Legendary Disney animator Willis Pyle dead at 101

Willis Pyle, animator for Disney classics such as Pinocchio, Bambi and Fantasia has died on June 2nd in his penthouse in New York.

Pyle was born in Lebanon, Kansas and attended the University of Colorado as an art student. He was working as an illustrator at a clothing store when he noticed that the new Walt Disney Studios was looking to hire animators to come to Hollywood.

He started working for Walt Disney studios in November 1937 as an office boy, until he assisted in Pinocchio (1940), shortly followed by Fantasia (1940) and Bambi (1942).

He left Disney after that.

After serving in the U.S. Army Air Force First Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, he had a successful freelanced career. He donated all personal archives to Indiana University’s Lilly Library.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family and fans.

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