A.S.I.F.A. stands for "Association Internationale du Film D'Animation." Just call it, like most folks do, "the animation society." The group does much to preserve and promote animation and its history so we're glad to have it around. They also stage wonderful events. It isn't listed yet on their website but the Hollywood Chapter has an evening coming up to honor the late, great voice actor — and one of the nicest men I ever knew — Daws Butler. It's on July 31 and it will celebrate the release of a new book, Scenes for Actors and Voices, which reprints many of the exercises that Daws wrote for the wonderful acting classes he used to teach in a little workshop in the back of his house. Some of the best voice actors working today studied with him in that garage and read these scenes under his supervision, and now they've been compiled into a book by Ben Ohmart and Joe Bevilacqua. Joe was among Daws's students, as were Corey Burton and Nancy Cartwright, who will be there that evening to perform scenes and autograph the book. One of Daws's best friends, the fabulous June Foray, will also participate.
I'll point you to a link with more details as soon as one is posted but for now, I thought those of you who are in Southern California would like to mark the date. That's the evening of Thursday, July 31, commencing at 7:30 at the Glendale Public Library Auditorium.