Don Williams (animator)

Last updated
Don "Ducky" Williams
Born1946or1947(age 76–77) [1]
Springfield, Massachusetts
Occupation(s)Character Artist
Illustrator
Known forAbility to draw almost every Disney character as well as other famous characters

Don Williams, also known by the nickname Ducky, is an American illustrator employed by The Walt Disney Company. Williams has worked at Disney for over thirty years, at a number of different positions, finally ending up in the marketing division as an animator. [2]

Contents

Williams is not to be confused with the American animator Don Harold Williams, [3] who worked at various animation studios (including Disney) during the golden age of animation. [4]

Early life

Don Williams was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is of Scottish descent and still has strong ties to Scotland. [1] He grew up poor during the 1950s. His mother was a single mother raising 8 children including Don. His mother nicknamed Don "Ducky" because she had a love for the Donald Duck comic books. [5]

Williams always knew he wanted to be an artist. When he was just 10 years old he wrote his first letter to Walt Disney asking for a job. Walt Disney wrote him back saying, he was sorry but he did not have any jobs for 10-year-old cartoonist, however he encouraged him to keep drawing. [6] He graduated high school in the early 1960s and was immediately drafted into the Vietnam War. He joined the Navy, and served for four years in the Navy.

After he left the navy he went back to Massachusetts, where he got a job as a teller at a local bank; after a few months of work he was promoted to branch manager. He managed the bank for 10 years. [6]

Life before Disney

While working at the bank, Williams continued to draw. During the Christmas season at the bank he would hang up his drawings around the bank. The drawings caught the eye of one of the patrons of the bank, who happened to be an anchor for the local 6pm news. The anchor then did a piece on Williams and his drawings. A friend of Williams's, unbeknownst to him, wrote a letter and sent a copy of the tape to Disney animation studios in California. Two weeks after the tape was sent, he received a letter from the animation department of Disney saying that while they liked his drawings there were no job openings available at that time. However, he was told that if he wanted to pursue a career as a Disney artist he should contact Ralph Kent, the director of the Marketing Art department for Walt Disney World in Florida. He then sent his tape and a new letter to Kent.

Williams waited quite some time for a response but never received one. Williams took matters in his own hands and called Kent. He spoke to Kent's Secretary who said that Kent had not had time to watch his tape, and that if he really wanted feedback then he should come down to Florida himself. He then went to Florida where he met with two artists and Kent, who told him that his work was unpolished because he did not go to an art school. They told him that he had talent, and he just needed work. They sent him off with official Disney model sheets of characters and gave him contact information of veteran character artist who worked with Disney World named Russell Schroeder.

He went back to work at the bank and began drawing 100 pictures a week and sending them off to Schroeder for critique. He drew 100 pictures a week for two years before he finally decided that he could no longer pursue his dream in Massachusetts, so he moved to Florida. He attempted to get a job at Disney World for three months, with no luck. He instead got a job right outside the park at a restaurant. After two weeks at the restaurant he was desperate to get any job inside the park. He was finally offered a job at the park as a custodian during the graveyard shift, but after a little digging he found out there was a job painting patrons portraits. [5] Even while working at Disney, he still sent in his 100 pictures a week to Schroeder. After six weeks as a portrait artist the division was shut down, and he was sent to work as a clerk in Tomorrowland. After five weeks in Tomorrowland, he found out about a temporary opening in the art department.

He landed the job thanks to Schroeder and the massive amount of drawings he had sent him over the years. It was a 30-day trial period. After 30 days of work no one said anything to Don so he just kept showing up for work, and he has been working there ever since. [6]

Life at Disney

Williams started at the Marketing Art department, later called Disney Parks and Resorts Advertising Creative, then Disney's Yellow Shoes Global Creative Group There were originally staffed 16 illustrator, but the number dwindled down to just him, with his co-workers going off to work in more computer-based media.

Williams stayed behind, saying "I am not an animator, I am an illustrator." [6] He can use computers, he just prefers paint. He became the sole and last Senior Character Artist for the Walt Disney Marketing. He continues to create illustrations for mailers, brochures, guide books, and specialty items. He also illustrates almost anything that has to do with advertising of the Disney company in the Orlando area.

Williams has also created art inside the Disney Parks, providing paintings, signage and china for the Lady and the Tramp themed restaurant, Tony's Town Square Cafe. He also helped put together the original Mickey Mouse house that was located in Mickey's Birthday Land. Today he gives presentations across America and on Disney Cruise line ships. [2] [5] He is a popular speaker and celebrity, often one of the most respected artists at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. He has also painted hundreds of limited-edition lithographs for Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and other Walt Disney Company divisions.

Works as Illustrator

When Williams first started working at Disney he became a colleague of Russell Schroeder, who subsequently recommended him his first illustrating job. Don painted and Schroeder drew the pictures for Mickey's Prince and the Pauper. Since then he has done around 200 different Disney children's book illustrations. The books he has illustrated includes: [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Rosa</span> American comic book writer and illustrator (born 1951)

Keno Don Hugo Rosa, known as Don Rosa, is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his Disney comics stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and other characters which Carl Barks created for Disney-licensed comic books, first published in America by Dell Comics. Many of his stories are built on characters and locations created by Barks; among these was his first Duck story, "The Son of the Sun" (1987), which was nominated for a Harvey Award in the "Best Story of the Year" category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walt Disney</span> American animator and producer (1901–1966)

Walter Elias Disney was an American animator, film producer, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film producer, he holds the record for most Academy Awards earned and nominations by an individual. He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award, among other honors. Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress and have also been named as some of the greatest films ever by the American Film Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ub Iwerks</span> American animator and special effects pioneer (1901–1971)

Ubbe Ert Iwerks, known as Ub Iwerks, was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician, known for his work with Walt Disney Animation Studios in general, and for having worked on the development of the design of the character of Mickey Mouse, among others. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Iwerks grew up with a contentious relationship with his father, who abandoned him as a child. Iwerks met fellow artist Walt Disney while working at a Kansas City art studio in 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floyd Gottfredson</span> American cartoonist

Arthur Floyd Gottfredson was an American cartoonist best known for his defining work on the Mickey Mouse comic strip, which he worked on from 1930 until his retirement in 1975. His contribution to Mickey Mouse comics is comparable to Carl Barks's on the Donald Duck comics. 17 years after his death, his memory was honored with the Disney Legends award in 2003 and induction into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Taliaferro</span> American comics artist

Charles Alfred "Al" Taliaferro, was an American Disney comics artist who produced Disney comic strips for King Features Syndicate. Taliaferro is best known for his work on the Donald Duck comic strip. Many of his strips were written by Bob Karp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ward Kimball</span> American animator and jazz trombonist

Ward Walrath Kimball was an American animator employed by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He was part of Walt Disney's main team of animators, known collectively as Disney's Nine Old Men. His films have been honored with two Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film.

Dan Spiegle was an American comics artist and cartoonist best known for comics based on movie and television characters across a variety of companies, including Dell Comics, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics.

<i>Modern Inventions</i> 1937 Donald Duck cartoon

Modern Inventions is a 1937 American comic science fiction animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon follows Donald Duck as he tours the fictional Museum of Modern Marvels. It was directed by Jack King, his Directional debut at Disney, and features original music by Oliver Wallace. The voice cast includes Clarence Nash as Donald, Billy Bletcher as the Robot Butler, Elvia Allman as the Robot Baby Carriage and Don Brodie as the Robot Barber.

Thomas Kidd is an American science fiction and fantasy illustrator who lives in New Milford, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Charming Regal Carrousel</span> Carousel at Walt Disney World

Prince Charming Regal Carousel is a carousel in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. A similar attraction under a different name can be found at Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland. It plays organ-based versions of Disney music during the two-minute ride period. Hand-painted scenes from Cinderella can be seen on the top; hence the name "Prince Charming".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gustaf Tenggren</span> Swedish-American illustrator (1896–1970)

Gustaf Adolf Tenggren was a Swedish-American illustrator. He is known for his Arthur Rackham-influenced fairy-tale style and use of silhouetted figures with caricatured faces. Tenggren was a chief illustrator for The Walt Disney Company in the late 1930s, in what has been called the Golden Age of American animation, when animated feature films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Bambi and Pinocchio were produced.

Herbert Dickens Ryman Jr. was an American artist and Disney Imagineer. Ryman worked in watercolor, oils, and pen & ink sketches. In 1953 Ryman drew the first illustrations of Walt Disney's vision of a theme park that eventually became Disneyland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retta Scott</span> American artist

Retta Scott was an American artist. She was the first woman to receive screen credit as an animator at the Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Richard Huemer was an American animator in the Golden Age of Animation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burny Mattinson</span> American animator (1935–2023)

Burnett Mattinson was an American animator, director, producer, and story artist for Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he was employed from 1953 until his death in 2023.

Jack A. Cutting was an American international content supervisor and animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he worked for 46 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Duck</span> Disney cartoon character

Donald Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known for his semi-intelligible speech and his mischievous, temperamental, and pompous personality. Along with his friend Mickey Mouse, Donald was included in TV Guide's list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time in 2002, and has earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has appeared in more films than any other Disney character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue DiCicco</span> American sculptor, childrens book author and illustrator

Sue DiCicco is an American sculptor, children's book author and illustrator, and founder of Armed with the Arts and the Peace Crane Project.

Traffic Troubles is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on March 7, 1931, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-sixth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, and the second of 1931.

<i>Mickey Mouse</i> (comic strip) 1930-1995 American Disney comic strip

Mickey Mouse is an American newspaper comic strip by the Walt Disney Company featuring Mickey Mouse, and is the first published example of Disney comics. The strip debuted on January 13, 1930, and ran until July 29, 1995. It was syndicated by King Features Syndicate.

References

  1. 1 2 Black, Fiona (6 September 1996). "Scotland is my Magic Kingdom says Don". Daily Record. Scotland. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  2. 1 2 N/A. ""A December to Remember" 15 years of all ears". Enterprises. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Commercials Animated by George Nicholas and Don Williams |". cartoonresearch.com. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  4. ↑ "Don Williams". IMDb .
  5. 1 2 3 Korkis, Jim (October 10, 2012). "Don 'Ducky' Williams: An Underappreciated Disney Treasure" . Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Don Williams (illustrator) (2011). Don "Ducky" Williams presentation onboard the "Disney Magic" on May 16, 2011 (Youtube).
  7. ↑ "DON WILLIAMS's JacketFlap". Jacket flap.com. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.