Category Archives: music

1931 Disney Staff Caricatures & Profiles – pt 5

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Art Babbitt

Here in the continued auto-bios of the Disney staffers, Bert Lewis lists his creds, Floy Gottfredson touts his own good looks, and Burt Gillett name-drops.

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Disney, Illustration, music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disney Subversives: Ward Kimball and Walt Kelly

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Art Babbitt

Of all the real-life characters in Disney history, Ward Kimball (b. 3/4/14) is one of the most fascinating.  Among the “Nine Old Men” of Disney animation, i.e. the company loyalists, Kimball was the only one who unequivocally felt that the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, 1941: The Disney Strike, Animation, Disney, Illustration, music, politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The First Disney Task

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Art Babbitt

When Art finally got hired at Disney Studios in July 1932, he, like countless others before and after him, was assigned to inbetween another animator’s drawings. Inbetweening is low on the animation rung, but luckily for Art, the studio had … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, Disney, Film, Hollywood, miscellaneous, music, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

1936 Lecture part 2: Animation is Acting

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Art Babbitt

Babbitt continues his lecture to the Disney creative staff on the 23rd of September, 1936.  Here he talks about the strides they’ve already made and that they continually need to make –  to find inspiration in the most sophisticated cinema … Continue reading →

Posted in 1929-1932: Terrytoons, 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, Disney, Film, Mickey Mouse, music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

1936 Lecture: Animation is Music

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Art Babbitt

In the 1930s, Walt Disney moved forward with his in-studio education program.  As was regular office practice at the time, he also had stenographers keeping track of all discussions and notes. A training course lecture series was started to allow … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, California, Disney, Fantasia, Film, music, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Mushrooms can Dance!

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Art Babbitt

When Michael Culhane was ten years old, he interviewed Art Babbitt in his family’s home, about how Art animated Fantasia’s Mushroom Dance, and he little protagonist, Hop Low. “Where did Hop Low come from?” I asked him. Mr. Babbitt told … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, Dance, Disney, Fantasia, Film, music | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Mickey’s Amateurs”

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Art Babbitt

This Goofy scene from Mickey’s Amateurs (1937) was animated by Art with live reference (a technique he developed), and it happens to be one of my favorite bits of animation ever.  I remember seeing it as a little kid back … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Animation, Disney, music | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments