Eric Larson (September 3, 1905 – October 25, 1988) was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios starting in 1933 and was one of the "Disney's Nine Old Men."
Born in Cleveland, Utah, Larson worked on such films as Snow White, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and The Jungle Book.
In 1973 he began a recruitment training program that brought a new generation of animators into the Disney studio. Many of well-known figures in animation today went through Larson's training program, including Brad Bird, Don Bluth, Chris Buck, Tim Burton, Randy Cartwright, Ron Clements, Andreas Deja, Gary Goldman, Ed Gombert, Mark Henn, Dan Haskett, Glen Keane, Bill Kroyer, John Lasseter, John Musker, Phil Nibbelink, Richard Rich, Burny Mattinson, Melvin Shaw, Jeffrey J. Varab, John Pomeroy, Joe Ranft, Jerry Rees, Henry Selick, and Tad Stones among many others.
Larson was married to Gertrude Larson, who died of cancer in 1975. He retired from Disney in September 1986 and died two years later.
Animator
- Whistle While You Work Sequence (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
- Figaro (Pinocchio)
- Pegasus,Centaurs, Centaurettes (The Pastoral Symphony) (Fantasia)
- Lullabye sequence "baby animals" (Dumbo) (uncredited)
- Bambi (Bambi)
- Cinderella (Cinderella)
- The Caterpillar, The Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland)
- Flying to London Sequence (Peter Pan)
- Peg, Puppies in Pound (Lady and the Tramp)
- Puppies (101 Dalmatians)
- The Vultures, some of the Wolves (The Jungle Book)
- Little John, Vultures (Robin Hood)
- Kanga and Roo (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)
- Mr. Toad (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)
- 3 Little Pigs (The Three Little Pigs)
- Roquefort, Scat Cat (The Aristocats)
- Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear (Song of the South)
- Barn Animals (Mary Poppins)
- Tod (adult, some sequences) (The Fox and the Hound, also an animation consultant)
Note: At the time these films were produced it was common for an animator to animate every character in the shot.
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