When reflecting on Chuck Jones’s monumental contributions to animation, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! stands as a crowning achievement that not only further solidified his place in animation history as an icon but ensured his work transcended film to become recognized as collectible fine art, preserving original production art and cels as lasting pieces of animation history.

Much like his Oscar-winning shorts, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! embodies Jones’s dedication to creating unforgettable, enduring moments. Collaborating with Ted Geisel, Jones brought the Grinch story to life. These moments were captured not only in original drawings but also production cels, which were meticulously painted by skilled studio artists. Each brushstroke was applied with such precision that the brush never actually touched the cel, ensuring flawless, mark-free images that preserved the integrity of the artwork.

This dedication to preservation was born out of tragedy. After Warner Bros. shuttered their animation department in 1963, they deemed decades of original art “clutter” and made the shocking decision to destroy it.

In an unforgettable scene, heavy machinery excavated a massive pit on the studio lot—large enough for two Olympic-sized pools— where thousands of cels and drawings were set ablaze under the supervision of the LAFD, then buried beneath the ground. The site is now occupied by an accounting building, but the loss to animation history was—and remains—incalculable.

Chuck Jones and his daughter, Linda Jones Clough responded by vowing to protect the original artwork he created. His time at MGM with Tom and Jerry in 1963 reinforced this commitment, ensuring that every piece of work was archived after production. But the most extraordinary testament to his resolve was Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Chuck’s grandson, Craig Kausen, recalls Jones’s deep pride in The Grinch. “My grandfather told me on numerous occasions that this was likely the greatest animation production he and his team created because of all the elements coming together at the right time.”

Adding to the magic, the production employed the new Xerox process, which allowed the animators’ detailed and “sketchy” drawings to be transferred directly onto cels—a quality that traditional hand-inking could never fully capture.

The Grinch was given over a year to complete—an unheard-of luxury for a half-hour television special—and the largest budget ever mounted for such a project. It took over 16,000  original drawings with Jones contributing 300, which served as blueprints for the scenes.

After the storyboards were finished, Jones traveled to New York City carrying 300 storyboards to sell the special to potential corporate sponsors. He presented the idea, acted all the parts 28 times, and successfully sold the special to the Foundation for Full-Service Banks.

Jones created the ultimate dream team with his inspired selection of Boris Karloff for narration, Albert Hague for the music, and his old friend and revered voice of Tony the Tiger Thurl Ravenscroft to sing ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch’ added the final strokes of brilliance.

Kausen remembers sitting with his grandfather, pouring over Grinch production drawings, and reminiscing about the team of trailblazing animators. “He would identify specific drawings done by each animator and revel in the details of each work of art. His personal enjoyment of the drawings definitely caught my attention.”

Though most Warner Bros. production art was destroyed during this period (unbeknownst to Jones and his team), Grinch production materials were safeguarded at MGM. When Jones transitioned to head of Children’s Programming at ABC in the early 1970s, he took the art with him.

Ever dedicated to educating future animators, he lent the original materials to UCLA’s animation school to be studied frame-by-frame. Tragically, a water main broke under Westwood that year, rushing up to flood the vault where the artwork was stored. It damaged or destroyed more than half of the material.

Yet, neither Jones nor his daughter Linda ever expressed regret over sharing the material. Instead, they focused on preserving what remained, ensuring that future generations could still glimpse the artistry behind the Grinch.

Grinch Key Master exemplifes the harmony of background artistry and character animation,
Circa 1966. @Dr.SeussEnterprises

Today, Chuck Jones’s rare original production drawings and cels from The Grinch are prized collector’s items, many commanding prices between $5,000 and $25,000. But beyond their monetary value, they represent a tangible legacy—a testament to Jones’s vision and the collaborative brilliance, craftsmanship, and dedication of a team that defined the Golden Age of Animation.

As digital animation dominates the modern era, these works remain a rare, tangible legacy of a lost American art form— that defined the Golden Age of Animation and the enduring legacy of Chuck Jones.

Learn MORE HERE about “The Making of the Grinch” on Friday, December 13, 2024, at the Chuck Jones Gallery in San Diego’s Seaport Village.