Edward Seeman (July 16, 1931 – February 4, 2025), also known by the pseudonym Eduardo Cemano, was an American artist. His works spanned disparate fields, from animated television commercials for children to films of artistic nudity and hardcore pornography. He was also known for his cinemaphotography and for his work with Frank Zappa in the 1960s.
Career
Seeman was born in New York in 1931, and attended both the High School of Music & Art and the Pratt Institute. He began his animation career at Paramount Pictures, making animation cels for shows such as Popeye the Sailorman and Casper the Friendly Ghost. He won several awards for his work, including Clios and ADDYs.
Seeman's career was interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in Frankfurt with the 4th Infantry Division from 1952 to 1954. Seeman produced cartoons for Army's internal information program.
After returning from military service, Seeman and his partner Ray Favata began the media company Gryphon Productions, which ran from about 1960 to 1969. They produced commercials using cartoon characters, including the Trix rabbit, Sugar Bear and My Little Pony.
In 1967 Seeman paid Frank Zappa $2,000 to produce music for a Luden's cough drops television commercial. Zappa's music was matched with Seeman's animation and the advertisement won a Clio Award for "Best Use of Sound". An alternate version of the soundtrack, called "The Big Squeeze", later appeared on Zappa's posthumous 1996 album "The Lost Episodes". The completed soundtrack version includes narration from Seeman.
Seeman also produced other films with Zappa, such as the 14-hour montage Uncle Meat, for which he won a Cine Golden Eagle Award. In 1981 Seeman and Favata won an Emmy Award for their work on the intro to the children's television show The Great Space Coaster.
Seeman also produced and directed a number of pornographic films, such as The Healers, Fongaluli, and Madame Zenobia, which were marketed outside the US.
Death Seeman died at home in Ocala, Florida, on February 4, 2025. He was 93.Golden Age XXX Filmmaker, Photographer Ed Seeman Dies at 93. AVN. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
Films Film festival Frekoba, 1968, dancer Frances Alenikoff Dana and Clay, 1969, dancers Dana Wolfe and Clay Taliaferro High Contrast, 1969 Space Oddities, 1970 Incubus c. 1971, dancer Frances Alenikoff
Frank Zappa Electric Circus, c. 1967 Rehearsal, c. 1967 Sex, Paint and Sound, c. 1967 Mothers of Invention,1968Text from the Cine 1968 Golden Eagle Award: "Cine 1968 The council on International Nontheatrical Events congratulates Ed Seeman for the motion picture Mothers of Invention selected for its excellence to represent the United States of America in international motion picture events abroad and awards to it The Golden Eagle". Page with picture of the award. Also known as: Uncle Meat (40-minute version) Frank Zappa and the Original Mothers of Invention, video cassette version of film, 1987 The Real Uncle Meat Raw Meat Suzy Creamcheese What's Got Into You? Seeman contributed motion picture photography for Frank Zappa's: The Burnt Weeny Sandwich (unpublished) Uncle Meat 14 hrs version (the footage of the Mothers of Invention) (parts of it were shown publicly, but the whole was unpublished)
As Eduardo Cemano, sex industry films Millie's Homecoming, 1971 The Weirdos and the Oddballs (aka Zora Knows Best), 1971 The Healers, 1972 Fongaluli, 1972, also named Aphrodisiac and The Love Potion Madame Zenobia, 1973
Eduardo Cemano short films Blushing Nude Cucumber Floating Nudes
Gallery
External links Dana and Clay on YouTube High Contrast on YouTube Space Oddities on YouTube
References