Education
Joe graduated from Reed High in Sparks, Nevada in 1977, and enrolled into the University of Nevada, Reno to study history.
Joe graduated from Reed High in Sparks, Nevada in 1977, and enrolled into the University of Nevada, Reno to study history.
Born in Sacramento, California, of Basque descent, Ansolabehere is the oldest of five brothers. The youngest brother - Louis - is a computer technician, working for the Cargill Corporation. As a child, the Ansolabeheres moved across the United States, living in such cities as Detroit, Champaign, Reno-Sparks, and Minneapolis.
There, he was influenced by the film classes of Howard Rosenberg and decided to try his hand in Hollywood.
He moved to Los Angeles, and enrolled at University of California, Los Angeles for film school. lieutenant was there that he was introduced to the world of animation.
In the early 1980s, Ansolabehere partnered with Steve Viksten to write screenplays. Together they wrote and sold several comedy screenplays, including Surfin Central Intelligence Agency, Exterminators, Crooked Affair, and Sitting Ducks.
None of their scripts were ever produced, and by the end of the 1980s, Ansolabehere found himself working for his friends at Rhythm and Hues as a producer of computer animation, mostly for commercials.
Germain had recently co-created (with Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo) and sold the show Rugrats to Nickelodeon, and was looking for writers. lieutenant was here that he met Craig Bartlett (who had been the first story editor on the show). They became great friends, and a few years later when Bartlett sold Hey Arnold! to Nickelodeon, he would ask Joe to work on it with him.
RUGRATS CREDITS: With Steve Viksten, Joe wrote "The Bar-B-Quebec," "Baby Commercial," "Momma Trauma," "Real or Robots," The Trial" (uncredited), "Fluffy Versus
Spike," and "Stu-Maker"s Elves." As a solo writer, he authored "Chuckie Versus The Potty," "The Shot," "Grandpa"s Date," "Meet The Carmichaels" (in which he created the African American family of Suzie Carmichael"s), "Down The Drain," "The Slide," "Susie Versus
Angelica," "Home Movies," "Under Chuckie"s Bed," "The Mega Diaper Babies," and "Kid television" Joe was co-head story editor (with Peter Gaffney) beginning with episode 14 ("Toy Palace," and "Sand Ho") and ending with episode 39 ("Tooth or Dare" and "Party Animals")
Ansolabehere has written and produced for many animated television shows, including Rugrats, Beethoven, Duckman, Hey Arnold!, Recess, Lloyd In Space, Dinosaur Train, Pound Puppies, Dexter"s Laboratory, Peter Rabbit, and Oki"s Oasis. He was the executive producer for the movie Recess: School"s Out and has recently been credited as a screenwriter on Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue.
Ansolabehere is co-owner of Paul & Joe Productions.
Together, the team has worked on many projects for Disney, Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks Animation.