I just heard through the grapevine that Will Vinton, creator of the California Raisins, has died at age 70.
He created the small singing fruits as TV advertising mascots. These were so successful that they got their own Saturday morning cartoon on CBS back in 1989. These animated adventures had classic Motown songs on the soundtrack. But apparently, no one cared about the animated series, and it was cancelled after one season.
Vinto also produced a Christmas special that doesn't air annually.
RIP, Mr. Vinton. You will be missed. :(