Hammocks Animation Founder, Thomas Hammocks Dies at 87

Thomas Hammocks, the father of Amber, Byron, and Melanie Hammocks, and the founder of his animation studio, Hammocks Animation, died on Wednesday at his home in Southaven, Mississippi. He was 87 years old.

His death was announced by his eldest daughter Amber at Hammocks Digital Studios during production of the Five K. Gagnon feature film.

Hammocks founded his animation studio in 1957 with the Five K. Gagnon comic series. A television series based on the comics aired on the CC Network from 1962 until 1981. The studio also became involved in animated specials including Frosty the Snowman and Frosty's Winter Wonderland, before beginning to produce animated television series with Fred and the Nature Gang as one of their most popular productions.

Hammocks was also known as one of the pioneers of animated soap operas, with Beautiful Times being the first animated soap he created in 1968 with Guiding Light creator Irna Phillips. He then produced two more animated soaps titled Southland in 1978, and The Animals in 1983 with then-Colossal Pictures animator D.A. Nichols.