REITHERMAN, Wolfgang "Woolie"

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Birth/Death

Birth:26 June 1909
Death: 22 May 1985

Occupation/Title



Animator, Director, Producer

Bio Summary

Born in Munich GermanyReitherman's family moved to America when he was a child. After attending Pasadena Junior College and briefly working as a draftsman for Douglas Aircraft. Reitherman returned to school to study watercolor at the Chouinard Art Institute graduating, in 1933.
Early Life/Family

Education/Training

Career Outline



Began working for Disney in 1934 where he worked on a number of classic shorts. He also contributed to various feature fims starting in 1940, and in 1961 served as Disney’s chief animation director until 1977. He retired in 1981.

Comments On Style

Influences

Personality
 Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman once described himself as "full of life and ginger" and his animation as having "vitality and ... quality."


Personality


 Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman once described himself as "full of life and ginger" and his animation as having "vitality and ... quality."



Anecdotes

Woolie once said about animation, "It was a romance from the start. The minute you know you can make a drawing move, the static drawing loses its appeal: movement is life. Animation represents the greatest breakthrough in 20th Century art."

Miscellaneous

During World War II, Woolie left the Studio to enlist with the U.S. Air Force. He became an ace pilot, serving in Africa, India, China, and the South Pacific, earning the distinguished Flying Cross medal.

Filmography

Funny Little Bunnies (1934) (animator) (uncredited) 

The Wise Little Hen (1934) (animator)
Two-Gun Mickey (1934) (animator) (uncredited)
The Band Concert (1935) (animator)
Music Land (1935) (animator) (uncredited)
Cock o' the Walk (1935) (animator)
Broken Toys (1935) (animator)
Elmer Elephant (1936) (animator)
Hawaiian Holiday (1937) (animator)
Clock Cleaners (1937) (animator)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (animator) (as Woolie Reitherman)
Donald's Cousin Gus (1939) (animator)
Pinocchio (1940) (animator director) (as Woolie Reitherman) 

Fantasia (1940) (animation supervisor) (segment "Rite of Spring")
The Reluctant Dragon (1941) (animator) 
... aka A Day at Disneys (USA: TV title) 
... aka Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studio
Dumbo (1941) (animator director) (as Woolie Reitherman)
Saludos Amigos (1942) (animator) 
... aka Hello Friends (USA: literal English title)
El Gaucho Goofy (1943) (animator)
Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947) (animator)
Fun and Fancy Free (1947) (directing animator)
Tennis Racquet (1949) (animator)
Goofy Gymnastics (1949) (animator)
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
Cinderella (1950) (animator) 

How to Ride a Horse (1950) (animator)
Cold War (1951) (animator)
Alice in Wonderland (1951) (directing animator)
Two Gun Goofy (1952) (animator)
Peter Pan (1953) (directing animator)
Lady and the Tramp (1955) (directing animator)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1958) (animator)
Sleeping Beauty (1959) (sequence director)
Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959) (sequence director)
Mickey Mouse Disco (1979) (animator) 



Director

The Truth About Mother Goose (1957) 

Goliath II (1960) 

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
"Disneyland" (episode "An Adventure in Color/ Mathemagic Land") (episode "A Square Peg in a Round Hole") 

Aquamania (1961)
The Hunting Instinct (1962)
The Sword in the Stone (1963)
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966)
The Jungle Book (1967)
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968)
The Aristocats (1970)
Robin Hood (1973)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
The Rescuers (1977)


Producer:

the Aristocats (1970) (producer) 

Robin Hood (1973) (producer)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) (producer)
The Rescuers (1977) (producer)
The Fox and the Hound (1981) (producer)

The Reluctant Dragon (1941) (uncredited) .... Artist
... aka A Day at Disneys (USA: TV title) 
... aka Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studio 


Filmography as: Miscellaneous Crew, Director, Producer, Actor, Himself, Archive Footage
"Disneyland"
A Story of Dogs (1954) TV Episode .... Himself

Walt Disney: A Golden Anniversary Salute (1973) (TV) .... Himself



Honors

Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1983


Related Links

A-HAA: Story: Writing Cartoons Part Four- The Rough Boar
A-HAA: History: Dispatch From Disney's 1943
A-HAA: Biography: Clair Weeks' Goodbye Book 1952

Bibliographic References

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0718627/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Reitherman
http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/detail?key=Wolfgang+Reitherman

BIO-AAA-213

Contributors To This Listing

Jacob Cementina

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