Disney Animator Ollie Johnston Dies

BURBANK, April 16: Ollie
Johnston, a veteran Walt Disney animator who contributed to the studio’s
classic films like Fantasia and
Cinderella, has passed away
from natural causes at the age of 95.

Johnston was the last
surviving member of Walt Disney's elite group of animation pioneers known as
the "Nine Old Men." During his 43-year career at The Walt Disney
Studios, he contributed animation and direction to such films as Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Song of the South, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping
Beauty, Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Robin
Hood, The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound.

In addition to his
achievements as an animator and directing animator, Johnston (in collaboration
with colleague Frank Thomas) authored four books: Disney Animation: The
Illusion of Life, Too Funny for
Words, Bambi: The Story and the
Film and The Disney Villain. Johnston and Thomas were also the title subjects
of a 1995 feature-length documentary entitled Frank and Ollie, written and directed by Frank's son, Theodore
(Ted) Thomas. In November 2005, Johnston became the first animator to be
honored with the National Medal of Arts at a White House ceremony.

Johnston is survived by
his two sons: Ken Johnston and his wife Carolyn, and Rick Johnston and his wife
Teya Priest Johnston.

John Lasseter, the chief
creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, commented:
"Ollie had such a huge heart and it came through in all of his animation,
which is why his work is some of the best ever done. Aside from being one of
the greatest animators of all time, he and Frank (Thomas) were so incredibly
giving and spent so much time creating the bible of animation—Disney
Animation: The Illusion of Life—which
has had such a huge impact on so many animators over the years. Ollie was a
great teacher and mentor to all of us. His door at the studio was always open
to young animators, and I can't imagine what animation would be like today
without him passing on all of the knowledge and principles that the 'Nine Old
Men' and Walt Disney developed. He taught me to always be aware of what a
character is thinking, and we continue to make sure that every character we
create at Pixar and Disney has a thought process and emotion that makes them
come alive."

—By Irene Lew