Rusty Mills
- Born
- 1962 · Winston-Salem.
- Died
- 2012 · California.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- television director · animator · television producer · film director
- Education
- California Institute of the Arts · University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- Honours
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program · Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program
In this article
Key facts
• Name — Rusty Mills • Birth Name — Russell P. Mills • Birthplace — Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. • Place of death — California, U.S. • Occupation — Animator, director, producer • Years Active — 1980–2012 • Spouse — Andrea Mills • Children — 1 Russell P. "Rusty" Mills (c. December 16, 1962 – December 7, 2012) was an American animator, director and producer. A Primetime Emmy winner, Mills was best known for his work with Warner Bros. Animation, including Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures, and Pinky and the Brain. Mills was a five time Emmy winner, receiving one Primetime Emmy and four Daytime Emmy awards.
Early life and career
Mills, a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school in 1980. He then completed his studies at California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles after high school. He worked as a freelance animator following college before joining Warner Bros. Animation, where he worked for approximately ten years. His production credits with Warner Bros. included Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs, which he worked on directly with Steven Spielberg one of the show's producers. In 1996, Mills won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas," a Christmas episode of the animated television series, Pinky and the Brain, which aired in December 1995. Mills had directed that particular holiday episode of the series. During his career, Mills also won four Daytime Emmys and received eight Emmy nominations. Mills' additional television animated credits included Garfield's Thanksgiving in 1989, Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Pink Panther and Pals, and The Replacements. His last credited work was for the 2011 animated television special, A Very Pink Christmas, with the Pink Panther.
Death
Mills died from colon cancer on December 7, 2012, at the age of 49. He is survived by his wife, Andrea; son, Evan; his mother, Janet Mills; and sister, Linda Hough.
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Winston-Salem.
Birth place
California.
Death place
Licensing
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Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Rusty Mills, revision 1370029712 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Rusty Mills, director on Warner animated series, dies at 49 - Credits include 'Animaniacs,' 'Pinky and the Brain'. Variety. 2012-12-10.
- 2.Hall, Melissa. Rusty Mills, film animator, dies at 49. Winston-Salem Journal. 2012-12-08.
- 3.Animator Rusty Mills Dies at 49. Animation World Network.
- 4.Animation Veteran Rusty Mills Dies at 49. Animation Magazine.
- 5.Beck, Jerry. Rusty Mills, RIP. Cartoon Brew. 2012-12-08.
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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 15 September 2026.
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