Disney Celebrates 90 Years of Animation

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Songwriter Richard Sherman, director Rich Moore, director Chris Buck, director Jennifer Lee, producer Peter Del Vecho, General Manager, Walt Disney Animation Studios Andrew Millstein, actor Josh Gad, music supervisor Tom MacDougall, Executive director John Lasseter and composer Christophe Beck attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Richard Sherman; Rich Moore; Chris Buck; Jennifer Lee; Peter Del Vecho; Andrew Millstein; Josh Gad; Tom MacDougall; John Lasseter; Christophe Beck

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Songwriter Richard Sherman, director Rich Moore, director Chris Buck, director Jennifer Lee, producer Peter Del Vecho, General Manager, Walt Disney Animation Studios Andrew Millstein, actor Josh Gad, music supervisor Tom MacDougall, Executive director John Lasseter and composer Christophe Beck attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923 in a back room of a real estate office in Los Angeles. By 1928, a little plucky mouse danced and sung his way down the river in “Steamboat Willie” and the rest is history.

On December 10th Bob Iger, John Lasseter, Alan Horn and Ed Catmull hosted a cocktail reception in Legends Plaza on the Disney lot to celebrate 90 years of Walt Disney Animation with Disney legends, filmmakers, artists, and voice talent.

The 90th Celebration celebrated Disney’s animation legacy, its iconic living heroes, artists and filmmakers, while spotlighting the new wave and renaissance of artistry, creativity, and talent at WDAS, most notably evident with WDAS’s 53rd animated feature, FROZEN. A screening of Frozen preceded the event.

Press release and more photos follow:

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10: Voice actor Stan Freberg (L) and Tinker Bell reference model Margaret Kerry attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Stan Freberg; Margaret Kerry

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: Voice actor Stan Freberg (L) and Tinker Bell reference model Margaret Kerry attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10: (L-R) President, The Walt Disney Studios Alan Bergman, executive director John Lasseter and General Manager, Walt Disney Animation Studios Andrew Millstein attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Alan Bergman; John Lasseter; Andrew Millstein

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: (L-R) President, The Walt Disney Studios Alan Bergman, executive director John Lasseter and General Manager, Walt Disney Animation Studios Andrew Millstein attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Voice actress Kathryn Beaumont, executive director John Lasseter, Inker/scene planner Ruthie Tompson and stylist Alice Davis attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation  celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Kathryn Beaumont; John Lasseter; Ruthie Tompson; Alice Davis

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Voice actress Kathryn Beaumont, executive director John Lasseter, Inker/scene planner Ruthie Tompson and stylist Alice Davis attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation
celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10: Animator Floyd Norman (L) and Adrienne Norman attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Floyd Norman; Adrienne Norman

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: Animator Floyd Norman (L) and Adrienne Norman attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

BURBANK, CA - DECEMBER 10:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger (L) and animator Milton Quon attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California.  (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation) *** Local Caption *** Bob Iger; Milton Quon

BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger (L) and animator Milton Quon attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)

Attending the festivities on December 10, 2013:

LEGENDS:
· Tony Anselmo- voice of Donald Duck
· Kathryn Beaumont – voice of Alice in Alice in Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan
· Alice Davis – Disney legendary artist in her own right and wife of legend Marc Davis
· Bill Farmer – voice of Goofy
· Floyd Norman – animator Sleeping Beauty, Jungle Book, first African American animator at Disney
· Milton Quon – artist, Fantasia, Dumbo (100 years old!)
· Richard Sherman – composer, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, etc.
· Russi Taylor – voice of Minnie Mouse
· Ruthie Thompson – 40-year career as inker (103 years old!)
· Dave Smith – founder and former chief archivist at the Walt Disney Archives

ANIMATORS/FILMMAKERS:
· Ron Clements- Director, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Princess and the Frog
· Mike Gabriel- first film was Fox & the Hound, directed Rescuers Down Under, Pocahontas, Art Director – Wreck–It Ralph
· Burny Mattinson- celebrating his 60th year at the company, storyboard artist perhaps best known for Winnie the Pooh and Mickey’s Christmas Carol
· Margaret Kerry – reference model for Tinker Bell in Peter Pan
· Andreas Deja – animator, Scar in Lion King, Jafar in Aladdin
· Rich Moore – Director “Wreck It Ralph”
· Jenny Lewis- writer/performer (Bolt)

FROZEN:
· Josh Gad
· Jennifer Lee
· Chris Buck
· Peter Del Vecho
· Christophe Beck
· Mark Henn- animator-see below

GET A HORSE!
· Dorothy McKim
· Eric Goldberg-head of animation
· Mark Henn-animator-see above

EXECUTIVES:
· Bob Iger
· Alan Horn
· John Lasseter
· Ed Catmull
· Andrew Millstein
· Alan Bergman
· David Sameth

Leave a comment

Filed under animation, Bob Iger, Disney, Floyd Norman, Milton Quon, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Studios

Leave a Reply