Disney called them his "Nine Old Men." They were his core group of animators, a group that rewrote the history of animation. And now, Ollie Johnston, the last of the nine, is gone.
On Monday, Johnston, 96, passed away. Johnston worked as an animating director for Walt Disney from 1935-1978.
Johnston is also famous for his book "The Illusion of Life," which is now considered by many in the industry to be the animator's bible.
Johnston is an icon. His works include: "Snow White," "Pinocchio," "Fantasia," "Bambi," "Cinderella," "Alice In Wonderland," "Peter Pan," "Lady and the Tramp," "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians"...Should I keep going?
Have you ever ridden the steam locomotive through the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World? You can thank Ollie for that too. It was Johnston's passion for trains, as well as Disney's childhood memories, that convinced Disney to build one in his parks.
Johnston was inducted as a Disney Legend, their version of a hall of fame, in 1989.
