Disney Renaissance Animator Mike Toth Passes Away
Michael ‘Mike’ Toth, a celebrated animator who played a significant role in the Disney Renaissance era, has passed away. He contributed his talent to iconic films such as ‘Mulan,’ ‘Hercules,’ and ‘Tarzan.’
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The animation world recently lost a talented artist. Michael ‘Mike’ Toth, a renowned Disney animator, passed away on December 29, 2024. The news was shared by his daughter, Christine Vegara, in a post on the Cartoon Research Facebook page.
In her Facebook post, Christine Vegara shared that after losing his job at Walt Disney Studios, her father, Michael Toth, struggled with alcoholism and homelessness in Los Angeles. Vegara emphasized the importance of raising awareness about alcohol abuse, stating, ‘My dad was a wonderful man, and alcohol cut his time short. Please enjoy his art.’
Toth’s career began at Filmation Studios in 1978, where he worked on beloved cartoons like ‘The New Adventures of Tom and Jerry’ and ‘Ghostbusters.’ He also collaborated with Bill Melendez on several ‘Peanuts’ projects, including ‘This Is America, Charlie Brown’ and ‘It’s Spring Training, Charlie Brown.’
Toth joined Walt Disney Studios in the late 1980s, transitioning to Walt Disney Feature Animation in the mid-1990s. His impressive portfolio includes work on ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ ‘Hercules,’ ‘Mulan,’ ‘Tarzan,’ ‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire,’ and ‘Home on the Range.’ He also contributed to the Oscar-nominated short film, ‘The Little Matchgirl.’ Toth continued to share his passion for animation, making appearances at comic-cons across the country.
Our thoughts go out to Toth’s family during this difficult time.
