Eric Larson

Eric Larson studied at University of Utah. Training under Hamilton Luske is recorded. Ted Kierscey, Dale Baer and John Pomeroy are recorded as having studied under Eric Larson. The field of work recorded is animation. Residence is recorded at Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Employment is recorded with Walt Disney Studios. Distinctions recorded are Disney Legends and Winsor McCay Award.

• Name — Eric Larson • Birth Name — Eric Cleon Larson • Born — September 3, 1905 • Birthplace — Cleveland, Utah, U.S. • Died — 25 October 1988 • Place of death — La Cañada Flintridge, California, U.S. • Occupation — Animator • Years Active — 1933–1986 • Known for — One of Disney's "Nine Old Men" Creation of Disney's Winnie the Pooh

Born in Cleveland, Utah, Larson was the son of Danish immigrants Peter, a clothing salesman, and Nora. He worked on such films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Throughout the years, Larson has animated characters on classics like The Aristocats and Robin Hood and also provided the titles on The Rescuers (along with Mel Shaw and Burny Mattinson). In the 1980s his work was minor, but he served as animation consultant on animated films and shorts like Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective. In 1973, he began a recruitment training program that brought a new generation of animators into the Disney studio. Many well-known figures in animation today went through Larson's training program, including Brad Bird, Don Bluth, Chris Buck, Tim Burton, Randy Cartwright, Ron Clements, Andreas Deja, Gary Goldman, Ed Gombert, Mark Henn, Dan Haskett, Glen Keane, Bill Kroyer, John Lasseter, John Musker, Phil Nibbelink, Richard Rich, Burny Mattinson, Melvin Shaw, Jeffrey J. Varab, John Pomeroy, Joe Ranft, Jerry Rees, Henry Selick and Tad Stones among many others. Larson was married to Gertrude Larson. By his retirement in 1986, he was the longest-working employee at Disney, having worked there for 53 years. He died on October 25, 1988, at the age of 83.

• Year — Title — Credits — Characters — Notes • 1934 — Two-Gun Mickey — Assistant Animator • 1935 — The Golden Touch — Animator • Mickey's Service Station • The Tortoise and the Hare — Assistant Animator • Who Killed Cock Robin? • Cock o' the Walk — Animator • On Ice • Mickey's Fire Brigade • 1936 — Three Little Wolves • 1937 — Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • 1938 — Farmyard Symphony • The Whalers • 1939 — The Ugly Duckling • 1940 — Pinocchio — Animation Director • Fantasia — Animation Supervisor - Segment "The Pastoral Symphony" • 1942 — Bambi — Supervising Animator • Donald's Gold Mine — Animator • 1943 — The Grain That Built a Hemisphere (Documentary short) • 1945 — The Three Caballeros • Tiger Trouble (Short) • African Diary (Short) • 1946 — A Knight for a Day (Short) • Make Mine Music • Song of the South — Directing Animator • 1947 — Fun and Fancy Free — Animator • 1948 — Melody Time — Directing Animator • 1949 — So Dear to My Heart — Animator • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad • 1950 — Cinderella — Directing Animator • 1951 — Alice in Wonderland • 1952 — Lambert the Sheepish Lion (Short) — Animator • 1953 — Peter Pan — Directing Animator • 1955 — Lady and the Tramp • 1959 — Sleeping Beauty — Sequence Director • 1961 — One Hundred and One Dalmatians — Directing Animator • 1962 — A Symposium on Popular Songs (Short) — Animator • 1963 — The Sword in the Stone — Character Animator • 1964 — Man's Search for Happiness (Short) — Animator • Mary Poppins • 1966 — Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (Short) • 1967 — The Jungle Book — Character Animator • 1968 — Understanding Stresses and Strains (Short) — Animator • 1969 — It's Tough to Be a Bird (Documentary short) • 1970 — The Aristocats — Character Animator • 1971 — Bedknobs and Broomsticks — Animator • 1973 — Robin Hood — Character Animator • 1974 — Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (Short) — Directing Animator • 1977 — The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — Animator • The Rescuers — Title • 1956 - 1979 — Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (TV Series) — Animator — 17 Episodes • 1981 — Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (TV Series) — Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life - Himself • The Fox and the Hound — Animation Consultant • 1983 — Mickey's Christmas Carol (Short) • 1984 — DTV: Golden Oldies (Video) — Animator • 1985 — The Disney Family Album (TV Series documentary) — Eric Larson — Himself • The Black Cauldron — Animation Consultant • 1986 — The Great Mouse Detective