William L. Hendricks

William L. Hendricks (3 May 1904 – 29 March 1992) was a former Colonel of the United States Marine Corps Reservehttps://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/02/obituaries/william-l-hendricks-charity-founder-87.html who was the key figure in setting up the "Toys for Tots" program.https://www.toysfortots.org/about/history/ Aside from his United States Marine Corps Reserve career, he also worked in the film industry for many years, initially as a documentary producer for the United States Army, then as a production executive at Warner Bros., where he eventually became the final producer of the Looney Tunes series during the Golden Age of American Animation.
In 1947, Hendricks, then a Major in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, was asked by his wife Diane to donate some toys (including ones she had made herself) to an organization that gave out toys to needy children. However, his research found that no such organization existed, and he resolved to start one himself. He led a toy collection in the Los Angeles area with several family members and friends that eventually amassed some 5,000 toys. This pilot program proved so successful that the United States Marine Corps adopted it as an official campaign the following year, and Hendricks helped make it even more of a success by using his contacts through Warner Bros. to persuade many celebrities to support the charity.
His career as a documentary producer saw him win an Academy Honorary Award in 1961 for his part in the Marine Corps documentary A Force in Readiness. In 1967, he was asked by Warner Bros. to take over as head of their newly reformed animation studio, as well as becoming overall head of the Looney Tunes franchise. The new animation studio lasted only two years and produced a few cartoons before shutting down in 1969. However, Hendricks remained in a supervisory role, overseeing the production of The Bugs Bunny Show and other television shows featuring Looney Tunes cartoons. He remained in this role until 1978, when he finally retired from the film industry.
==Looney Works==
*3 Ring Wing-Ding
*Big Game Haunt
*Bugged by a Bee
*The Bugs Bunny Show (The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour and The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show only)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ArSeEzrEUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3vL7i9_MS8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VoZ0dGnx-A - production (credited until 1981)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47-cY-v1QPIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY2zlQP1tFs
*Bunny and Claude (We Rob Carrot Patches)
*Chimp & Zee
*Cool Cat (short)
*The Daffy Duck Show (1978) - lyrics ("On with the Show")
*Feud with a Dude
*Fiesta Fiasco
*Fistic Mystic
*Flying Circus
*Go Away Stowaway (uncredited)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOb_c46Oyvg
*The Great Carrot-Train Robbery
*Hippydrome Tiger
*Hocus Pocus Powwow
* Injun Trouble (1969 film)
*Merlin the Magic Mouse (short)
*The Merrie Melodies Show - productionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-a4-FN_PFc
* The Music Mice-Tro - producer (with Herbert Klynn)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEe4LuOQpB8
*Norman Normal - production (with N. Paul Stookey)
*Rabbit Stew and Rabbits Too!
* Rodent to Stardom (uncredited)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Y8e6Xm328
* See Ya Later Gladiator
*Shamrock and Roll
*Skyscraper Caper
*Speedy Ghost to Town (uncredited)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Q6xkO9uK8
*The Spy Swatter - producer (with Herbert Klynn)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhUCPQ6Cdps
*Sylvester and Tweety - productionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMcCDLGNbq0
==Gallery==
The Daffy Duck Show - Music Credits (Version 2).png|Music credits for The Daffy Duck Show, crediting Bill Hendricks with the lyrics to "On with the Show"
File:Norman Normal - Production and Direction Credits.png|Production and direction credits for "Norman Normal", crediting William L. Hendricks and N. Paul Stookey for production.
==References==
Category:Real People
Category:Deceased
Category:1904 Births
Category:1992 deaths
Category:Producers