Michael Lyons

Editor

Michael Lyons is a freelance writer, specializing in film, television, and pop culture. He is the author of the book, Drawn to Greatness: Disney’s Animation Renaissance, which chronicles the amazing growth at the Disney animation studio in the 1990s. In addition to Animation Scoop and Cartoon Research, he has contributed to Remind Magazine, Cinefantastique, Animation World Network and Disney Magazine. He also writes a blog, Screen Saver: A Retro Review of TV Shows and Movies of Yesteryear and his interviews with a number of animation legends have been featured in several volumes of the books, Walt’s People. You can visit Michael’s web site Words From Lyons at: Words From Lyons at: www.wordsfromlyons.com

Articles By Michael Lyons

It was Monday, November 19th, 1990 and Home Alone had just opened, becoming a mammoth hit that blindsided Hollywood, going on to become one of the biggest movies of all time and a Christmas classic. The John Hughes film also demolished any other movies competing against it at the box-office. One of these was The […]

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Disney

Mickey Mouse. One of film’s most iconic animated characters. Instantly recognizable in his trademark yellow-buttoned-red shorts or any of his iconic roles: Steamboat Willie, The Sorcerers Apprentice, Bob Cratchit in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Julius the Monster…wait…what?!? Often forgotten and seldom discussed, Mickey did turn in one of his most daring performances as a wild-eyed, fang-toothed […]

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Commentary

Think about your favorite singer, or group, or band. They may be from the Golden Age of Rock n’ Role, or the British Invasion, or the Grunge Rock-era or even a Boy Band. They may have made their indelible impact on, not just the music charts, but our culture as well. They may be legends […]

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Commentary

The thing about the real world lately is that it’s been so…well…REAL. Around every corner, the challenges of 2020 can be found and the heaviness of each day’s latest news reports can be a weight that is difficult to lift. Thankfully, animation fans have a constant source of escape. This is particularly true of short […]

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Disney

In the summer of 1995, there was a shadow that loomed over the Walt Disney Animation Studio. It was a shadow in the shape of The Lion King. Just one year prior, the tale of Simba had skyrocketed past all box-office expectations and made its way into our collective pop-culture as few films do. For […]

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More From Animation Scoop

An Eye for A Classic: The 60th Anniversary of “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol”

He may be near-sighted, but it was Mr. Magoo who could see the way and blaze a trail for all future animated television Christmas specials. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol debuted on December 18, 1962, on NBC, making it the very first animated Christmas special to be produced for television.  It aired two years before Rudolph […]