Lee Gunther

Starting at Warner Bros. in the 1960s, and then at DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, he also worked as a production manager in the 1970s. After DePatie–Freleng was sold to Marvel Comics Group in 1981, Gunther became one of the founders of Marvel Productions, Ltd., where he served as executive vice president and executive producer on television series such as Spider-Man, G.I. Joe and The Transformers, as well as the feature-length animation Inhumanoids: The Movie. He also served as vice president of foreign production at Fox Kids.

In late 1987, he co-founded Gunther-Wahl Productions with Michael Wahl. Their first task was taking over production of Alvin and the Chipmunks from Ruby Spears Productions in 1988, including the Go To the Movies series including the failed Beany and Cecil television revival by John Kricfalusi (Spumco), and then doing series such as COPS, Noozles (both 1988), Mummies Alive (1989), and Ronin Warriors (1990). He then served as executive producer of the animated series The Angry Beavers for Nickelodeon from 1997 to 2003 and Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa for Greengrass Productions on ABC in 1992. He and Wahl also created The Adventures of T-Rex in 1992-1993, shortly after the Mattel Flutter Faeries lawsuit in which his partner Wahl and his wife were involved.

Other productions by Gunther-Wahl included the animated adaptation of Karate Kid for Coca-Cola Telecommunications (now Sony Pictures Television) on NBC in 1989, and also the short-lived G.I. Joe animated series from 1990 to 1992 (the preceding Operation Dragonfire five-part mini-series was produced by Nelvana), as well as G.I. Joe Extreme (with Sunbow Productions and Graz Entertainment from 1995 to 1997), and the cartoon Red Planet in 1994. He took over production of Camp Candy from Hanna-Barbera Productions (he was responsible for the first two seasons on NBC on Saturday Morning) and did the third season of the program with Greengrass Productions for Worldvision Enterprises syndication in 1992. That same year they also made Yvon of The Yukon and D'Myna Leagues for Bohbot Productions' BKN Syndication block along with Vancouver-based Studio B Productions.

In his lifetime, Gunther earned four Emmy awards, two Humanitas Prizes, two Golden Reel Awards and 12 Clio awards.

Gunther died of a stroke on August 25, 1998 at age 63. Long-time friend and colleague George Conte, who worked for Murakami Wolf Swenson Films and Fred Wolf Films, and who first met Gunther at DePatie-Freleng, said, "Lee's dedication to quality filmmaking, both technically and creatively placed him at the top of his profession. Because of his strong character and gentle ways, he was respected and loved by all who knew him. He will be missed."

• Lee Gunther at IMDb