Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, on October 18, 1942, Eli Noyes’ journey into animation began in his Harvard dorm room, where he discovered his profound love for this art form. His first animation, a testament to his burgeoning talent, was a captivating 8-minute video of moving clay pieces. This was the moment when Eli’s passion for creation truly ignited, leaving a lasting impression on all who witnessed it.
A few years later, when 23-year-old Eli was in his first year of graduate school of architecture, his film Clay or the Origin of Species was nominated for an Oscar. He skipped class, and he and a few close friends and family flew out to Hollywood to attend the Oscars.
While Eli didn’t win the Oscar, it marked a turning point in his career. It was the catalyst that led him to leave architecture behind and move to San Francisco, where he began creating films for iconic shows like “Sesame Street” and “MTV”. His breakthrough came with “Sesame Street”, Where his innovative storytelling techniques left a lasting impact. Reflecting on Eli’s career, Ralph Guggenheim, the producer of Sesame Street, said, “ His stories were always terrific, and he had a long career looking for innovative techniques that enhanced his storytelling.”
In 1983, Eli and television producer Kit Laybourne founded the company, “ Noyes & Laybourne,” which aired several hit shows, such as the classic “Eureeka’s Castle.” Shortly after, the two joined “Colossal Pictures,” expanding their audience even more. They made animated ads for HBO, IMDB, Scholastic, ABC Sports, and others as they drove the company forward. Noyes was glad to create these animations since the industry expanded and became more welcoming to these creative films. In a 1988 interview with Backstage Magazines, he stated, “Back in the early and mid-seventies, when I was involved with making experimental and animated films, I was considered odd.”
On March 23, 2023, Eli Noyes died in his Noe Valley, San Francisco home. Noyes was always known to be smiling, having fun, and doing the things he loved. It was stated that when he passed, he still had a smile on his face. In addition to his wife, Noyes’s legacy lives on by his two children, Abigail and Issac Noyes.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/03/arts/television/eli-noyes-dead.html
