Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XVII) - Seq. 15.0 - Voyage Home -- Ending

Directed by Wilfred "JAXON" Jackson, laid out by Maclaren Stewart. Assistant director Mike Holoboff, secretary Toby (Tobelmann).
This FINAL draft dated 11/3/52.

Animation by Marvin Woodward (Lost Boys, John, Michael), Eric Larson (Peter), Harvey Toombs (Wendy), Don Lusk (Tink), Norm Ferguson (Nana), Jack Campbell (Father), Art Stevens, Milt Kahl (Father, Mother, Wendy), Marc Davis (Mother), Hal King (John), George Rowley (anchor chain, pixie dust, sail, ship), Josh Meador (cloud-ship).

And that concludes the draft for Peter Pan, the fourteenth complete feature film draft on this blog! (Ok, you smart-alecks, we still need to see the last page of the Pink Elephant sequence...)

As always, I feel the need to stress that these documents were kept to keep track of the responsible person, and as such it may not reflect precisely the specific directing animators who worked on the sequences. If e.g. an inker or checker needed to find out who animated the scene because of some question, they would need to find the person ultimately responsible for "the lines" - the one who would be able to answer them. It is this person whose name appears on the draft. It was not made for historical purposes, but as we can see, it works pretty well as such. Let's not forget that for every animator we have an assistant, a couple of inbetweeners and cleanup artists - the latter making the final drawings we see on the screen after having been inked (and painted).

My MOST important reason for posting these is to give recognition to those many animators whose names are forgotten since the iconic status of the "Nine Old Men" has overshadowed them all. Mind you, I revere the Nine as the next man, but there were so many more great artists. Today we find e.g Marvin Woodward who was with Disney since September 1930. Jack Campbell started in 1933 and did such memorable scenes as the ones with the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio. Don Lusk started just a year later - and more memorable scenes. As a matter of fact, except for Art Stevens, all animators mentioned above started at Disney in the mid 1930's, excepting Fergie and Woodward, so they had between some 15 and 22 years of experience at this time, not counting their time before they got to Disney's studio. And there were many more animators working on Pan that should be recognized. Cliff Nordberg, Hal Ambro, Jerry Hathcock, Eric Cleworth, Hugh Fraser, etc. etc. It is to recognize the skills and talents of ALL the animators that I post these drafts.

Let's also not forget the layout folks: Charlie Philippi, Ken Anderson, Ken O'Connor, Al Zinnen, Tom Codrick, Don Griffith, Thor Putnam, Lance Nolley and Mac Stewart, whose work we can also now dissect. Like magicians, they were masters in leading the eye of the audience towards just what they want us to look at - something that should be studied by more people in the business. I find, for instance, that we know all too little about the life and work of Maclaren Stewart.

Then there are the sequence directors. This film showed is a very specific location-based subdivision of their work: Jaxon in London, Ham Luske on Neverland and Gerri Geronimi on the pirate ship.
In the end, of course, as always under the supervision on Walt Disney himself, in this period just before the planning of his next, even more ambitious venture, Disneyland.

I hope to have time soon for more of the same. In the mean time, please remember - you saw it here first!

Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XVII) - Seq. 14.0 - The Fight With The Pirates

On this, Walt Disney's 111st. birthday and (for my Dutch readers) Sinterklaas avond, here is the one before last sequence of Peter Pan.Directed by Gerry Geronimi, laid out by Charles Philippi. Assistant director Lou Debney, secretary Marie Dasnoit.
This Final draft dated October 52.

Animation by Bill Justice (Kids), Don Lusk (Peter, Wendy), Cliff Nordberg (Pirates, Tink), Woolie Reitherman (Hook, Croc, Peter), Jerry Hathcock (Hook), Clarke Mallory (Peter, Wendy), Eric Cleworth (Hook, Pirate Starkey, Peter, Alarm Clock), Hal King (Kids, Hook, Tink), Julius Svendsen (Kids), Eric Larson (Peter), Hugh Fraser (Pirates, Smee, Skidding Hook and Croc), Les Clark (Tink, Wendy), Ward Kimball (Hook), Hal Ambro, Bob Carlson (Peter, Hook), George Rowley (Tink re-use).

Another very famous, oft repeated sequence. Again, it is nice to finally be able to give a whole bunch of basically unknown animators their due credits!

Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XVI) - Seq. 13.1 - Underground Explosion

Directed by Ham Luske, laid out by Al Zinnen and Ken O'Connor. Assistant director Rusty Jones, secretary Ruth Wright.
This Final draft dated 9/25/52.

Animated by Eric Larson, Ken O'Brien, Hal Ambro (Peter), Claire Weeks, Don Lusk (Tink), George Rowley (clock, bomb), Dan MacManus (Explosion, Tink as light).

Of course on the stage, the big thing was Peter asking the audience to call out for Tink, so that she would not die. Early story sketches show this, as well. Let's be thankful they did not keep this - it would "break the contract with the audience as set forth throughout the film up until this moment" as they would tell you in film school...

Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XV) - Seq. 13 - Captured by The Pirates

Directed by Gerry Geronimi, laid out by Tom Codrick and Don Griffith. Assistant director Lou Debney, secretary Marie Dasnoit.
This Final draft dated 9/28/52.

Animated by Cliff Nordberg (Hook, Smee, Pirates), Julius Svendsen (Kids), Hal Ambro (Wendy), Bill Justice (Kids and Pirates), Ollie Johnston (Smee), Jerry Hathcock (Hook), Hugh Fraser (Hook), Bob Carlson (Hook), Don Lusk (Tink), Eric Cleworth (Hook), Woolie Reitherman (Hook), Hal King, George Rowley (Pixie Dust).

A lot of different animators on Captain Hook - none of them Frank Thomas, as he was assigned the delicate character scenes. Woolie was directing Hook in the action scenes, so I suspect he was in charge of the others in this sequence.

Notice the scene numbering! Some creative editing here! Also - a lot of scenes were cut out - which does not necessarily mean that they were not animated!

Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XIV) - Seq. 12.0 - Underground Home

Directed by Ham Luske, laid out by Al Zinnen, Ken Anderson and Ken O'Connor. Assistant director Rusty Jones, secretary Ruth Wright.
This Revised Final draft dated 9/24/52.

Milt Kahl (Peter, Wendy, Michael), Hal Ambro (Wendy), Bill Justice (Wendy, John, Michael, Lost Boys), Les Clark (Wendy, John, Michael, Pirate), Iwao Takamoto (Wendy), Hal King (Michael), Marvin Woodward , Hugh Fraser, Fred Moore, Julius Svendsen (all Lost Boys), Bob Carlson (Hook, Smee, Pirates)

A plethora of animators and their junior animators/assistants (Takamoto and Svendsen being the unusual names here). It is interesting to see Bill Justice's scenes interspersed as if he was assigned left-overs, or filling out holes in the schedule. Also, again, this draft is dated two months before Fred Moore died.

Prod. 2074 - Peter Pan (XIII) - Seq. 11 - Hook Tricks Tinker Bell

Directed by Gerry Geronimi, laid out by Tom Codrick. Assistant director Lou Debney, secretary Marie Dasnoit.
This FINAL draft dated October 1952.

Animation by Frank Thomas, Eric Larson (Hook), Ollie Johnston (Smee), Marc Davis, Les Clark, Don Lusk (Tink), George Rowley (Effects incl. gulls).

Clearly another major highlight and perennial Christmas classic, this is a masterpiece of character animation by Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston and Marc Davis.