Nelvana Enterprises, Inc.
A great collection of original production animation cels for sale from Nelvana Enterprises, Inc. .
Original hand painted production animation cel of the Grinch from "Grinch Promo," 1980's; Nelvana Enterprises, Inc.; Production numbers in ink lower right; Set on an original hand painted production background with production numbers in pencil lower right; Size - Grinch: 6 1/2 x 3 1/4", Image 8 3/4 x 13", Background 10 x 14"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original hand painted production animation cel of Max from "Grinch Promo," 1980's; Nelvana Enterprises, Inc.; Production numbers in ink lower right; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Max: 4 x 2 1/4", Image 7 3/4 x 13"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original hand painted production animation cel of the Grinch from "Grinch Promo," 1980's; Nelvana Enterprises, Inc.; Production numbers in ink lower right; Set on an original hand painted production background with production numbers in pencil lower right; Size - Grinch: 6 1/2 x 3 1/4", Image 8 3/4 x 13", Background 10 x 14"; Unframed.
This exceptional piece of vintage animation artwork is more than just a striking visual; it is a tangible relic of a bold "what if" moment in holiday broadcasting history. Produced in the 1980s during Nelvana’s celebrated rise as a premier animation studio, this promotional cel was created for a high-stakes pitch sent directly to Dr. Seuss for a proposed special titled The Return of the Grinch. The studio’s strategy was to present a "tight visual" in the hopes that Geisel would feel secure enough to develop the project further. This resulted in a "superfast" production where the artist boarded, executed, and performed
their own clean-up on a short interactive sequence to demonstrate the studio's capabilities.
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The artwork beautifully captures the nostalgic charm of the decade, reflecting Nelvana’s distinctive visual style characterized by clean draftsmanship and highly expressive character design. Featured prominently is the unmistakable figure of the Grinch, rendered with his iconic mischievous grin and sharply expressive features. While the cel successfully conveys the character’s sly personality and theatrical presence, it also infuses the image with the polished aesthetic sensibility of 1980s television animation. This interpretation sought to bridge the gap between the 1966 classic and a new era, though Geisel famously remained a tough critic, ultimately disliking the accompanying birds in the pitch for not being "Seuss-like."
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The history behind the piece is further enriched by the legendary talent involved in its creation. The pitch featured a "beautiful, Seuss-like narrative" penned by Peter Sauder, which was later altered and recorded by the prolific Chris Wiggins. While Wiggins delivered a professional performance, the production team noted it could never quite reach the heights of the "amazing Boris Karloff narrative" that defined the original. Because this was a promotional and pitch-driven work rather than a standard production cel from a full special, it possesses an added level of rarity. Such pieces were produced in far smaller quantities and frequently discarded after use, making this a survivor of a "long shot" creative endeavor.
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For collectors of animation cels, broadcast memorabilia, and classic Christmas imagery, this piece offers a rare convergence of character significance, studio provenance, and seasonal nostalgia. It stands not only as a visually striking artwork but also as an important artifact of television marketing and development history from the golden age of holiday programming. Its association with Nelvana’s influential 1980s output makes it an especially appealing display piece, and would be a rare and important piece of animation history perfect for any collection.
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