Dick Kelsey
Dick Kelsey (May 3, 1905 – May 3, 1987), born Richmond I. Kelsey, was an important American early animation art director, pioneer theme park designer, and illustrator of children's books.
Also recorded as Richmond Kelsey
Dick Kelsey
- Full name
- Richmond Irwin Kelsey.
- Born
- 1905 · San Diego County.
- Died
- 1987 · Camarillo.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- illustrator · concept artist · animator · director · designer · screenwriter
- Fields
- book illustration · illustration · animation
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Dick Kelsey (May 3, 1905 – May 3, 1987), born Richmond I. Kelsey, was an important American early animation art director, pioneer theme park designer, and illustrator of children's books.
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wikidata · Q3026595 · wikipedia · Dick Kelsey
In this article
Early life and career
Early life and career
Kelsey was born in Ventura, California, and studied at Otis Art Institute and the Santa Barbara School of the Arts. In the 1930s he painted and exhibited in Santa Barbara. He served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. Kelsey's career spanned several Disney films of the 1940s and 1950s, after which he assisted in the design of Disneyland in 1955. He taught at Otis Art Institute and the Santa Barbara School of the Arts. Translating the screen arts to real buildings, Kelsey was hired by the Marco Engineering firm of Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood to be a lead art director to design Magic Mountain theme park at Golden, Colorado in 1957. Later Kelsey became mentor to another prominent Disney artisan, Ron Dias, whose films include Sleeping Beauty. In time, Kelsey returned to Disney work, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks and illustrating children's books of Disney films. He died on his 82nd birthday, at a care home in Camarillo, California.
Art department
Art department
• So Dear to My Heart (1948)
Art director
Art director
• Pinocchio (1940) • Fantasia ("Rite of Spring" segment) (1940) • Dumbo (1941) • Bambi (1942)
Miscellaneous crew
Miscellaneous crew
• Melody Time (1948) • Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
Art director
Art director
• Magic Mountain (1957)
Assistant designer
Assistant designer
• Disneyland (1955)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1905
Dick Kelsey born at San Diego County.
1987
Dick Kelsey died at Camarillo.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
San Diego County.
Birth place
Camarillo.
Death place
Writer
• Make Mine Music (1946) • Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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