Dick Lundy
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We didn't see Lundy at bat in the winter 1930/31 Disney studio Softball game. But above image links to a caricature of Lundy at bat, so we know how that looked. I do not know who drew the caricature - but it is obviously contemporary and came from Jack Cutting's files.
My old mentor Børge Ring once asked Bob Maxfield, animation director on the first Dutch animated feature "Dexter the Dragon & Bumble the Bear" (a weird title, but the Dutch "Als Je Begrijpt Wat Ik Bedoel" isn't much clearer) released in 1983 (with some minor animation by me), how it was to work on a feature film with old stalwarts like Dick Lundy (and with Volus Jones on Heavy Traffic). Maxfield, who himself started at Disney in the mid 40s, answered "They couldn't do it anymore. Too many years of just doing head-turns."
This last story of course says more about the sad state of the business in the 1970s, and the terrible assignments that these animation greats were forced to accept! It does not detract, however, from the many iconic scenes they animated in their heyday, for which they forever will be counted among the legends of animation.
Labels: Other Disney
posted by Hans Perk at 1:00 PM
4 Comments:
I didn't know limited aniation was so detrimental to classical skills. Thats pretty sad.
Hans, I wasn't aware that you animated on "Als je begrijpt wat ik bedoel"! Which scenes/characters did you work on?
Are you aware of the book on the Toonder animation studio that will be published this spring?
I am Dick Lundy's Granddaughter and he was an amazing animator. He worked very hard his whole life and was brilliant at what he did. Some of his worked changed how animation is looked at today. He never claimed to be any more than an animator, but he was passionate about his work and did that work well. Several animators today could not accomplish the work my Grandfather did. My Grandfathers classical skills were not lacking or sad, he did his job and did so well. He brought characters like Donald Duck to life, making movements, like when he gets angry, an iconic image that is remembered by people everywhere. He was able to bring drawings to life with humor and skill during a time when computers were not used and an individuals classic skills were all they had. Dick Lundy is an extremely skilled animator and a wonderful grandfather.
Hello Amy - glad to hear from you! I do not intend any negative feeling toward your grandfather. He clearly was a consummate professional and took his profession very seriously. The note from Bob Maxfield was only about the late work of a whole group of animators, and says more about the work they were forced to accept than their original abilities.
In the mean time, please be aware that we in the animation history community cannot get enough information! The early days really are not terribly well documented. I myself am very interested in documents, especially from the early times at Disney (classes, phone lists, maps, that kind of stuff) so if there is anything like that you may have and would like to share, please contact me! Thanks!
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