her, leaving his wife and seeking help, in the process, from a nutty Psychiatrist (Hermione Gingold).

Harvey Middleman, Fireman

1965

Harvey Middleman, Fireman poster
5.0

Harvey Middleman (Eugene Troobnick), a New York fireman, lives a very ordinary life with his wife (Arlene Golonka) and children. After he rescues a beautiful girl (Patricia Harty) from a fire, he fancies himself to be in love with her, leaving his wife and seeking help, in the process, from a nutty Psychiatrist (Hermione Gingold).

Harvey Middleman, Fireman

1965

This Is Marshall McLuhan: The Medium Is The Massage poster
9.0

Investigates the central ideas of Marshall McLuhan using pictorial techniques and including his own comments. Examines the reaction of others to his views and points out that his interest is the impact of electronic technology on the contemporary world.

This Is Marshall McLuhan: The Medium Is The Massage

1967

This Is Marshall McLuhan: The Medium Is The Massage poster
9.0

Investigates the central ideas of Marshall McLuhan using pictorial techniques and including his own comments. Examines the reaction of others to his views and points out that his interest is the impact of electronic technology on the contemporary world.

This Is Marshall McLuhan: The Medium Is The Massage

1967

No artwork available
NR

A UPA/CBS cartoon film by Ernest Pintoff and John Whitney, music by Shorty Rogers.

Blues Pattern

1956

No artwork available
10.0

A pilot movie dealing with the day-to-day workings of God herself, here threatening to destroy Las Vegas if six righteous people cannot be found there in seven days, and it's all up to an eager-to-please young angel, a frustrated clerk-typist in the heavenly music department, to try to hold off the devastation while disguised as a mortal.

Human Feelings

1978

No artwork available
NR

An old man is followed around by a flower.

The Old Man and the Flower

1962

No artwork available
NR

An old man is followed around by a flower.

The Old Man and the Flower

1962

The Violinist poster
5.6

Oscar-nominated animated short from 1959. Harry is a violinist who loves to play, but without feeling. When he is told that he plays terribly he tries to change how he plays, learning a very important lesson.

The Violinist

1959

The Violinist poster
5.6

Oscar-nominated animated short from 1959. Harry is a violinist who loves to play, but without feeling. When he is told that he plays terribly he tries to change how he plays, learning a very important lesson.

The Violinist

1959

No artwork available
7.0

The gregarious Flebus, whom everyone likes, grows desperate when he meets the one person who can't stand him.

Flebus

1957

No artwork available
NR

Insert from "The Boing Boing Show" written by Mel Leven and directed by Ernest Pintoff.

Fight On For Old

1956

No artwork available
NR

Animated interview of a freaky musician.

The Interview

1960