Fred Ladd is the “Father of English Anime” in America.  In 1963 he wrote, produced and directed the American English version of Osamu Tezuka’s  MIGHTY ATOM series (Japan’s very first major anime TV series) as ASTRO-BOY and it aired all across America on major network television on NBC-TV.  ASTRO-BOY was the first successful anime series ever dubbed in English for American TV audiences and it was a hit.  Following ASTRO-BOY’S success, in 1965 Ladd wrote, produced and directed the American English version of TETSUJIN 28-GO, known in the U.S. as GIGANTOR.  GIGANTOR ran 52 half-hour episodes and became a huge hit in syndicated television throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s.  Mr. Ladd actually purchased all rights to the original GIGANTOR series for all English speaking territories of the world, and has owned the show and its merchandising rights ever since.  The late Peter Fernandez (original voice of SPEED RACER) was one of the talented voice actors on GIGANTOR, and the series became the most popular show Ladd ever wrote, produced and directed.  In GIGANTOR, a little boy named Jimmy Sparks uses a remote control device to control a powerful giant robot, GIGANTOR, in order to stop diabolical villains (who often have their own evil giant robots), and to help people whenever they are in danger.

Ladd had yet another English language anime hit in 1966 with KIMBA THE WHITE LION, another syndicated television success based on Osamu Tezuka’s anime series JUNGLE EMPEROR. It has been widely stated that Disney’s THE LION KING was a blatant copy of KIMBA THE WHITE LION.

Ladd went on to writing and producing the animated feature films PINOCCHIO IN OUTER SPACE and JOURNEY BACK TO OZ, the animated series THE BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM, G-FORCE GUARDIANS OF SPACE (aka BATTLE OF THE PLANETS), and even a new updated color series of GIGANTOR in 1980.  Other animated series writing work included shows at Filmation studios – GHOSTBUSTERS, MASK, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SHAZAM!, and TARZAN.

Ladd also wrote, produced and directed the English language dubbed versions of the famous live-action children’s movies based on PIPPI LONGSTOCKING starring Swedish child actress Inger Nilsson – PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS and PIPPI ON THE RUN (co-produced by Swedish & German production companies).  PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS was theatrically distributed all over America, and the rest of the English speaking world, to great success.  In the film, Pippi Longstocking must rescue her father who was kidnapped by pirates.

Ladd served as creative consultant on the hit 1992 anime series SAILOR MOON, and he was also a pioneer in the colorization of black and white cartoons to color, for classics such as Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Popeye and Merry Melodies.  Today he is working with William Winckler Productions, Inc. on licensing his classic GIGANTOR series and related merchandise, as well as his BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM series.  FUNKO is currently releasing Hikari vinyl and Pop! Style vinyl figures of the classic GIGANTOR robot, and MEZCO TOYZ will soon be releasing a very large GIGANTOR figure of their own.

Mr. Ladd recently celebrated his 88th birthday, and is one of the true pioneers from the Golden Age of Television.

Fred Ladd is the “Father of English Anime” in America.  In 1963 he wrote, produced and directed the American English version of Osamu Tezuka’s  MIGHTY ATOM series (Japan’s very first major anime TV series) as ASTRO-BOY and it aired all across America on major network television on NBC-TV.  ASTRO-BOY was the first successful anime series ever dubbed in English for American TV audiences and it was a hit.  Following ASTRO-BOY’S success, in 1965 Ladd wrote, produced and directed the American English version of TETSUJIN 28-GO, known in the U.S. as GIGANTOR.  GIGANTOR ran 52 half-hour episodes and became a huge hit in syndicated television throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s.  Mr. Ladd actually purchased all rights to the original GIGANTOR series for all English speaking territories of the world, and has owned the show and its merchandising rights ever since.  The late Peter Fernandez (original voice of SPEED RACER) was one of the talented voice actors on GIGANTOR, and the series became the most popular show Ladd ever wrote, produced and directed.  In GIGANTOR, a little boy named Jimmy Sparks uses a remote control device to control a powerful giant robot, GIGANTOR, in order to stop diabolical villains (who often have their own evil giant robots), and to help people whenever they are in danger.

Ladd had yet another English language anime hit in 1966 with KIMBA THE WHITE LION, another syndicated television success based on Osamu Tezuka’s anime series JUNGLE EMPEROR. It has been widely stated that Disney’s THE LION KING was a blatant copy of KIMBA THE WHITE LION.

Ladd went on to writing and producing the animated feature films PINOCCHIO IN OUTER SPACE and JOURNEY BACK TO OZ, the animated series THE BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM, G-FORCE GUARDIANS OF SPACE (aka BATTLE OF THE PLANETS), and even a new updated color series of GIGANTOR in 1980.  Other animated series writing work included shows at Filmation studios – GHOSTBUSTERS, MASK, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SHAZAM!, and TARZAN.

Ladd also wrote, produced and directed the English language dubbed versions of the famous live-action children’s movies based on PIPPI LONGSTOCKING starring Swedish child actress Inger Nilsson – PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS and PIPPI ON THE RUN (co-produced by Swedish & German production companies).  PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS was theatrically distributed all over America, and the rest of the English speaking world, to great success.  In the film, Pippi Longstocking must rescue her father who was kidnapped by pirates.

Ladd served as creative consultant on the hit 1992 anime series SAILOR MOON, and he was also a pioneer in the colorization of black and white cartoons to color, for classics such as Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Popeye and Merry Melodies.  Today he is working with William Winckler Productions, Inc. on licensing his classic GIGANTOR series and related merchandise, as well as his BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM series.  FUNKO is currently releasing Hikari vinyl and Pop! Style vinyl figures of the classic GIGANTOR robot, and MEZCO TOYZ will soon be releasing a very large GIGANTOR figure of their own.

Mr. Ladd recently celebrated his 88th birthday, and is one of the true pioneers from the Golden Age of Television.