Barry Caldwell, a veteran animator and director known for his work on beloved cartoons like Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and Pinky and the Brain, has died.
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The 68-year-old artist’s longtime friend and colleague, animator Paul Dini, shared the news in a statement on Facebook. Dini gave no specific details of Caldwell’s passing.
“Barry Caldwell was one of the first animation artists I met when I started my career fresh out of school way back around 1980,” Dini began his March 24 tribute. “He was also one of the finest artists I ever met, and easily one of the best people.”
Dino called Caldwell a “funny, kind, genial giant of a guy that you liked from the moment you met him.” He added, “He knew more about cartoons than you or I ever will (trust me on this), yet he was incredibly generous with his time and his talent. And my God, could he make you laugh!”
“When Dan Haskett told me today Barry had passed, it was like a silent cannonball blowing away a piece of my world,” Dini continued. “A lot of people’s worlds, actually. Barry was admired, celebrated, and loved by just about everyone, myself included, for many more reasons than I can list here. Gonna miss you, pally.”
Barry Caldwell Worked on Beloved Cartoons of the 1980s and ’90s
Born in New York City on June 19, 1957, Caldwell attended the School of Visual Arts. His impressive career began with an episode of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids in 1980 and included work for Warner Bros. Animation, Walt Disney Television Studios, and DreamWorks.
Throughout his career at Warner Bros. Animation and Disney, Caldwell earned credits on numerous children’s TV shows and films. During the ’80s, Caldwell served as a regular storyboard artist on shows like The New Adventures of Zorro, The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and The Smurfs.
Barry Caldwell, a veteran animator, director, and storyboard artist who helped shape countless iconic animated shows and films, has sadly passed away.
— Cartoon History (@Cartoonhistory2) March 26, 2026
Thank you, legend. Rest in peace pic.twitter.com/5cUb4lQkOc
In the next decade, he served as an animator for Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1992), Animaniacs (1993–1998), and Pinky and the Brain (1995–1998).
Caldwell also served as a storyboard artist or worked in the art department for films like Osmosis Jones (2001), Curious George (2006), and Hop (2011).