Lillian Friedman Astor: The First Female Animator

Lillian Friedman Astor is noted as the first female animator in the studio system. She worked on over 42 films. Her most famous work includes working on Betty Boop at Fleischer Studios. Lillian was born on April 12, 1912. Her education took place at Washington Irving High School where she took a class taught by a teacher whose husband owned an ad agency. Her first job in the industry was at Mendelssohn’s Spring Song, in 1930. Her primary role was inking, painting and inbetweening.

Lillian found her way to the Fleischer Studio when working at Frank Goldman’s Audio Cinema. In 1931, Goldman introduced her to his close friend Max Fleischer, where she became an inbetweener. Lillian found a mentor in Shamus (James) Culhane when she became his assistant