Frank Thomas, who helped pioneer the animated art form as a member of Walt Disney’s elite “Nine Old Men,” passed away Wednesday night at his home in Flintridge, California. He celebrated his 92nd birthday on Sunday with family and friends, including director Brad Bird, who honored Thomas and lifelong friend and colleague Ollie Johnston – the last of the “Nine Old Men – with cameo appearances in both THE IRON GIANT and Disney/Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES.

Thomas, who had a legendary career at the Disney Studios spanning 43 years, had been in declining health following a cerebral hemorrhage earlier this year. In addition to his achievements as an animator and directing animator, Thomas (in collaboration with Johnston) authored four landmark books: Disney Animation: THE ILLUSION OF LIFE, TOO FUNNY FOR WORDS, BAMBI: THE STORY AND THE FILM and THE DISNEY VILLAIN. Thomas and Johnston were also the title subjects of the 1995 feature-length documentary, FRANK AND OLLIE, written and directed by Frank’s son, Theodore (Ted) Thomas.

Thomas’ remarkable animation included such indelible moments as the first date and spaghetti dinner in LADY AND THE TRAMP; Thumper teaching Bambi how to ice-skate in BAMBI; Baloo the bear telling the man-cub Mowgli that he can’t stay in the jungle in THE JUNGLE BOOK; Pinocchio trapped in the birdcage by the evil puppeteer Stromboli in PINOCCHIO; the lovesick squirrel whose heart is broken in SWORD IN THE STONE; Captain Hook playing the piano in PETER PAN; and the dancing penguins in MARY POPPINS. He also animated several of Mickey Mouse’s most impressive scenes in such films as THE POINTER and BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR.

Noted animation historian/filmmaker John Canemaker described Thomas’ special talents in his book, WALT DISNEY’S NINE OLD MEN: “Thomas is particularly known and admired for his ability to animate emotionally sensitive material; the saddest scenes, the most romantic, most deeply felt sequences, the sincerest heart-tuggers usually found their way to his drawing board.”

Commenting on Thomas’ passing, Michael Eisner, ceo of The Walt Disney Co., said, “Frank is an important part of the Disney legacy and one of the most amazing talents to ever work at the Studio. From SNOW WHITE and BAMBI, up through THE RESCUERS, he helped to shape the characters, performances and movies that Disney produced and that are loved all around the world. He was a wonderful person who brought a lot of joy to our lives and he will be truly missed.”

Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, added, “It was a thrill and a great pleasure to have known and worked with Frank Thomas here at Disney. His youthful spirit, gentle humor and enormous talent, left a big imprint on the Disney animated features. He was truly one of the greatest talents the industry has ever known.”

David Stainton, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, commented, “All of us at Disney join the animation community and movie fans around the world in celebrating the life and legacy of Frank Thomas. His work set a standard that we all continue to strive for and our art form is where it is today because of the foundations he established.”

Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter (head of creative for Pixar Animation Studios and director of the TOY STORY films, A BUG’S LIFE and the upcoming CARS) said, “Frank was a giant in our field and he meant everything to me and to all of us who love the art of animation. Besides being one of the key guys to help elevate animation from a novelty to an incredible art form, he was so generous in passing along his knowledge and experiences to the generations that followed. The books that he wrote with Ollie had a big impact on so many of us working in animation today. Frank was one of my main mentors and a tremendous influence on me. I feel very privileged to have known him.”