Wolfgang Reitherman

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Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman (born Wolfgang Reithermann ; born June 26, 1909 in Munich , † May 22, 1985 in Burbank , California ) was a German-American director and animator. From 1934 to 1981 he was an animator and director in numerous Disney films .

Life

The family emigrated to America with Wolfgang, who was born in Munich, during his childhood, where he grew up in Sierra Madre (California). Fascinated by aviation, Reitherman worked briefly as an aircraft designer at the Douglas Aircraft Company after completing his schooling at Pasadena Junior College , before changing his career plans and studying at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles until 1933 . That same year he started at Disney. During the Second World War he served in the United States Air Force , where he was used as a flying ace in Africa, India, China and the South Pacific. Reitherman was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his achievements . After the war he went back to Disney Studios. After Walt Disney's death in 1966, he became a strong leader in the corporation, which he left after nearly 50 years in 1981 to retire.

With his wife Janie McMillan he had three sons, Bruce , Robert and Richard. Robert and Richard got a speaking role in the film The Witch and the Wizard , the later cinematographer and director Bruce Reitherman spoke Mowgli in the Jungle Book and Christopher Robin in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh .

In 1985 Reitherman died in a car accident. In 1989 he received the Disney Legends award post mortem . His German first name was Anglicized in "Woolie", with which he was also mentioned in Disney's films in the credits, as was his last name, in which the second "n" was left out at the end.

Career

From 1934 until his retirement in 1981, Reitherman worked as a draftsman and director for Disney. Walt Disney himself counted him among his nine old men - his nine closest collaborators. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1975 for his production of the short film Winnie the Pooh and Tigger . In 1985 he won the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Awards .

Filmography

Reitherman directed the following films:

As a draftsman he worked in numerous other films.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Disney legend: Wolfgang Reitherman
  2. ↑ a b c d biography on IMDB.com
personal data
SURNAME Reitherman, Wolfgang
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Reitherman, Woolie (nickname); Reithermann, Wolfgang (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-American director and animator
DATE OF BIRTH June 26, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Munich
DATE OF DEATH May 22, 1985
Place of death Burbank , California