Jerry Beck (born February 9, 1955 in
New York City) is an
American animation historian,
author,
blogger, and video producer. The author or editor of several books on classic American animation and classic character, including
The 50 Greatest Cartoons (1994),
The Animated Movie Guide (2005),
Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons! (2007),
The Flintstones: The Official Guide to the Cartoon Classic (2011),
The Hanna-Barbera Treasury: Rare Art Mementos from your Favorite Cartoon Classics (2007),
The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom (2013),
Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide (2005), and
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons (with
Will Friedwald, 1989). He is also an authority on the making of modern films, with his books detailing the art of
Mr. Peabody and Sherman, DreamWorks'
Madagascar, and
Bee Movie. Beck is also an entertainment industry consultant for TV and home entertainment productions and releases related to classic cartoons and operates the blog "Cartoon Research." He appears frequently as a documentary subject and audio commentator on releases of A&E's
Cartoons Go To War as well as DVD collections of
Looney Tunes,
Popeye the Sailor, and
Woody Woodpecker cartoons, on which he serves a consultant and curator.