Don Lusk

He received the Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement in 2014 and, by the time of his death at 105, was the last surviving animator from Disney's golden age.

• Name — Donald R. "Don" Lusk • Born — 28 October 1913 • Birthplace — Burbank, California, U.S. • Died — 30 December 2018 • Place of death — San Clemente, California, U.S. • Occupation — Animator, director • Years Active — 1933–1993 • Employer — Walt Disney Productions (1933–1961) Walter Lantz Productions (1960–1961) Hanna-Barbera (1961–1993) Grantray-Lawrence Animation (1966) Bill Melendez Productions (1969-1977) DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (1972) • Children — 2 • Awards — Winsor McCay Award (2014)

Donald Ross Lusk was born on October 28, 1913, in Burbank, a suburb of Los Angeles, California to Perceval Knox Lusk and Louise Opie Ross Parrish, who were married in 1908 in California. He served in the United States Marine Corps for three years, during World War II, in its newly created Animation Unit.

Lusk was hired by The Walt Disney Company in 1933 as an Inbetweener. His first film as an animator was 1938's Ferdinand the Bull adapted from 1936's The Story of Ferdinand by author Munro Leaf. He worked on Pinocchio, Fantasia (The Nutcracker Suite and The Pastoral Symphony Segments), Bambi, Song of the South, Melody Time, So Dear to My Heart, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Lusk left Disney in 1960, but continued to work as an animator during the 1960s and 1970s. During the early 1960s, he worked at Walter Lantz Productions under Jack Hannah's unit. Aside from animation, Lusk also directed multiple cartoon films and series, including the Peanuts TV specials and movies and for the Hanna-Barbera studio. His work at the latter included The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, The Smurfs, and Tom and Jerry. His Peanuts credits as an animator include A Boy Named Charlie Brown, It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown. In the early 1990s, Lusk retired after a career which spanned some 60 years.

In 2014 Lusk was one of three recipients of the Winsor McCay Award, the animation industry's lifetime achievement award, presented at the 42nd Annie Awards alongside Didier Brunner and Lee Mendelson.

Lusk married Marge Lusk, who worked in the Personnel Department of Disney Studios in Burbank. The couple had two children. He died on December 30, 2018, in San Clemente, California, aged 105. Long time friend, Navah-Paskowitz Asner, announced the news of his death on social media.

• Year — Title — Credits — Characters • 1940 — Pinocchio — Animator • Fantasia — Animator - Segments "The Nutcracker Suite" and "The Pastoral Symphony" • 1942 — Bambi — Animator • 1946 — Song of the South — Animator • 1948 — Melody Time — Character Animator • 1949 — So Dear to My Heart — Animator • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad — Character Animator • 1950 — Cinderella — Character Animator • 1951 — Alice in Wonderland — Character Animator • 1952 — Lambert the Sheepish Lion (Short) — Animator • Trick or Treat (Short) — Animator • 1953 — Peter Pan — Character Animator • Ben and Me (Short) — Animator • 1955 — Lady and the Tramp — Character Animator • 1959 — Sleeping Beauty — Character Animator • 1954-1959 — The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) — Animator – 5 Episodes • 1961 — One Hundred and One Dalmatians — Character Animator • 2002 — Mickey's House of Villains (Video) — Animator - Segment "Trick or Treat"

• The Smurfs (1981–1989) • The Flintstone Kids (1986–1988) • Scooby-Doo television series

He was employed by Walt Disney Studios, UPA, Walter Lantz Productions, DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and Bill Melendez Productions.

Don Lusk is recorded as having received Winsor McCay Award. Recorded at birth as Donald Ross Lusk.