Coral Kerr

Living reclusively in the mountains of a California forest, writing and illustrating original stories for a series of her own children's books and animated films. Her website http://www.coralkerrimagery.com will offer prints and greeting cards featuring her recent illustrations and creations and provide information regarding contemporary exhibitions of her work. [June 2005]

She has designed characters for film, television, and publication since 1966. Working with her friend Bob Baker (trained by his mentor, animation film pioneer, George Pal), whose Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles,California has provided unique interactive marionette shows for over three decades, she created characters and concepts for the magical performances that entertained families from all over the world. King Hall, (who had directed Coral in repertory theater when she was a teenager), the late star and co-creator of the television show, "Froozles", for which he garnered a daytime Emmy Award nomination, was a featured puppeteer.

In the mid 1960s Ms. Kerr was living at the Hollywood Studio Club in Hollywood, California and to make a steady income she began working at Hanna-Barbera, then the largest, most active animation house. She is best known in the entertainment industry for having created characters for film and television, such as "Cling and Clang", "Witchiepoo", "Freddie the Flute", and numerous others for Sid and Marty Krofft's productions of "H. R.

Pufnstuf", but her career began in the theatre, on stage, as a performer in musical comedy, mostly in small roles,appearing in many shows with stars from the 1950's and 1960's,such as George Gobel,Jerry Van Dyke,Giselle MacKenzie,and Juliet Prowse in theatre-in-the-round.

Character designer Coral Kerr was born in California, almost on the sandy beach, hence the name, "Coral". Her mother and father were born and raised in New York and after her father, William H. "Bud" Kerr, was an All American at Notre Dame in 1939, his career as a professional football player for the short-lived Los Angeles Dons team fulfilled their dream of moving to the California coast. Though football coaching jobs meant the family moved frequently, it provided an eclectic exposure for Coral who often sat in the press box, when her father coached the San Francisco 49ers and drew cartoons of the football players during games.