Eugene Merril Deitch, an American-born Czech illustrator, animator, comics artist, and film director has passed away at the age of 95. He died of old age and not due to COVID-19 like speculated by some. Based in Prague since 1959, Deitch was known for creating animated cartoons such as Munro, Tom Terrific, and Nudnik, as well as his work on the Popeye and Tom and Jerry series. Gene Deitch was an animator at UPA. He later joined Terrytoons in 1955. He created characters like John Doormat, Clint Clobber, Gaston Le Crayon, Sidney, and Foofle.

In early 1958, his theatrical cartoon Sidney's Family Tree (1958) was nominated for Academy Award. He has directed approximately a dozen Tom and Jerry cartoons for MGM, and also "Krazy Kat" and "Popeye" for King Features, and also a Oscar Winning Munro (1961). He later created "Nudnik", a character based on "Foofle", which he created, while at Terrytoons. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the departed.