Artist. Animator. Writer. Born in Colville, Washington, he and his mother moved to Los Angeles, California after the death of his father in 1920; he attending Fremont High School, where he played football and became the cartoonist for the school newspaper. In 1925, he landed a job in the art department at Hyperion Studios, the beginning of his lifelong association with Walt Disney. Disney paid for him to attend the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles, then transferred him to Animation, first as an 'in-betweener,' and then as Animator. He was, however, most noted as a story and gag man, and by the 1950s he had moved away from animation. He was then assigned to do story boards for the proposed 'Mickey Mouse Club.' Walt Disney then chose him as co-host for the show because he was "big and funny-looking." He assisted in the casting of the young Mouseketeers, and is credited with designing the mouse ears worn on the show. He remained with the program for its entire run, and after the series was canceled, he resumed his work at the studio. He later appeared on-camera occasionally in Disney specials and showed up at various Disneyland parades, and was often found sketching a the Disneyland Art Corner until it was closed in 1966, finally health issues cut down on appearances. He retired about 1970 but gave several interviews about his career including on the 'Tomorrow Show' in 1975. He succumbed to heart failure the following year at age 69. He was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 1992.
Artist. Animator. Writer. Born in Colville, Washington, he and his mother moved to Los Angeles, California after the death of his father in 1920; he attending Fremont High School, where he played football and became the cartoonist for the school newspaper. In 1925, he landed a job in the art department at Hyperion Studios, the beginning of his lifelong association with Walt Disney. Disney paid for him to attend the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles, then transferred him to Animation, first as an 'in-betweener,' and then as Animator. He was, however, most noted as a story and gag man, and by the 1950s he had moved away from animation. He was then assigned to do story boards for the proposed 'Mickey Mouse Club.' Walt Disney then chose him as co-host for the show because he was "big and funny-looking." He assisted in the casting of the young Mouseketeers, and is credited with designing the mouse ears worn on the show. He remained with the program for its entire run, and after the series was canceled, he resumed his work at the studio. He later appeared on-camera occasionally in Disney specials and showed up at various Disneyland parades, and was often found sketching a the Disneyland Art Corner until it was closed in 1966, finally health issues cut down on appearances. He retired about 1970 but gave several interviews about his career including on the 'Tomorrow Show' in 1975. He succumbed to heart failure the following year at age 69. He was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 1992.
Bio by: Iola
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"The Big Moosketeer"
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