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Visual Effects
Ward Kimball
Also known as: Ward Walrath Kimball
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.
Personal Info
Known For
Visual Effects
Birthday
March 4, 1914
Day of Death
July 8, 2002
Age at Death
88 years old
Place of Birth
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Popularity Score
0.6
Filmography
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse
Self (archive footage)
2022Movie
Apollo: Missions to the Moon
Self - Disney Animator (archive footage)
2019Movie
Waking Sleeping Beauty
Self (archive footage)
2009Movie
The Making of 'Pinocchio': No Strings Attached
Self (Archive Footage)
2009Movie
The Pixar Story
Ward Kimball (archive footage)
2007Movie
From Walt's Table: A Tribute to Disney's Nine Old Men
Self (Archive Footage)
2005Movie
The Cinderella That Almost Was
Self (archive footage)
2005Movie
From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella
Self (archive footage)
2005Movie
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6
Ward Kimball (archive footage) (uncredited)
2004Movie
A Wish Came True: The Making of 'Pinocchio'
Himself
2000Movie
The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature
Self
2000Movie
The Story Behind Walt Disney's 'Fun and Fancy Free'
Self
1997Movie
Pinocchio: The Making of a Masterpiece
Self
1993Movie
The Wizard of Speed and Time
The IRS Chief
1989Movie
It All Started with a Mouse: The Disney Story
Self
1989Movie
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town
Self
1988Movie
DTV: Rock, Rhythm & Blues
Director
1984Movie
Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life
Self
1981Movie
From Fantasia to Fantasyland
self
1978Movie
The Mouse Factory
Creator
1972TV
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Animation Director
1971Movie
Dad... Can I Borrow the Car?
Producer
1970Movie
Dad... Can I Borrow the Car?
Director
1970Movie
It's Tough to Be a Bird
Bird Fancier
1969Movie
It's Tough to Be a Bird
Director
1969Movie
It's Tough to Be a Bird
Writer
1969Movie
It's Tough to Be a Bird
Producer
1969Movie
Pacifically Peeking
Animation
1968Movie
Escalation
Director
1968Movie
The Mickey Mouse Anniversary Show
Director
1968Movie
A Salute to Alaska
Animation Director
1967Movie
Scrooge McDuck and Money
Animation
1967Movie
Mary Poppins
Animation
1964Movie
Fly With Von Drake
Animation
1963Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
Babes in Toyland
Writer
1961Movie
Disneyland '59
Self
1959Movie
Eyes in Outer Space
Director
1959Movie
Eyes in Outer Space
Producer
1959Movie
Eyes in Outer Space
Writer
1959Movie
Mars and Beyond
Director
1957Movie
Walt Disney's Where Do the Stories Come From?
Self
1956Movie
Man and the Moon
Self (uncredited)
1955Movie
Man in Space
Self
1955Movie
Man in Space
Director
1955Movie
Man and the Moon
Director
1955Movie
Man and the Moon
Writer
1955Movie
Man and the Moon
Producer
1955Movie
Man in Space
Writer
1955Movie
Man in Space
Producer
1955Movie
The Disneyland Story
Self
1954Movie
The Wonderful World of Disney
Director
1954TV
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
Director
1953Movie
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
Animation
1953Movie
Melody
Animation
1953Movie
Melody
Director
1953Movie
Peter Pan
Animation
1953Movie
Peter Pan
Animation Director
1953Movie
Operation Wonderland
Self
1951Movie
Alice in Wonderland
Animation
1951Movie
One Hour in Wonderland
Self - Firehouse Five Plus Two
1950Movie
Cinderella
Animation Director
1950Movie
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Animation
1949Movie
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Animation Director
1949Movie
Pecos Bill
Animation
1948Movie
Melody Time
Animation
1948Movie
Fun and Fancy Free
Animation Director
1947Movie
Willie the Operatic Whale
Animation
1946Movie
Peter and the Wolf
Animation
1946Movie
Hockey Homicide
Animation
1945Movie
The Pelican and the Snipe
Animation
1944Movie
The Three Caballeros
Animation
1944Movie
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi
Animation
1943Movie
Chicken Little
Animation
1943Movie
Reason and Emotion
Animation
1943Movie
The Spirit of '43
Animation
1943Movie
Victory Vehicles
Animation
1943Movie
How to Play Baseball
Animation
1942Movie
The Reluctant Dragon
Ward Kimball
1941Movie
The Nifty Nineties
Ward (voice) (uncredited)
1941Movie
The Little Whirlwind
Animation
1941Movie
The Nifty Nineties
Animation
1941Movie
The Reluctant Dragon
Animation
1941Movie
Dumbo
Animation Director
1941Movie
Fantasia
Animation
1940Movie
Pinocchio
Animation
1940Movie
Pinocchio
Animation Director
1940Movie
The Autograph Hound
Animation
1939Movie
Ferdinand the Bull
Animation
1938Movie
Mother Goose Goes Hollywood
Animation
1938Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Animation
1938Movie
Woodland Café
Animation
1937Movie
More Kittens
Animation
1936Movie
Elmer Elephant
Animation Production Assistant
1936Movie
Toby Tortoise Returns
Animation
1936Movie
Pluto's Judgement Day
Animation
1935Movie
The Tortoise and the Hare
Animation Production Assistant
1935Movie
The Wise Little Hen
Animation
1934Movie
Orphan's Benefit
Animation
1934Movie
Mickey Plays Papa
Animation Production Assistant
1934Movie
The Hot Choc-late Soldiers
Animation Production Assistant
1934Movie
The Goddess of Spring
Animation Production Assistant
1934Movie