Biography
While Kimball was a brilliant draftsman, he preferred to work on comical characters rather than realistic human designs. Animating came easily to him and he was constantly looking to do things differently. Because of this, Walt Disney called Ward a genius in the book The Story Of Walt Disney. While there were many talented animators at Disney, Ward's efforts stand out as especially unique.Kimball created several classic Disney characters including the Crows in Dumbo; Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland; the Mice and Lucifer the Cat from Cinderella; and Jiminy Cricket fromPinocchio. He also animated the famous "Three Caballeros" musical number from the Disney film of the same name.In 1953, Kimball became a director and was responsible for the Academy Award-winning short Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom, and three Disney television shows about outer space that put the United States into the space program. He received anAcademy Award for the short animated cartoon It's Tough to Be a Bird.Ward Kimball was profiled by the Academy Award-winning producer Jerry Fairbanks in his Paramount Pictures film short series Unusual Occupations. This 35mm Magnacolor film short was released theatrically in 1944 and focused on Kimball's backyard railroad and full sized locomotive.Kimball was also a jazz trombonist. He founded and led the seven-piece Dixieland band Firehouse Five Plus Two, in which he played trombone. The band made at least 13 LP records and toured clubs, college campuses and jazz festivals from the 1940s to early 1970s. Kimball once said that Walt Disney permitted the second career as long as it did not interfere with his animation work.Kimball continued to work at Disney up until the early 1970s, working on the Disney anthology television series, being one of the writers for Babes in Toyland, creating animation for Mary Poppins, directing the animation for Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and working on titles for feature films such as The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin and Million Dollar Duck. His last staff work for Disney was producing and directing the Disney TV show The Mouse Factory. He continued to do various projects on his own, even returning to Disney to do some publicity tours. Additionally, Kimball worked on an attraction for Disney's EPCOT Center called The World Of Motion.
Filmography
all 82
Movies 77
self 25
Director 19
TV Shows 5
Writer 4
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse (2022)
Apollo: Missions to the Moon (2019)
Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
The Making of 'Pinocchio': No Strings Attached (2009)
The Pixar Story (2007)
From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella (2005)
The Cinderella That Almost Was (2005)
From Walt's Table: A Tribute to Disney's Nine Old Men (2005)
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6 (2004)
Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color (2001)
A Wish Came True: The Making of 'Pinocchio' (2000)
The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature (2000)
The Story Behind Walt Disney's 'Fun and Fancy Free' (1997)
Pinocchio: The Making of a Masterpiece (1993)
It All Started with a Mouse: The Disney Story (1989)
The Wizard of Speed and Time (1989)
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town (1988)
Disney Family Album (1984)
The Mouse Factory (1972)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
Dad... Can I Borrow the Car? (1970)
It's Tough to Be a Bird (1969)
The Mickey Mouse Anniversary Show (1968)
Pacifically Peeking (1968)
Escalation (1968)
Fly With Von Drake (1963)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
Babes in Toyland (1961)
The Saga of Windwagon Smith (1961)
Eyes in Outer Space (1959)
Disneyland '59 (1959)
Disneyland: Mars and Beyond (1957)
3D Jamboree (1956)
Walt Disney's Where Do the Stories Come From? (1956)
Man and the Moon (1955)
Man in Space (1955)
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1954)
The Disneyland Story (1954)
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953)
Melody (1953)
Peter Pan (1953)
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Operation Wonderland (1951)
One Hour in Wonderland (1950)
Cinderella (1950)
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
Melody Time (1948)
Pecos Bill (1948)
Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
Peter and the Wolf (1946)
Willie the Operatic Whale (1946)
Hockey Homicide (1945)
The Three Caballeros (1944)
The Pelican and the Snipe (1944)
Chicken Little (1943)
Reason and Emotion (1943)
Victory Vehicles (1943)
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi (1943)
The Spirit of '43 (1943)
How to Play Baseball (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
The Nifty Nineties (1941)
The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
The Little Whirlwind (1941)
Fantasia (1940)
Pinocchio (1940)
The Autograph Hound (1939)
Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938)
Ferdinand the Bull (1938)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Woodland Café (1937)
More Kittens (1936)
Toby Tortoise Returns (1936)
Elmer Elephant (1936)
Pluto's Judgement Day (1935)
The Tortoise and the Hare (1935)
The Goddess of Spring (1934)
Mickey Plays Papa (1934)
Orphan's Benefit (1934)
The Wise Little Hen (1934)
The Hot Choc-late Soldiers (1934)
Tracks Ahead
Ratings
Information
Known ForVisual Effects
GenderMale
Birthday1914-03-04
Deathday2002-07-08 (88 years old)
Birth PlaceMinneapolis, United States of America
RelationshipsBetty Kimball (1936-08-15 - 2002-07-08)
ChildrenJohn Kimball
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
ResidencesLos Angeles, United States of America
Also Known AsWard Walrath Kimball
AwardsInkpot Award, Disney Legends, Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, Winsor McCay Award
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
- Ward Kimball
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