How do you handle a hungry man?

There've been some rumblings in the news lately about edible packaging. I guess everything old is new again, because back in the '90s an OSU Extension magazine called Oregon's Agricultural Progress did a feature story on the topic...accompanied by this illustration (hand drawn by my colleague and friend Tom Weeks) of yours truly, eating a pizza box. Nom nom...nope.

Me playing drums in 1972

Here's a blast from my distant past: an audio recording of me playing drums with the Lakeridge High School stage band in 1972. There are two pieces here: "The Gig Is a Gas" and "Swamp Rock Stomp." The latter contains my drum solo, which segued into a drum duet about halfway through with my friend Jaren Balzer (who also played trombone). Please keep in mind that I was 17 when this was recorded (I got better, ha ha!).

A different drummer

Me, playing drums with...PowerPlay? Uranus? Jim Hudak and Friends? Not sure. I was in a few bands while in college, working part time, and trying to have a social life, and it's all a blur. There may also be other reasons it was a blur, but they're a blur, too.

Article in The Lake Oswegan Magazine about my trip to the Academy Awards

I grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, whose hometown newspaper, the Lake Oswego Review, occasionally included a supplement called The Lake Oswegan Magazine. In the winter of 1979, a Claymation film on which I had served as production manager, Rip Van Winkle, was nominated for an Academy Award. My trip to the Academy Awards was the cover story of the May 17, 1979, edition of The Lake Oswegan.

This photo was taken by the pool at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (site of the first Academy Awards, 1929), right before we all piled into a limo headed for the 1979 Academy Awards, where we would learn that "Special Delivery" had bested "Rip Van Winkle" for Best Animated Short. 

Left to right: Executive Producer Frank Moynihan (of Billy Budd Films, New York), his wife Annie, music composer/producer Bill Scream, animators Don Merkt and Joan Gratz, screenwriter (and Will's wife at the time) Susan Shadburne, Will, and 23-year-old me (in total shock and awe). Not in attendance: animator Barry Bruce and music composer Paul Jameson.

Will Vinton and his wife Susan Shadburne, just
prior to the Academy Awards ceremony.

Film Monster

The late Susan Shadburne, who was Will Vinton's wife at the time, snapped this shot of me at Portland's Artquake, circa 1978. At Will's behest I had created this "film monster" costume so I could represent Portland's film community at the event. The 35mm filmstrips I'm wearing were cutting-room-floor pieces from a workprint of Rip Van Winkle (which later was nominated for an Academy Award).

Rick Cooper as "the Film Monster" at Portland's Artquake,
circa 1978. (Photo: Susan Shadburne)

My "Editor-at-Large" promo card

This is the promo card for my first freelance venture, Editor-at-Large (circa 1980). The illustration, which features a play on the word "freelance," is by fellow Claymation veteran William Fiesterman. The olde English font is transfer lettering that I applied one letter at a time.