iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The Essential Polish Animation Blu-ray is part of the sale for anyone who was planning to pick it up.

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

US readers: It appears that the Kindle version of my book Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts is currently available for just 50 cents! Not sure what's going on there, but definitely quite the discount! www.amazon.com/Animated-Per...

amazon.com

Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts

Amazon.com: Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts eBook : McGowan, David: Kindle Store

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

About to start! Still time for anyone to jump in if you're interested!

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

I will be talking about the star image of Baby LeRoy - Hollywood's youngest actor to be signed for a long-term contract - as part of the Peripheries of Stardom & Performance Symposium tomorrow. It's taking place online - 3pm BST, 10am EDT - and free to join (info below)!

020

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

While putting together materials for an upcoming publication, I came across a 1935 fan magazine article announcing a Mickey Mouse competition. I think, from a 2026 perspective, I'd actually be happiest winning fourth prize (suitably framed, of course)!

100

Reposted by David McGowan

Neckties of Noir @neckties-of-noir.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

#filmsky #silents Sadly, another loss. 💔 Film historian, author, & brilliant silent film location sleuth, John Bengtson. Here he is leading a tour in Hollywood for Buster Keaton fans, 2018. We’re in the alley where in COPS (1922) Keaton runs through it & grabs the speeding car (gif in comments).

36017

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

I'm annoyingly pleased with myself about this (though it did involve having to watch Double Impact).

110

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

For readers in the US, the ebook version of my monograph Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters in American Theatrical Shorts is discounted to just $2.99 for, presumably, a limited time. Kindle: t.co/zczewqrxZW Kobo: t.co/D62Uct2CCh Nook: t.co/kIpfBIg1Hp Apple Books: t.co/mOQIiGiZTJ

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

It's a bit of a nostalgic love fest, rather than aiming to break particularly new ground, but I very much enjoyed this BBC Radio 4 documentary about the production of The Muppet Show in the UK. Well worth a listen if you're a fan of Kermit and the gang! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, How the Muppet Show Began in Britain

Louise Gold celebrates The Muppet Show’s anarchic birth in Britain in the mid-1970s.

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Good riddance 2025, a year with an absolutely punishing workload, and little more than a shrug from my (supposedly part-time!) employer. No real change as we enter January, but hopefully I might finally clear the backlog by the end of 2026...

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

The Shrek films have just been added to the UK Disney+ catalogue. It really feels like up is down in this new streaming landscape...

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

#Noirvember has come to an end and I still have so many noir films that I'd planned to watch but didn't find the time. Will need to do an emergency Janoirary and possibly Noirch in the new year!

020

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

My pre-ordered copy of Joanna Quinn & Les Mills' new book, Beryl, just arrived! I still can't quite believe that Joanna agreed to present a keynote for us at the Society for Animation Studies conference this year, & I'm looking forward to learning even more from the book.

110

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

A nice treat arrived in the post - a copy of the issue of Screen with my article on Rocky IV inside. It's been so long since I've received a physical copy of anything that I've published, with so much academic work being digital only these days.

110

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

A long held scholarly wish has finally been fulfilled. Today I'm visiting the Margaret Herrick Library to do some Hollywood-based research!

110

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

I was very fortunate this afternoon to attend an event with Paul Dooley (best known to me as Wimpy from the live-action Popeye movie) at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. He's 97 years old and still going strong!

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

I'd always wanted to visit Portmeirion since seeing The Prisoner (1967) on DVD a quarter of a century ago. I finally got to go last weekend, and it did not disappoint!

100

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

I got to spend a couple of days with Biddy Baxter when I was working at the BBC. As the link indicates, she had a reputation for being quite short with people & my colleagues has experienced this on previous visits. Somehow I met her approval and she was very nice to me when I had to deal with her!

bbc.co.uk

Biddy Baxter: Blue Peter's formidable editor dies aged 92

Blue Peter's long-serving editor turned the children's show into a television institution.

100

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

My Blu-ray copy of Essential Polish Animation has arrived. Looks fantastic!

010

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

I had a good time at the preview of the new Naked Gun movie last night, thanks to @empiremagazine.bsky.social. I know the studio is leaning heavily into this in the marketing, but it really was nice to once again see a silly comedy on the big screen with a packed and appreciative audience.

100

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

A few days late, but here are some photos that I took from the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference. First up, UAL's own Kim Noce in PANEL 3C: MICRO TALKS. #SAS36 @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social

100

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

David Sproxton, co-founder of Aardman, closes #SAS36 with his keynote talking about his career.

142

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

And so #SAS36 comes to a close. Thanks to chairs David McGowan and Susi Wilkinson, and their entire team at the London College of Communication at the University of the Arts, for a great conference! Hope to see you at #SAS37 in Pittsburgh in 2026!

031

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Life drawing with legendary British animator Joanna Quinn Only at #SAS36

061

Reposted by David McGowan

Misha Mihailova @mihailova.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Starting this year's Society for Animation Studies conference strong with a fascinating keynote by Malcolm Cook! #SAS36 @sasanistudies.bsky.social @malcolmcook76.bsky.social

172

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

The 36th Annual SAS Conference begins TOMORROW, July 7 (hosted by London College of Communication @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social). Use #SAS36 to tag any conference-related posts and/or follow to see what is happening. Info about the conference is at bit.ly/46qkcDZ. Have a great conference!

082

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Malcom Cook giving the first keynote of #SAS36! His presentation explores useful animation and the petroleum industry.

064

Reposted by David McGowan

Society for Animation Studies (SAS) @sasanistudies.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Opening of #SAS36! Thanks to David McGowan and the team at London College of Communication at @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social!

041

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Last week, my wife proposed that we cancel Netflix as we don't use it as much as we used to. I managed to talk her down, and then today Netflix emailed me this supposedly 'personalized' recommendation. I went to bat for you, Netflix, and *this* is what you think of me...?!

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Am excited to see that my newest article, '"If I can change": multigenerational cinematic franchises, retconning, and the spectre of Rocky IV', has recently been published in Screen! Available at: academic.oup.com/screen/artic...

academic.oup.com

‘If I can change’: multigenerational cinematic franchises, retconning, and the spectre of Rocky IV

The Rocky saga, created by and starring Sylvester Stallone, has been through various stages of activity and dormancy, success and failure. Rocky IV (Sylves

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

I'm a bit late to the party but finally saw the latest Mission: Impossible film this weekend, and was disappointed that it went even further than its predecessor in being quite grim and self-important for the majority of its extended running time.

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

FINAL REMINDER: Tickets for this year's Society for Animation Studies conference must be purchased by the end of today (Friday, June 6)! Book now or miss out on a fanstastic line-up of speakers! sas2025.cargo.site/registration

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

My Switch 2 arrived! Am still cursing Nintendo for releasing this while I am so swamped with conference admin, but hopefully I'll find a bit of time to give it a try!

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Registration closes on June 6! Last chance to join us for the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies conference in London next month! sas2025.cargo.site

sas2025.cargo.site

Society for Animation Studies 36th Annual Conference - Sustaining Animation

cargo.site

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

I had a fantastic time talking about Mickey Mouse and cartoon stardom on the Fantasy/Animation podcast. Thanks to Chris and Alex for inviting me on! HEALTH WARNING: A drinking game based on the number of times I say 'um' or 'yeah' may prove fatal. www.fantasy-animation.org/all-episodes...

fantasy-animation.org

Episode 157 - Mickey Mouse (with David McGowan) — Fantasy/Animation

For this new episode of the podcast, Chris and Alex try and do justice to the global stardom of perhaps the most famous animated character of them all - Mickey Mouse. They are joined by David McGowa...

130

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Once again, for reasons completely unknown to me, the Kindle version of my book Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts, has had a temporary price cut, down to £1.99 at Amazon UK. Nice to see it at an affordable price! www.amazon.co.uk/Animated-Per...

071

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Registration is now open for the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies conference, ‘Sustaining Animation’, to be held in London between 7-10 July 2025. Please see sas2025.cargo.site/registration for further details.

000

Reposted by David McGowan

Sadiah Qureshi 🦈 @sadiahqureshi.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

‘there is now a worry that REF2029 will enable a different injustice: that institutions can hold onto the outputs of staff they have sacked, while making it harder for them to gain new academic employment because they are no longer linked to the work they created.’ This must be changed.

38648

Reposted by David McGowan

Dr Rebecca Williams @augustaquarius.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

It's publication day for this edited collection that I've been working on with my two fabulous co-editors. Plenty of great work in here on animation, fandom and transmedia, and the general importance of this classic film 🕷🎃🎄 www.bloomsbury.com/uk/nightmare...

bloomsbury.com

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This edited collection considers The Nightmare Before Christmas as a milestone in animation and film history, considering the different layers of meaning and hi…

24517

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

If the show does get revived on another platform, I'm sure I'll continue watching, but I'm also not too distraught (secretly relieved?) about it likely concluding here. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/f...

hollywoodreporter.com

‘Frasier’ Revival Done at Paramount+ After Two Seasons

CBS Studios, which produces the series, says it will try to find a new home for the show.

100

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

There's less than 12 hours left to submit a paper/screening proposal to participate in the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies conference! The deadline is tonight (Friday, January 10) at 11:59pm GMT. See the CfP details here: sas2025.cargo.site/call-for-pap...

000

Reposted by David McGowan

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

We are delighted to announce that renowned British animator Joanna Quinn has agreed to deliver a keynote at the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference. Joanna's work includes Girls Night Out (1987), Famous Fred (1996), and the recent Academy Award nominated Affairs of the Art (2021).

121

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

121

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Some fantastic looking titles coming in the next few months! In terms of animation, I've already been looking forward to the Nightmare Before Christmas edited collection, but was not aware of the forthcoming The History and Theory of Cut-Out Animation. Sounds fascinating!

020

Reposted by David McGowan

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

A reminder that the deadline for submitting paper/screening proposals for the 36th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference is 11:59pm GMT on Friday, January 10. CFP information here: sas2025.cargo.site/call-for-pap...

133

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

This is a bit of an anticlimax from my Letterboxd 2024 Year in Review. I went through a decent number of Pixar movies with my son last year, but still...

000

David McGowan @animatedstardom.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

133