Tom and Jerry director Gene Deitch dies at the age of 95

Oscar-winning illustrator and the director of the very famous cartoon Tom and Jerry, Gene Deitch has died at the age of 95 in Prague. Deitch died unexpectedly in his apartment in Prague's Little Quarter neighborhood.

Gene Deitch's movie 'Munro' won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1960. He was also nominated for the same award twice in 1964 for Here's Nudnik and How to Avoid Friendship.

Gene Deitch's full name was Eugene Merrill Deitch, who was best known for creating animated cartoons such as 'Munro', 'Tom Terrific', 'Nudnik', as well as 'Popeye the Sailor Man'.

Earlier, he had created the Tom Terrific series and also co-produced 'Sidney's Family Tree', which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1958.

Born on August 8 in 1924, in Chicago, Gene Deitch arrived in Prague in 1959 intending to stay for 10 days, but fell in love with his future wife, Zdenka, and stayed in the Czechoslovakian capital.

Working from behind the Iron Curtain, he directed 13 episodes of Tom and Jerry and also some of the 'Popeye the Sailor Man' series.

In 2004, he received the Winsor McCay Award for his lifelong contribution to animation.

Deitch was living with his wife and three sons from his first marriage, all of whom are cartoonists and illustrators.