Eugene Merril "Gene" Deitch (August 8, 1924 – April 16, 2020) was an American illustrator, animator and film director. His movie Munro won an Academy Award for Animated Short Film in 1961. It was the first short made outside of the United States to receive an Oscar.
Deitch was born in Chicago, Illinois. He has three sons: Kim, Simon, and Seth. They are artists and writers for comics. Deitch was married to Zdenka Deitch.
Deitch died in Prague on April 16, 2020 of bowel obstruction, at the age of 95.