Cyrano
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2004
Although not strictly related to the podcast I thought since many here are Disney fans as well as Disney theme park fans this would be of interest 
http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=22932
Ollie Johnston, the last surviving animator of Disney's famed Nine Old Men, passed away today April 14, 2008. Johnston worked for the Mouse House from 1935 to 1978, working as an animator on such classics as SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, FANTASIA, BAMBI and PINOCCHIO. He last worked on THE RESCUERS, a film for which he was caricatured as the cat Rufus.
Along with longtime friend and collaborator Frank Thomas, Johnston co-authored the seminal animation reference book THE ILLUSION OF LIFE, which is used as an animation textbook in schools around the globe. Johnston's friendship and partnership with Thomas was warmly chronicled in the 1995's documentary FRANK AND OLLIE, directed by Frank's son Theodore.
Oliver Martin Johnston Jr. was born in Palo Alto, California, and attended Stanford University, where he met Thomas on the staff of the STANFORD CHAPARRAL humor magazine. Later he would attend the University of California, Berkeley, and Chouinard Art Institute.
He first joined Disney, working on shorts such as MICKEY'S GARDEN and THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. In 1943, he married Disney ink & paint artist Marie Worthey, who passed away on May 20, 2005.
His lifelong love of trains inspired him to build a scaled railroad and locomotives in his backyard, which inspired the train at Disneyland.
He was named a Disney Legend in 1989, and in 2005, Johnston was one of the recipients of the National Medal of Arts.
This is truly an end of an era. These men have done more for animation than any other people living or dead. If you are an animation enthusiast, you already know Frank and Ollie. If you are a fellow animator, you know the rest:
Frank Thomas
Ollie Johnston
Milt Kahl
Woolie Reitherman
Les Clark J
John Lounsbery
Eric Larson
Ward Kimball
Marc Davis
Here is Glen Keane, one of the so called "new nine old men" has some interesting things to say on Ollie: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6F000JASrGA
http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=22932
Ollie Johnston, the last surviving animator of Disney's famed Nine Old Men, passed away today April 14, 2008. Johnston worked for the Mouse House from 1935 to 1978, working as an animator on such classics as SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, FANTASIA, BAMBI and PINOCCHIO. He last worked on THE RESCUERS, a film for which he was caricatured as the cat Rufus.
Along with longtime friend and collaborator Frank Thomas, Johnston co-authored the seminal animation reference book THE ILLUSION OF LIFE, which is used as an animation textbook in schools around the globe. Johnston's friendship and partnership with Thomas was warmly chronicled in the 1995's documentary FRANK AND OLLIE, directed by Frank's son Theodore.
Oliver Martin Johnston Jr. was born in Palo Alto, California, and attended Stanford University, where he met Thomas on the staff of the STANFORD CHAPARRAL humor magazine. Later he would attend the University of California, Berkeley, and Chouinard Art Institute.
He first joined Disney, working on shorts such as MICKEY'S GARDEN and THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. In 1943, he married Disney ink & paint artist Marie Worthey, who passed away on May 20, 2005.
His lifelong love of trains inspired him to build a scaled railroad and locomotives in his backyard, which inspired the train at Disneyland.
He was named a Disney Legend in 1989, and in 2005, Johnston was one of the recipients of the National Medal of Arts.
This is truly an end of an era. These men have done more for animation than any other people living or dead. If you are an animation enthusiast, you already know Frank and Ollie. If you are a fellow animator, you know the rest:
Frank Thomas
Ollie Johnston
Milt Kahl
Woolie Reitherman
Les Clark J
John Lounsbery
Eric Larson
Ward Kimball
Marc Davis
Here is Glen Keane, one of the so called "new nine old men" has some interesting things to say on Ollie: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6F000JASrGA
