Family, friends and colleagues of pioneering Disney artist/storyman Joe Grant will celebrate his life and career on June 28 at The Alex Theatre in Glendale at 7:00 pm. Grant, who passed away May 6 at the age of 96, designed the Queen/Witch character in SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS and co-wrote DUMBO.
While SNOW WHITE (1937) was still in production, Grant was charged with creating the studios Character Model department a think tank for future animated projects that experimented with innovative character design, sculpted three-dimensional models and did early story development. With his vast knowledge of art and literature, Grant was considered Disneys top intellectual and had a profound influence on the films that got made. He played a major role on the next two projects PINOCCHIO and FANTASIA (1940) and worked closely with Disney, Leopold Stokowski and his creative partner Dick Huemer on the latter to select the music and direct the story development for that landmark film. The Character Model department also had a hand in THE RELUCTANT DRAGON (1941), SALUDOS AMIGOS (1942), among others.
Earlier this year, Grant attended the Academy Awards, where the humorous short film he had conceived about a narcissistic cat, LORENZO (directed by Mike Gabriel), vied for Best Animated Short.
Historian Leonard Maltin will serve as host and confirmed participants include Eric Goldberg (who collaborated with Grant on FANTASIA/2000), Gabriel, protégé Pete Docter (MONSTERS, INC.), David Stainton, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, producer Don Hahn (THE LION KING), writers Burny Mattinson (THE LION KING) and Dean DeBlois (LILO & STITCH) and Roy Disney. Plus PINK ELEPHANTS ON PARADE, BABY WEEMS, WILLIE THE WHALE and LORENZO will be screened.
Celebrating Joe Grant is being organized by The Grant Family and Walt Disney Feature Animation. Attendence is by invitation only.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
