Lenny Lipton, the New York-native who wrote the lyrics to what became Peter, Paul and Mary’s popular folk song “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” died on Oct. 5 from brain cancer at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife told The New York Times. He was 82.
In 1959, Lipton was a 19-year-old physics major at Cornell University. Feeling inspired after reading Ogden Nash’s poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon,” he borrowed the typewriter of his schoolmate Peter Yarrow — one-third of the Peter, Paul and Mary trio — to scribe a creation of his own. But when Yarrow saw Lipton’s poem abandoned at the keys, he decided to put it to music, becoming the well-known 1963 song “Puff, the Magic Dragon.”
Lipton received a co-writer credit on the track, which was an instant hit among listeners. Through royalties, Lipton generated enough money to move to the Bay Area in California,...
In 1959, Lipton was a 19-year-old physics major at Cornell University. Feeling inspired after reading Ogden Nash’s poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon,” he borrowed the typewriter of his schoolmate Peter Yarrow — one-third of the Peter, Paul and Mary trio — to scribe a creation of his own. But when Yarrow saw Lipton’s poem abandoned at the keys, he decided to put it to music, becoming the well-known 1963 song “Puff, the Magic Dragon.”
Lipton received a co-writer credit on the track, which was an instant hit among listeners. Through royalties, Lipton generated enough money to move to the Bay Area in California,...
- 10/23/2022
- by Katie Reul
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Lenny Lipton, who wrote the poem that became the Peter, Paul and Mary hit “Puff the Magic Dragon” and developed technology used for today’s digital 3D theatrical projection systems, has died. He was 82.
Lipton died Wednesday of brain cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son Noah told The Hollywood Reporter.
While studying engineering as a freshman at Cornell University, Lipton, inspired by a 1936 Ogden Nash poem, “The Tale of Custard the Dragon,” wrote a poem in 1959 on a typewriter owned by another physics major at the school, Peter Yarrow.
Yarrow discovered the poem — about a boy named Jackie Paper and his imaginary dragon friend in a land by the sea — in the typewriter and years later used it for the lyrics to “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
Yarrow’s Peter, Paul and Mary recorded the song in 1962. It was released...
Lenny Lipton, who wrote the poem that became the Peter, Paul and Mary hit “Puff the Magic Dragon” and developed technology used for today’s digital 3D theatrical projection systems, has died. He was 82.
Lipton died Wednesday of brain cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son Noah told The Hollywood Reporter.
While studying engineering as a freshman at Cornell University, Lipton, inspired by a 1936 Ogden Nash poem, “The Tale of Custard the Dragon,” wrote a poem in 1959 on a typewriter owned by another physics major at the school, Peter Yarrow.
Yarrow discovered the poem — about a boy named Jackie Paper and his imaginary dragon friend in a land by the sea — in the typewriter and years later used it for the lyrics to “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
Yarrow’s Peter, Paul and Mary recorded the song in 1962. It was released...
- 10/6/2022
- by Carolyn Giardina and Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In December 1966, the Canyon Cinema Cooperative in San Francisco, California published their first Catalogue of experimental and avant-garde films to rent. This was four years after the Film-Makers’ Cooperative had begun distributing underground films in New York City.
Canyon first listed films to rent in the November ’66 edition of their News newsletter, then published the catalog separately one month later. In the book Canyon Cinema, Scott MacDonald notes that the News listed just 31 filmmakers with films. Only six of them had multiple films listed; while the rest listed just a single film each.
The first standalone catalogue expanded on that first listing of filmmakers, but is still a modest publication at just sixteen pages, plus the covers. The catalogue includes 45 filmmakers — some are listed as pairs — and many more filmmakers have multiple films listed. For example, Larry Jordan has eight films listed, Robert Nelson six and Bruce Baillie four.
There...
Canyon first listed films to rent in the November ’66 edition of their News newsletter, then published the catalog separately one month later. In the book Canyon Cinema, Scott MacDonald notes that the News listed just 31 filmmakers with films. Only six of them had multiple films listed; while the rest listed just a single film each.
The first standalone catalogue expanded on that first listing of filmmakers, but is still a modest publication at just sixteen pages, plus the covers. The catalogue includes 45 filmmakers — some are listed as pairs — and many more filmmakers have multiple films listed. For example, Larry Jordan has eight films listed, Robert Nelson six and Bruce Baillie four.
There...
- 5/6/2018
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Fox Animation has picked up the feature film rights to the classic 1963 folk song "Puff the Magic Dragon," and they are looking to develop it into a CGI animated and live-action hybrid film. The studio has hired Trolls director Mike Mitchell to helm the project, and Akiva Goldsman (Transformers) is set to produce.
"Puff the Magic Dragon" tells the tale of an ageless dragon that lives by the seas who befriends a shy child and takes him to the land called Honalee. I can’t help but think the studio was inspired to make this film by Disney’s wonderful recent remake of Pete’s Dragon.
The song was created by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton and spawned an animated TV special for Puff the Magic Dragon that aired in 1978. It was followed by two sequels called, Puff the Magic Dragon in the Land of the Living Lies and Puff and the Incredible Mr.
"Puff the Magic Dragon" tells the tale of an ageless dragon that lives by the seas who befriends a shy child and takes him to the land called Honalee. I can’t help but think the studio was inspired to make this film by Disney’s wonderful recent remake of Pete’s Dragon.
The song was created by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton and spawned an animated TV special for Puff the Magic Dragon that aired in 1978. It was followed by two sequels called, Puff the Magic Dragon in the Land of the Living Lies and Puff and the Incredible Mr.
- 12/12/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Perhaps based on the success of Disney’s Pete’s Dragon remake, Fox Animation has decided to greenlight Puff the Magic Dragon, an animated/live-action hybrid film based on the popular Peter, Paul and Mary song of the same name. It’ll be directed by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, Shrek Forever After).
Details are limited at the moment, but the folk song, written by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton, is based on the 1959 poem, which in turn was inspired by the poem “Custard the Dragon” by Ogden Nash, as /Film notes. The song tells the story of an ageless dragon named Puff, who lives in Honalee, a fictional city by the sea. His friend is Jackie Paper, but he eventually grows older and loses interest in his adventures with his fictional friend. These days, the property is the sore subject of controversy regarding whether or not it’s referencing smoking weed.
Details are limited at the moment, but the folk song, written by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton, is based on the 1959 poem, which in turn was inspired by the poem “Custard the Dragon” by Ogden Nash, as /Film notes. The song tells the story of an ageless dragon named Puff, who lives in Honalee, a fictional city by the sea. His friend is Jackie Paper, but he eventually grows older and loses interest in his adventures with his fictional friend. These days, the property is the sore subject of controversy regarding whether or not it’s referencing smoking weed.
- 12/9/2016
- by Will Ashton
- We Got This Covered
Exclusive: Fox Animation will turn the Peter, Paul and Mary song “Puff the Magic Dragon” into a hybrid live action/animated feature that will be directed by Trolls helmer Mike Mitchell. The film will be produced by Safehouse partners Tory Tunnell and Joby Harold and Weed Road’s Akiva Goldsman. They secured the rights to the song, which has lyrics by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton. Vanessa Morrison and Nate Hopper are overseeing for the studio. At a time when Hollywood has…...
- 12/9/2016
- Deadline
Short batch this week, but these are all terrific links. First, we have two more moving remembrances of the amazing George Kuchar:
First, Kuchar protege Bob Moricz wrote a long tribute for Bright Lights Film Journal on how George inspired him directly, how a nicely written fan letter turned into a terrific friendship. And you absolutely don’t want to miss the tube sock story, a tale I never tire of hearing.Second, Lenny Lipton has a very different kind of George Kuchar story, of a relationship that unfortunately soured following a rough incident. This is the only story of this kind that I’ve ever heard about George and one I wish had worked out differently.In other links: Jessica Oreck has some really nice screengrabs from Frederick Wiseman’s Zoo. Plus, even prettier Lapland landscapes.Speaking of screen captures: Chris Hansen has a few of his lovely...
First, Kuchar protege Bob Moricz wrote a long tribute for Bright Lights Film Journal on how George inspired him directly, how a nicely written fan letter turned into a terrific friendship. And you absolutely don’t want to miss the tube sock story, a tale I never tire of hearing.Second, Lenny Lipton has a very different kind of George Kuchar story, of a relationship that unfortunately soured following a rough incident. This is the only story of this kind that I’ve ever heard about George and one I wish had worked out differently.In other links: Jessica Oreck has some really nice screengrabs from Frederick Wiseman’s Zoo. Plus, even prettier Lapland landscapes.Speaking of screen captures: Chris Hansen has a few of his lovely...
- 9/18/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
(This article is posted to honor filmmaker George Kuchar, who passed away just this week. As an artist, he was a pioneer and a visionary and the impact of his legacy on the film world is too great to comprehend. But, we try.)
On Friday, Dec. 11, 1964, several filmmakers met at a meeting hall called the Eventorium in NYC to participate in a symposium called 8 mm.: Avant-Garde of the Future?.
Speaking on the panel were Lenny Lipton, Alfred Leslie, Serge Gavronsky and Mike & George Kuchar. Two members of the panel are not primarily known for working with 8 mm. Leslie, co-director of the legendary film Pull My Daisy, filmed primarily — and maybe exclusively — in 16 mm; while Gavronsky is a poet and novelist.
As for the others, a decade later, Lipton would go on to literally write the book on this particular film gauge, 1975′s The Super 8 Book. And the Kuchar brothers were known,...
On Friday, Dec. 11, 1964, several filmmakers met at a meeting hall called the Eventorium in NYC to participate in a symposium called 8 mm.: Avant-Garde of the Future?.
Speaking on the panel were Lenny Lipton, Alfred Leslie, Serge Gavronsky and Mike & George Kuchar. Two members of the panel are not primarily known for working with 8 mm. Leslie, co-director of the legendary film Pull My Daisy, filmed primarily — and maybe exclusively — in 16 mm; while Gavronsky is a poet and novelist.
As for the others, a decade later, Lipton would go on to literally write the book on this particular film gauge, 1975′s The Super 8 Book. And the Kuchar brothers were known,...
- 9/9/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Happy almost Independence Day! Hope everybody is having a great holiday weekend. This first link should put you in the mood. Or not.
This is a little different than my typical Must Reads, but I thoroughly enjoyed Jack Sargeant reprinting his history and analysis of the ’80s “death film” genre, most famously epitomized by the film Faces of Death. I’ve never seen any of these films — nor do I want to — but Jack’s conclusion is fabulous.Filmmaker Waylon Bacon has written a fantastic overview of the Berkeley film scene for CineSource Magazine.Fangoria interviews director Rona Mark on the eve of her awesome Strange Girls finally getting a DVD release. Finally!GorePress.com has a really nice interview with Paul Campion about his first feature film, The Devil’s Rock.IndieWIRE interviews Mike Plante about his new Cinemad distribution venture, who, strangely enough, isn’t in it for the money.
This is a little different than my typical Must Reads, but I thoroughly enjoyed Jack Sargeant reprinting his history and analysis of the ’80s “death film” genre, most famously epitomized by the film Faces of Death. I’ve never seen any of these films — nor do I want to — but Jack’s conclusion is fabulous.Filmmaker Waylon Bacon has written a fantastic overview of the Berkeley film scene for CineSource Magazine.Fangoria interviews director Rona Mark on the eve of her awesome Strange Girls finally getting a DVD release. Finally!GorePress.com has a really nice interview with Paul Campion about his first feature film, The Devil’s Rock.IndieWIRE interviews Mike Plante about his new Cinemad distribution venture, who, strangely enough, isn’t in it for the money.
- 7/3/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
This week’s Absolute Must Read is Robert Koehler’s mind-blowing essay on film criticism and film advocacy. Structured around the offerings of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Koehler really hits on the core problem about film writing on the web. Here’s the key part of the article: “This is ideology, all right: The Ideology of advertisers, the force that most fundamentally drives ‘their’ criticism. It informs movie websites and blogs as much as the papers, by the way, as more and more websites are propelled forward by the hits metric that advertisers gauge in order to determine whether or not they want to invest in a given site.” (For the record: “A criticism of advocacy” is a good description of Bad Lit. And I run tons of ads!)A great “must read” contender is this funny Pittsburgh City Paper article about the FBI releasing — then retracting — their report...
- 6/26/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Walt Disney Studios’ “Tron Legacy” took home Feature of the Year honors at the second annual International 3-D Society’s 3-D Creative Arts Awards, which was held Wednesday night at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
It was one of five “Lumiere” awards Disney studios claimed. But in an interesting twist that could have ramifications on the Oscar race, DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” won Best Animated 3-D Feature of the Year over “Toy Story 3.” The latter did pick up the evening’s People’s Choice Award for favorite 3-D animated film, but the loss to “Dragon” could be significant when you take into consideration that “Dragon” prevailed over “Toy Story 3″ at the Annie’s, as well.
Other winners from the evening’s event included “Alice in Wonderland,” “Tangled,” 20th Century Fox’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,...
Hollywoodnews.com: Walt Disney Studios’ “Tron Legacy” took home Feature of the Year honors at the second annual International 3-D Society’s 3-D Creative Arts Awards, which was held Wednesday night at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
It was one of five “Lumiere” awards Disney studios claimed. But in an interesting twist that could have ramifications on the Oscar race, DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” won Best Animated 3-D Feature of the Year over “Toy Story 3.” The latter did pick up the evening’s People’s Choice Award for favorite 3-D animated film, but the loss to “Dragon” could be significant when you take into consideration that “Dragon” prevailed over “Toy Story 3″ at the Annie’s, as well.
Other winners from the evening’s event included “Alice in Wonderland,” “Tangled,” 20th Century Fox’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,...
- 2/10/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
Walt Disney Studios ruled the second annual International 3D Society's 3D Creative Arts Awards, winning five statuettes, including best live action film for "Tron: Legacy." Disney Pixar's "Toy Story 3" also won a People's Choice awaard for favorite animated feature. DreamWorks Animation won best animated 3D feature and two other awards for “How to Train Your Dragon." James Cameron received a Harold Lloyd award, accepted by his producing partner Jon Landau, and industry pioneer Lenny Lipton received a lifetime achievement award. “Tron: Legacy," which has been critically panned despite grossing more...
- 2/10/2011
- The Wrap
The prestigious Art in America magazine profiles and interviews Bad Lit favorite Brent Green. Filmmaker and curator Cecilia Araneda has a new website that’s very spiffy looking. If you need a zen moment, go stare at the wonder of filmmaker and artist Daniel Barrow’s snowglobe. Michael Varrati has a great new filmmaker to know: David DeCoteau, the king of beefcake horror. I was completely unfamiliar with his work until I read this! Rhizome goes through the career of pioneering video artist Nam June Paik in conjunction with a retrospective of his work running at the Tate in London. Plus, some staff changes at the media arts website. I think the Underground Film Guild is a project of Tla Video, but I can’t say for sure. (Hey guys, update your About page from the automatic WordPress-install text.) But, if you want to read/watch about exploitation films, this...
- 1/9/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
ShoWest opened today in Las Vegas. This is the trade show of the "other" Nato, the National Association of Theatre Owners and more than 2,500 people convened today at Paris Las Vegas to see what's new in the industry. And, in fact, "new" was the message just about everywhere one turned. The wild success of both Avatar and Alice In Wonderland mean in no uncertain terms that 3-D is here to stay. For proof of that, just talk to Lenny Lipton. Now, this is one accomplished man. At the age of 19, while getting his physics degree from Cornell, he wrote the lyrics to the Peter, Paul and Mary hit Puff the Magic Dragon. He's written books, magazine articles and film reviews. The latter were for the alternative weekly The Berkeley Barb during the 1960s, when he hung out with Timothy...
- 3/16/2010
- by Ellen Sterling
- Huffington Post
"International 3D Awards" Co-Chair Lenny Lipton reports that eleven 3D categories have been selected for the first annual "I3DS Awards Show" @ the Mann Chinese Theatre, Tuesday, February 23 6pm-8:30pm. on behalf of the International 3D Society .
The Society serves the 3D community with education and recognition for stereoscopic 3D professionals.
"After a century of effort 3D movies are finally here," said Lipton, President of Oculus3D. "The technology now allows moving images to enjoy a creative renaissance as filmmakers and the industry explore the potentials of this long sought after means of creative expression. This first year of awards honors the pioneers who have set a new standard for this nascent medium.
"The first annual International 3D Awards marks a historical milestone in recognizing 3D achievement", said Jim Chabin, president of the nonprofit professional association.
The gold and bronze "Aurora" statuettes, named after the Roman goddess of the...
The Society serves the 3D community with education and recognition for stereoscopic 3D professionals.
"After a century of effort 3D movies are finally here," said Lipton, President of Oculus3D. "The technology now allows moving images to enjoy a creative renaissance as filmmakers and the industry explore the potentials of this long sought after means of creative expression. This first year of awards honors the pioneers who have set a new standard for this nascent medium.
"The first annual International 3D Awards marks a historical milestone in recognizing 3D achievement", said Jim Chabin, president of the nonprofit professional association.
The gold and bronze "Aurora" statuettes, named after the Roman goddess of the...
- 2/13/2010
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
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