Ben Hardaway

Joseph Benson Hardaway (May 21, 1895 – February 5, 1957) was an American storyboard artist, animator, voice actor, gagman, writer and director for several American animation studios during the golden age of American animation. He was sometimes credited as J. B. Hardaway, Ben Hardaway, B. Hardaway and Bugs Hardaway. He fought in World War I in the 129th Field Artillery Regiment, Battery D. Hardaway enlisted in World War I on June 4, 1917, and was discharged on April 9, 1919, serving for 26 months in total. He was led in the 129th Field Artillery Regiment by future President of the United States Harry S. Truman, in which he attended his reception planned by Forrest Smith at the Shoreham Hotel in 1949 and his inauguration, following him being re-elected. Hardaway served the last 14 months of his service in France. Hardaway started his career at the Kansas City Post as a cartoonist and in 1921, illustrated a book by James W. Earp called Boomer Jones, a character created in the late 1910s by Earp, before eventually going into the animation business, working for the Kansas City Film Ad Service. He later worked for the Walt Disney Productions animation unit and Animated Pictures Corp., after which Hardaway was hired by the Leon Schlesinger studio as a gagman for the Friz Freleng unit. He was promoted to director for seven Buddy animated shorts. Afterwards he resumed working as a gagman and storyman. He started receiving film credits in 1937.