The certificate on the wall refers to Lenard Kester, Friz Freleng’s background man for a period in the early 1940s. Kester never got screen credit at Warner’s. Harvey Deneroff’s history of the Fleischer studio strike reveals Kester was hired by Max and Dave as as an opaquer at age 17, moved to inking and then background painting, but continued to receive $17.40 a week.
The 1940 Census shows he had worked for 16 weeks in 1939, getting $500 during that period. Where he was, I’m not sure as he didn’t join Schlesinger’s until March 1940.
His work was still being exhibited as late at 1996. He died in Los Angeles on January 13, 1977.
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