Animation industry mourns the passing of director Philippe Vidal-Dumas

By John Freeman on September 10, 2025 • ( 0 )

Ellipse Animation has announced the unexpected death of the acclaimed director Philippe Vidal-Dumas aged just 59, a key figure in bringing many iconic comic-book characters to animated life in notable projects including Valerian & Laureline, Contraptus and The Garfield Show.

In a short statement on LinkedIn, Ellipse Animation describe Philippe as “a leading figure in European animation,” who “leaves an unique mark through his work on iconic series such as Garfield & Cie, Bobby & Bill, Valerian & Laureline, Contraptus, and most recently Belfort & Lupin.”

Belfort & Lupin, the tale of two mischievous dogs with very different backgrounds, produced in collaboration with France Télévisions, was this year honoured with a Pulcinella Award, presented at the festival for excellence in animation production.

His work on The Garfield Show, in close collaboration with the character’s creator, Jim Davis, spanned five seasons, achieved tremendous global success, and earned Philippe an Emmy Award nomination.

“Philippe is a key figure at Ellipse Animation, where he had just celebrated 35 years of collaboration. His warmth, generosity, curiosity, and attentiveness leave a profound impact on his colleagues and collaborators. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his partner, his son Benjamin, his family, and all those close to Philippe.”

Born on 16th June 1966 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Animation Magazine notes Vidal discovered his passion for visual storytelling very early in life. After studying English and Law, he joined CFT Gobelins (now Gobelins, l’école de l’image) in 1987 to pursue formal training in animation.

He became part of Ellipse Studio at its founding in 1990, beginning as a production assistant on Babar. He later worked as a layout supervisor on The Adventures of Tintin, Orson & Olivia, Rupert and Blake & Mortimer, and as a storyboard artist on The NeverEnding Story.

On Facebook, The Garfield Show writer Peter Berts described him as “a super cool guy, always listening, and a hell of talent.”

Also paying tribute, Mark Evanier, who worked on The Garfield Show as Supervising Producer, describes Philippe as “a giant in the French animation industry and a very nice, talented man.

”He supervised and often drew and designed everything that made it into a TV series after it left me. I was delighted with just about everything that resulted and the few times I wasn’t delighted were — I learned — instances where Philippe fought for something and lost. He was very good at his job.

”… Philippe was truly a lover of great cartooning and animation…and you could tell that by the way he approached every single job he did in those art forms. We wanted to work together again on something and I am very, very sorry that will never happen.“

• Ellipse Animation

• Animation Magazine: French Animation Director Philippe Vidal Dies Unexpectedly at Age 59

• Mark Evanier: Philippe Vidal-Dumas, R.I.P.

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.