Ollie Johnson

In Disney animation there was a group of men who worked for Walt that called themselves “the Nine Old Men.” Although they were all very young in age they were some of the original animators and designers for Walt Disney Animation Studios. They were the masterminds behind Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and also helped create other various movies. I have decided to focus on Ollie Johnson, one of the “Old Men” and the last to pass away in 2008.

Ollie Johnson was born in 1912, he attended Stanford before transferring to Chouinard Art Institute. After college he started work at Disney Animation Studios in 1935. He was an animation director on Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Fantasia, Bambi and The Rescuers. He also had a passion for steam trains, this went on to inspire Walt Disney to create his famous backyard railroad. In addition, Ollie’s love for trains was the start of inspiration for the Railroad that runs through Disneyland and later Disneyworld.

Ollie Johnson was an important addition to the Disney Industries because not only did he add his skill in physical animation but he also contributed one of the most iconic features to the Disney parks; the railroad.  Ollie presented his works as drawings and with his creative input Walt Disney World Productions had the success of producing the movie Fantasia and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

One of Ollie’s major works was The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, which was produced in 1949.  This was part of Walt Disney’s package films, a set of films done pre 1940s. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad were the last of the series of package films due to lack of funding from World War II. There was a large gap between the next film designed from the “old men” including Ollie Johnson. This film was broken into two segments and had its original plot line from the features the Wind in the Willows and The Sleepy Hollow. This film was important because it helped filmmakers incorporate other ideas from previous works. Ollie Johnson went on to help with the movie Rescuers in 1970. This was a great success for the remaining “old men”. It was also the first film done without Walt Disney and for it to have gone so well was an accomplishment for Disney Studios.

Ollie Johnson helped innovate Disney industry by creating characters for 22 Disney films, come up with the idea for the Disneyworld railroad and also shape the cartooning world by working with the multiplane camera. He was awarded the National Medal of Art by George W. Bush in 2005 and was also recognized by Walt Disney as a Disney Legend.

"Ollie Johnston." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Oct. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

"Wikia." Disney Wiki. N.p., 2001. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.