Jiří Trnka

Czech Puppetry Master and Animator

Jiří Trnka was not a musician or composer known for producing albums like "Kocourovy Pohádky" or "Zahrada." Instead, he was a renowned Czech puppeteer, animator, motion-picture director, and illustrator, born in 1912 in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. Trnka is most famous for his work in animation and is often referred to as the "Walt Disney of Eastern Europe," although his style was quite distinct from Disney's. His notable works include puppet-animated films such as "The Czech Year" (1947), which was his first feature-length film, and "The Emperor's Nightingale" (1949), which received international acclaim.