Biography

Graduated as a portrait painter from the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis in 1935. He joined the Disney Organisation two years later, after moving to California. Highlights of his 42-year long career with Walt Disney as director/animator include bringing to life the characters of Thumper ('Bambi') and Chip'n'Dale, as well as animating the title sequence ('Mickey Mouse Club March') from the 1950's TV series The Mickey Mouse Club (1955). He also directed a number of animated short films, three of which received Academy Award nominations: The Truth About Mother Goose (1957) (with Wolfgang Reitherman), explaining the background of classic nursery rhymes, Noah's Ark (1959), and a 'new twist on the old ragtime' theme, A Symposium on Popular Songs (1962). After 1965, Bill became part of the imagineering/programming team for Disney's Audio-Animatronics figures at Disneyland, specifically involved with the Hall of Presidents, Mission to Mars, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean attractions. He was also noted as an expert in the use of stop motion animation technique in conjunction with live action films, such as Mary Poppins (1964), usually in collaboration with T. Hee and Xavier Atencio. Bill retired in 1979 and was pronounced a Disney Legend in 1996. - IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis