Benjamin Gluck

Last updated
Ben Gluck
1998 CalArts Producer's Show.jpg
Gluck (left) with Frank Thomas
Born
Benjamin Gluck

Other namesBen Gluck
Alma mater California Institute of the Arts
Occupation(s)storyboard artist, head of story, screenwriter, director.
Years active1996–present
Known for Peanuts , Alpha and Omega , 9 , Walt Disney Animation Studios .

Ben Gluck is an American animation director, screenwriter, story editor, and story artist. He has worked as a senior creative in story development on various animated films and television specials, and has directed for studios such as Disney and Lionsgate.

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Early life

Benjamin "Ben" Gluck was born in St. Louis, Missouri. As a teenager, he showed his art portfolio to Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston during their book tour for Bambi: The Story and the Film. They encouraged him to apply to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). [1] After being accepted, Gluck earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Character Animation from CalArts. Gluck's second year student film Man's Best Friend was awarded the Walter Lantz Animation Prize [2] at the CalArts Producers Show, where Gluck thanked Thomas and Johnson personally. His film premiered on MTV's network, [3] and was screened in theaters as part of the Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation.

Career

Upon graduating from CalArts, Gluck immediately obtained a job as a storyboard and visual development artist at Walt Disney Feature Animation. Gluck contributed to several theatrical films, including Dinosaur , The Emperor's New Groove , and Home on the Range . Prior to Disney, Gluck was part of DreamWorks Animation's first story internship, working on The Prince of Egypt .

Gluck transitioned to Disneytoon Studios where he was Head of Story for Bambi II and helped adapt A.A. Milne's The House at Pooh Corner into Piglet's Big Movie both of which received theatrical releases. [4] Gluck also directed the Annie Award-winning film Brother Bear II . [5] [6] [7]

After Disney, Gluck pursued opportunities to tell new kinds of stories told in animation. [8] He became Head of Story on the Tim Burton-produced 9 for Focus Features, contributing to character development and overseeing the story animatic. Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four, contrasting it with the works of Hayao Miyazaki and saying that "the visuals are entrancing. [9] " Gluck was also a segment storyboard artist on the acclaimed adaptation of Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet .

He directed the first film in the Alpha and Omega franchise, launched in 2010, is an animated film series distributed by Lionsgate. The original film grossed approximately $50.5 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, making it Lionsgate Family Entertainment's highest-grossing original animated franchise. [10]

Gluck played a key role in revitalizing the Peanuts franchise, serving as senior creative and head of the story department, for the Peanuts holiday special Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (2021), the first new Peanuts holiday special in eighteen years. In this capacity, he reshaped the plot, giving Lucy a more introspective characterization. Chuck Wilson from The Village Voice wrote that this approach brought "freshness" to the character, saying that "Lucy is transformed from a character of nostalgia into a girl as self-reflective and searching as any young person watching the special might be." [11]

He also served as senior creative, head of the story department, for Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love , where he oversaw the narrative development. This special "broke new ground by including a message about LGBT families." [12] [13] It was nominated for a Humanitas Prize. [14] Both specials were produced by Apple TV+, and were followed by the platforms continued expansion of new Peanuts programming. [15]

Filmography

YearTitleCreditsAwards
2022 Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love head of storyHumanitarian Award nominee. Kidscreen Award Winner: Best Holiday Special. Children's and Family Emmy nominee.
2021 Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne head of storyAnnie Award nominee: Best Animated Special Production
2016 Madea's Tough Love story editorDove "Family Approved Seal" Award
2013 Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet storyboard artistThe Visionary Award
2012 Battle of the Planets director
2010 Alpha and Omega directorAnnie Award nominee: Best Animated Feature
2010 Yogi Bear storyboard artist
2009 9 head of storyVES Award Nominee: Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
2006 Brother Bear II directorAnnie Award: Best Screenplay
2006 Bambi II head of storyAnnie Award: Best Home Entertainment Production
2004 Home on the Range storyboard artist
2003 Piglet's Big Movie story by/ storyboard artist
2001 The Emperor's New Groove storyboard artist
2000 Dinosaur storyboard artist
2000 Clerks (TV) Season 1/Episode 2: Wherein Dante and Randle are Locked in the Freezer storyboard artist
2000 Rugrats (TV) Season 8/Episode 3: Don't Poop On My Parade storyboard artistDaytime Emmy Award
1998 The Prince of Egypt storyboard artist
1998 Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation Man's Best Friend
1996 MTV's Cartoon Sushi
Man's Best Friend
creatorWalter Lantz Award

Television

See also

References

  1. "Animation Magazine October 2010".
  2. "CalArts Magazine Fall/Winter 2009". Issuu .
  3. "Ben Gluck - Mafab.hu". Mafab.hu.
  4. "Disney bets on Piglet's prospects". February 19, 2002.
  5. "Brother Bear 2 Due at Month's End". 15 August 2006.
  6. "Disney to axe Sydney studio". 26 July 2005.
  7. "Animation Magazine September 2006".
  8. "Animation Magazine October 2010".
  9. Ebert, Roger (2009-09-09). "9". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  10. "Alpha and Omega (2010) – Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  11. "It's Lucy's Party in New Peanuts 'For Auld Lang Syne' Holiday Special". 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021.
  12. "Peanuts Mother's Day Special Declares 'Some Kids Even Have 2 Moms'". The Christian Post. May 9, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  13. "New Peanuts Special Has LGBT Message: 'Some Kids Even Have 2 Moms'". Crosswalk. May 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  14. "46th Annual Humanitas Prizes Winners & Nominee Watchlist". September 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  15. "Apple TV+ unveils exciting kids and family slate featuring all-new Peanuts specials". Apple TV+ Press. Apple Inc. May 31, 2023. Retrieved 2025-11-30.