James Algar

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James Algar (born June 11, 1912 in Modesto , California , † February 26, 1998 in Carmel , California) was an American cartoonist , screenwriter , director and producer . He was one of Walt Disney's most important collaborators.

Life

James Algar studied journalism and after graduating in 1934 got a job in the Walt Disney Studios, not as a journalist, but because of his talent for drawing. His first work was the implementation of the forest animals in Snow White and the seven dwarfs (1937). He first worked as a director for the animated film production Fantasia (1940). On Disney's world success Bambi (1942) he worked again as a draftsman.

After the Second World War , James Algar focused on screenwriting and directing and devoted himself to documentary filmmaking. His first documentary The Seal Island ( Seal Island , 1948) won the Academy Award for Best Short Film (1949). The success of the film led to more animal films being produced in the 1950s, and today James Algar is considered to be the pioneer of Disney documentaries . However, he was not responsible for the photography of these films, but always for the script and direction.

Among the most important productions include not only the Robben Island , the films in the valley of the Biber ( In Beaver Valley , 1950), Earth, the great unknown ( Nature's Half Acre , 1951), waterfowl ( Water Birds , 1952), The Living Desert ( The Living Desert , 1953), In the land of the bears ( bear Country , 1953), the Vanishing Prairie ( the Vanishing Prairie , 1954), the African Lion ( the African Lion , 1955), secrets of life ( secrets of life , 1956) - for the he received the " Golden Bear " at the Berlinale 1957 -, Grand Canyon (1958), Lobo, der Wolf ( The Legend of Lobo , 1962) and The Incredible Journey ( The Incredible Journey , 1963). For White Wilderness ( White Wilderness , 1958) and Wild Cat ( Jungle Cat , 1959), he was at the Berlinale 1959 and the Berlinale 1960 again awarded respectively to the "Golden Bear" for best documentary.

After his success as an animator and documentary film director, James Algar ventured into his own productions for the Disney studio. From 1962 to 1975 he made nine feature films and fourteen own episodes of the television series The Wonderful World of Disney . In 1977 James Algar retired from the film industry. The films in which he played a leading role were honored with nine Academy Awards , among others .

James Algar was posthumously declared a Disney legend a few months after his death on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Walt Disney Productions .

In 2016 he received the Retro Hugo Award for Fantasia .

literature

  • Nicolaus Schroeder: 50 classic films. Gerstenberg Verlag, Hildesheim 2004, ISBN 3-806-72509-8 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ although these Oscars all went to the respective producer (so mostly to Walt Disney).
  2. ↑ James Algar at Disney Legends
personal data
SURNAME Algar, James
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American animator, screenwriter, film director and producer
DATE OF BIRTH June 11, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Modesto , California
DATE OF DEATH February 26, 1998
Place of death Carmel , California