Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Raymond A. Freil

Raymond “Dick” Freil was born on June 25, 1893 in Yonkers, New York, according to his World War I draft card which had his middle name as McShea (his mother’s maiden name). However, in earlier census records, his middle initial was R. When Freil passed away his middle initial was A. 

The 1900 U.S. Federal Census said Freil was the oldest of four children born to Richard, a barber, and Mary. His father was born in Pennsylvania and mother in New Jersey. The family lived in Yonkers, New York at 32 Madison Avenue. 

According to the 1905 New York state census, the family of seven resided at 325 Walnut Street in Yonkers. Freil’s father was an insurance agent. 

In the 1910 census, the Freil family had grown to nine members. They remained in Yonkers at a new address, 34 Victor Street. 

The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, New York), May 24, 1939, said Freil attended School Twelve, St. Joseph’s School and Yonkers High School and trained at the Art Student’s League in New York City. He “entered the newspaper cartooning field at an early age and when seventeen was doing a cartoon a week for the old New York Telegram. He was associated with Bert Green in the creation of Green's famous ‘Letters of an Interior Decorator.’” In 1916 Freil produced the newspaper panel feature Days You’ll Never Forget, which was distributed by an unknown syndicate.

 

The 1911 Yonkers city directory listed Freil as an artist at 34 Victor Street. He was an artist at 177 Elm Street in 1913 through 1916 directories. In 1917 Friel’s Yonkers residence was 11 Terrace Place. 

The New York, New York Marriage License Index, at Ancestry.com, said Freil and Ruth R. Walker obtained a Manhattan license on December 8, 1916.

Freil signed his World War I draft card on June 5, 1917. Freil, his wife and child lived at 12 Terrace Place in Yonkers. He was employed at the Cameragraph Film Co., 144 West 44th Street, in Manhattan. His description was slender build, medium height, with black hair and hazel eyes. 

In 1918 the Yonkers directory listed Freil at 402 East 242nd Street which was in the Bronx. Freil may have been involved with an animation studio. Raoul Barré formed his animation studio in the Bronx. With Thomas Bowers, they founded the Barré-Bowers Studio which produced the Mutt and Jeff animated cartoons in 1916. Under duress, Barré quit in 1918. Freil was under contract to the Bud Fisher Films Corporation, beginning April 1, 1919, to continue work on the series. Freil’s contract was transferred to the Jefferson Film Corporation.

The 1920 census said Freil, his wife and son were Bronx residents at 2565 Grand Concourse. Freil was an animation cartoonist. Who’s Who in Animated Cartoons (2006) said the Mutt and Jeff series, in 1921, continued with the Jefferson Film Corporation. 

The February 12, 1921 issues of Motion Picture News and Moving Picture World said Freil was joining the scenario staff of Coast Studio. 

The Story of British Animation (2021) said “... It was with the arrival in 1924 of another American animator, Dick Friel [sic], that the British industry switched to the ‘Bray-Hurd process’ that was used into the 1910s ...” The Herald-Statesman said Freil animated cartoons for United Artists in England. 

Freil was not found in the 1925 New York state census. He was listed as a writer in the 1927 Yonkers directory at 43 Ravine Avenue. In the 1928 and 1929 directories he was a cartoonist with the Yonkers Record newspaper. 

 

Freil’s wife and son were staying with his in-laws at the same address in Yonkers. Freil’s whereabout is not known. He was listed at the same address in the 1931 Yonkers directory. 

Freil’s 1935 patent application for a “Method for Producing Animated Pictures” was granted on August 24, 1937 and published in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office. 

Some time after 1935 Freil moved West to work at the Walt Disney studio. He was mentioned in the 1991 book, Disney’s Art of Animation #1: From Mickey Mouse to Beauty and the Beast, “Another artist, Dick Friel [sic], created a beautiful water splash in forty or fifty frames instead of the usual eight.” 

Around May 1938 Freil had a heart ailment and returned to Yonkers in the summer. 

Freil passed away on May 24, 1939 in Yonkers. An obituary appeared in Motion Picture Herald, June 3, 1939. 

Raymond Freil Dies of Heart Ailment

Raymond A. Freil, cartoonist, scenario writer and former motion picture director, died May 24th in Yonkers, N. Y., of a heart ailment. He used the name Dick Freil in writing and drawing. He was 45.

Mr. Freil drew for Bud Fisher and Walt Disney in the early days of the animated cartoon. He wrote scenarios, played in Mack Sennett comedies and had directed Richard Dix and Johnny Hines in pictures. Mr. Freil also had been connected with Fox Film Company, Famous Players and Paramount.

IMDB incorrectly lists all of Raymond Freil's credits under then name Richard Friel.