Ollie Johnston

I have been influenced by many different people and things in my time. Early on in life I firmly believed that I was going to be a GREAT DISNEY ANIMATOR! I poured over animation books and just about anything that I could get my hands on that explained movement and attitude. Now, in the 80s, it was much harder to find this type of material. It wasn't like today when you can press a button on a keyboard and order a "how to" or Flash program and learn at home, if you wanted to do this you had to search out the info; I sat at the library a lot! So between books on pantomime to puppetry I kind of figured out how to create "life," but that all changed when I got the bible of animation, "The illusion of life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston." This book became my life. Ever day no matter if I was sitting in a Jr. High classroom or packing for the last day of HS school, that book never left my book bag!

I would sit, copying all of the classic drawings. I got real good too. This is one reason I pretty much failed every course I was required to take in order to graduate. I was going to be an animator and that was that!

In the book I took in all of Frank and Ollie's techniques of emotion and exaggeration and noticed how close to real life it was. My drawings were looking "real," and my simple animations were "flipping" the right way.

If you have been reading this, you all know I went away from animation all together, but everything I read in that book is still the foundation I preach today to the young talent I work with. I guess you can say I'm in a different kind of "cartoon business."

While with Disney I was privileged to have met many Disney Legends including Ollie on several occasions. The first time I met him (with Frank) was at Disneyland during a merchandise event held at the Disney Gallery in New Orleans Sq. I waited in a very long line to met the guys and when it was my turn I had nothing for them to sign, no camera to pose for a photo and I just stood there looking at them looking at me. Finally Ollie said:

" Hi, what is your favorite character?"

And I believe my answer was:
"Jiminy Cricket."

Frank's reply was:
"Oh...he's a Ward (Kimball) fan."

That was it, I did not thank them, nothing, just "Jiminy Crickett," and for some reason I'm sure that's what they were really thinking..."Jiminy Crickett, this kid's a nut!"

Anyhow, I am glad to have had the self taught education that I have had and a great educator like Frank (who has also passed) and Ollie. His words I take and use most everyday when producing or directing. Not to mention that I still enjoy watching his work to this day! I just may have to pop in "The Jungle Book."

Ollie Johnston was 95.