episode-header-image

Yesterday

27m 27s

From Fairly OddParents to Danny Phantom:...

About this episode

On this episode of Our American Stories, Butch Hartman shares the story of how one of the most influential animation careers of the 2000s came to be. While millions recognize the shows he created; The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, and more, far fewer know the path that led him there. Hartman tells how his journey took him from the snowy shores of Michigan to the studios of Southern California, and how persistence, faith, and craft shaped a career that defined a generation of television animation.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next

When a Baptist Preacher Gave Thomas Jefferson a 1,200-Pound Gift

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson is remembered as a Founding Father, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the nation’s third president. He is also one of the most important historical figures when it comes to religious freedom in America.In ... Show More

How Spam and Chocolate Became America’s Secret Weapons in WWII

On this episode of Our American Stories, when American troops left for war, they carried reminders of home that came in the simplest form: food. Spam and Hershey’s chocolate became symbols of comfort in a world that had lost its sense of safety. Spam filled mess kits and fueled l ... Show More

Kemmons Wilson: The Man Who Built Holiday Inn

On this episode of Our American Stories, Holiday Inn began with one frustrated family road trip and grew into one of the largest hotel chains in the world. At the center of that growth was Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn and a salesman at heart. His son, Kemmons Wilson ... Show More

Recommended Episodes

I Called the Police on My Serial Killer Dad

As a child, April Balascio noticed that people would often vanish. One time it was a labourer working for her dad, another time it was a young couple in town. Then as an adult, April started googling cold cases in her childhood towns. In 2009 she got a match and called the police ... Show More

From a ‘Street Kid’ in Uganda to Foster Dad in America

<p>Peter Mutabazi spent his childhood feeling alone and forgotten in the streets of Kampala, Uganda, until the generosity of one family changed his life forever.</p><p>That family taught Peter about the love of Jesus Christ and what it meant to be loved and affirmed. Now, as a fo ... Show More

<p>In this deeply personal episode, Monica chats with actor and <em>Traitors</em> presenter Alan Cumming, who shares his story of surviving an abusive childhood with a father obsessed with his hair and the lasting impact it left on him. He reflects on the power of speaking openly ... Show More

Minnesota Man Caught in Blind Mule Drug Trafficking Scam

<p>Rodney Baldus, a retired truck driver from Minnesota, believes he is the recipient of a large inheritance belonging to his late wife. The inheritance is in Italy, but he is told he must first fly to Africa to sign papers before going on to Italy. Since his travel expenses are ... Show More

Episode 78: The Chicken Whackers Pt. 1

A man named Luke originally reached out to the show on behalf of his younger brother. His brother Keegan left home to hitchhike and travel the country, which eventually turned into living on the street for years. When the family finally got Keegan off the street, he had many stor ... Show More

#530: Dad fakes it to the border

<p>Dad went out for a carton of milk? Jim and Kathy explore the story of a father and husband who supposedly went missing in a tragic kayaking incident, but as the story unfolds; they discover that things aren't what they seem. A double life is unveiled and the truth is somewhere ... Show More

Catfishing Strangers To Find Myself | With Cory Michael Smith

<p>As a teenager in Finland, Kalle Oskari Mattila was trying to figure out who he was. For help, he turned to Pamela Anderson. Cory Michael Smith ("1985," "Gotham") performed his story live at the Provincetown Film Festival.</p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a hre ... Show More

Father of Three Faked His Own Death To Runaway With Woman He Met Online

A Wisconsin judge sentences a husband and father to twice the amount of time recommended after he duped authorities and his family into believing he drowned while kayaking at a lake, all so he could make a new life overseas with an Eastern European woman. Amy and T.J. go over the ... Show More