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Norman McLaren

William Norman McLaren, (11 April 1914 – 27 January 1987) was a Scottish-Canadian animator, director and producer known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He was a pioneer in a number of areas of animation and filmmaking, including hand-drawn animation, drawn-on-film animation, visual music, abstract film, pixilation and graphical sound. McLaren was also an artist and printmaker, and explored his interest in dance in his films.

Also recorded as Norman MacLaren · William Norman McLaren

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Norman McLaren

Norman McLaren, of the animation department, National Film Board of Canada, drawing directly on film

Jack Long/National Film Board of Canada · Library and Archives Canada does not allow free use of its copyrighted works. See Category:Images from Library and Archives Canada. · Public domain

Born
1914.
Died
1987.
Nationality
Canada.
Occupation
film director, animator, screenwriter, cinematographer, director, producer and comics artist.

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William Norman McLaren, (11 April 1914 – 27 January 1987) was a Scottish-Canadian animator, director and producer known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He was a pioneer in a number of areas of animation and filmmaking, including hand-drawn animation, drawn-on-film animation, visual music, abstract film, pixilation and graphical sound. McLaren was also an artist and printmaker, and explored his interest in dance in his films.

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Norman McLaren (1914–1987) was an animator, cinematographer and comics artist, among other activities, of Canadian nationality. The animator was born in Stirling and died in Montreal.

Norman McLaren was educated at Glasgow School of Art and Stirling High School. The animator worked for GPO Film Unit, National Film Board of Canada and UNESCO and worked in Canada and Montreal. Activity centred on animation, drawn-on-film animation and experimental film.

Languages used include English. Honours include Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject), Companion of the Order of Canada and Knight of the National Order of Quebec, among others.

Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026

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wikidata · Q716552 · wikipedia · Norman McLaren

In this article

  1. 01Biography
  2. 02Visual art and other activities
  3. 03Reception, influence and legacy
  4. 04Honours and memberships
  5. 05Notes, references and evidence

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