FERGUSON, Norm

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Birth/Death

Birth: September 2, 1902
Death: November 4, 1957

Occupation/Title

Animator/Production manager/Director

Bio Summary

Norm Ferguson was hired by Walt Disney in 1929. It was not until 1931 when Norm finally received recognition through his creation of Pluto. No other animator had the same handle on the character than him. His skill on handling Pluto was showcased in an animated short called “Playful Pluto” (1934) where Pluto is shown attempting to free himself from flypaper. Due to his ability to animate well, he was later assigned to supervise other animated shorts such as “The 3 Little Pigs.” He was also given the chance to supervise feature animation such as Snow White. After finishing supervising Peter Pan in 1953, he retires from the studio and dies couple of years later from diabetes.

Early Life/Family

Norm Ferguson was born from a Scottish Father and an Irish Mother. He lived and was raised at New York, U.S.A

Education/Training

Norm Ferguson was born to a Scottish Father and an Irish Mother. He lived and was raised at New York, U.S.A.

Career Outline

Norm Ferguson joined the Walt Disney Studios in 1929. After years of service, he retires in 1953 after finishing supervising his last feature animated film: Peter Pan.

Comments On Style

Norm Ferguson had the ability to create animated figures with weight, volume, and life. His characters had their own thoughts and personalities through his energetic animation. He enjoyed drawing things that felt “right” and if it means breaking certain rules, so be it as long as he got the results he wanted. Lastly, Norm Ferguson worked quickly and economically. For instance, he can finish forty feet of animation in a day, where the average then was ten to fifteen feet.

Influences

Personality

Norm influenced a few people such as Marc Davis who said, “Norm was a sharp performer and a showman.”
Norm Ferguson had always been a pursuer and never restricted his drawing dynamics by anatomy and drawing rules.

Anecdotes

Animator Fred Moore once said, “Fergy doesn’t know that you can’t raise the eyebrows above the head circle, so he goes ahead and doest is and it gives a great effect.”


Miscellaneous

Filmography

Frolicking Fish (1930) (animator)
Three Little Pigs (1933) (animator)
Shanghaied (1934) (animator)
Playful Pluto (1934) (animator)
Orphan's Benefit (1934) (animator)
The Golden Touch (1935) (animator)
Pluto's Judgement Day (1935) (animator)
On Ice (1935) (animator)
Alpine Climbers (1936) (animator)
Mickey's Elephant (1936) (animator)
Moose Hunters (1937) (animator)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (animation supervisor: "Queen")
Pinocchio (1940) (sequence director)
Fantasia (1940) (animation supervisor) (segment "Dance of the Hours") (as Norm Ferguson)
Dumbo (1941) (sequence director)
Sullivan's Travels (1941) (animator: "Playful Pluto") (uncredited)
Cinderella (1950) (directing animator)
Plutopia (1951) (animator) (as Norm Ferguson)
Alice in Wonderland (1951) (directing animator) (as Norm Ferguson)
R'coon Dawg (1951) (animator) (as Norm Ferguson)
Cold Turkey (1951) (animator)
Pluto's Party (1952) (animator) (as Norm Ferguson)
Peter Pan (1953) (directing animator) (as Norm Ferguson)
The Simple Things (1953) (animator)
Social Lion (1954) (animator)

Director - filmography
(1980s) (1940s)
The Reluctant Dragon (1941) (as Norm Ferguson) .... Himself
... aka A Day at Disneys (USA: TV title)
... aka Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studio
Saludos Amigos (1942) .... Himself
... aka Hello Friends (USA: literal English title)
The Three Caballeros (1944) (production supervisor)
Self - filmography
Fantasia (1940) (segment "Dance of the Hours") (as Norm Ferguson)
Production Manager - filmography
Pluto's Playmate (1941)
Saludos Amigos (1942)
... aka Hello Friends (USA: literal English title)
The Three Caballeros (1944)
Mickey Mouse Disco (1980) (as Norman Fergusan)


Honors

Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1987


Related Links

A-HAA: Biography: Clair Weeks' Goodbye Book 1952
http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=1754&page=3
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0272568/
http://members.lycos.co.uk/pixararchive./Disney/Animators/normferguson.php
http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/norman-ferguson/89594/biography
http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/detail?key=Norm+Ferguson

Bibliographic References

Contributors To This Listing

Rocky Vidal


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