MGM Animation/Visual Arts was an American animation studio established in 1962 by animation director/producer Chuck Jones, producer Les Goldman and executive Walter Bien as Sib Tower 12 Productions. Its productions include the last series of Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts, the TV specials Horton Hears a Who! and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and the feature film The Phantom Tollbooth, all released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The studio was closed in December 1970.
History
The studio was founded in 1960 as "S I B Productions, Inc." by Walter Bien,[1] which in 1962 had hired the just developing Filmation Associates to animate a syndicated series called Rod Rocket.[2] Separately Tower 12, Inc. was formed in 1962 by Chuck Jones to produce theatrical shorts, as well as informational and educational shorts, industrial and corporate films, and television programming.[3]