Eric Larson
Eric Larson | |
---|---|
Born |
Eric Cleon Larson September 3, 1905 Cleveland, Utah, U.S. |
Died |
October 25, 1988 83) La Cañada Flintridge, California, U.S. | (aged
Occupation | Animator |
Years active | 1933–1986 |
Known for | One of Disney's Nine Old Men |
Spouse(s) |
Gertrude Jannes Larson (m. 1933; d. 1975) |
Eric Cleon Larson (September 3, 1905 – October 25, 1988) was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios starting in 1933, and was one of the "Disney's Nine Old Men".
Born in Cleveland, Utah, Larson was the son of Danish immigrants and worked on such films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, and The Jungle Book. Throughout the years, Larson has animated characters on classics like The Aristocats and Robin Hood and also provided the titles on The Rescuers (along with Mel Shaw and Burny Mattinson). In the 1980s his work was minor, but he had been an animation consultant on animated films and shorts like The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective.
In 1973 he began a recruitment training program that brought a new generation of animators into the Disney studio. Many well-known figures in animation today went through Larson's training program, including Brad Bird, Don Bluth, Chris Buck, Tim Burton, Randy Cartwright, Ron Clements, Andreas Deja, Gary Goldman, Ed Gombert, Mark Henn, Dan Haskett, Glen Keane, Bill Kroyer, John Lasseter, John Musker, Phil Nibbelink, Richard Rich, Burny Mattinson, Melvin Shaw, Jeffrey J. Varab, John Pomeroy, Joe Ranft, Jerry Rees, Henry Selick and Tad Stones among many others.
Larson was married to Gertrude Larson. He was the longest working employee at Disney, having worked there for 53 years. He died on October 25,1988 at the age of 83.
Animator
- 3 Little Pigs (Three Little Pigs)
- Forest Animals, "Whistle While You Work" Sequence, Dwarfs on deer (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
- Figaro, Cleo (Figaro lick Cleo and Cleo going into castle), French Can-can dancers marionettes and Russian girl marionette, Donkeys (Pinocchio)
- Pegasus, Centaurs, Centaurettes (The Pastoral Symphony) (Fantasia)
- Bambi, Thumper, Faline, Great Stag, Owl (Bambi)
- "The Flying Gauchito", Donald Duck, José Carioca (The Three Caballeros)
- Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear (Song of the South)
- "Once Upon a Wintertime", "Johnny Applesead", "Little Toot" (Melody Time)
- Mr. Toad, Ichabod Crane (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)
- Cinderella, Prince Charming (Cinderella)
- Alice, Dinah, The Caterpillar, The Cheshire Cat, The Queen of Hearts, Flamingo (Alice in Wonderland)
- Flying to London Sequence, Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, Captain Hook (Peter Pan)
- Lady, Tramp, Peg, Beaver (Lady and the Tramp)
- Pongo, Perdita, Puppies, Colonel, Tibbs (101 Dalmatians)
- Wart, Merlin, Archimedes, Sir Ector, Madame Mim (The Sword in the Stone)
- Birds, rabbits, squirrels, butterflies, deer, racers (Mary Poppins)
- Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, King Louie, the Vultures (The Jungle Book)
- Roquefort, Scat Cat (The Aristocats)
- Little John, Vultures (Robin Hood)
- Kanga and Roo (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)