James Algar

James Algar ( born June 11, 1912 in Modesto, California, † 26 February 1998 in Carmel, California ) was an American character animator, screenwriter, film director and producer. He was one of Walt Disney's most important employees.

Life

James Algar studied journalism and got a job after graduation in 1934 at the Walt Disney Studios, but not as a journalist, but because of his talent in drawing. His first work was the implementation of the forest animals in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937). In the animated film production Fantasia (1940 ), he was active for the first time as a director. At Disney World Success Bambi (1942 ), he worked again with as a draftsman.

After the Second World War, James Algar put his focus on screenwriting and directing and devoted himself to Dokumentarfilmerei. His first documentary The Robben Island ( Seal Iceland, 1947) was awarded the Academy Award for Best Short Film (1949 ). The film's success meant that in the 1950s more animal films were produced, and is now regarded as the pioneer James Algar Disney documentaries. However, He was not responsible for the photography of these films, but always written and directed.

Among the most important productions include not only The Robben Island, the films In the Valley of the beaver (in Beaver Valley, 1950), Earth, the great unknown (1951 ), waterfowl (Water Birds. 1952), The Living Desert ( The Living Desert, 1953), In the land of the bears ( bear Country, 1953), the Vanishing Prairie ( the Vanishing Prairie, 1954), secrets of the steppe ( the African Lion, 1955), secrets of Life ( secrets of Life, 1956) - for which he received the "Golden bears " at the Berlinale in 1957 received -, Grand Canyon and Lobo, the Wolf ( the Legend of Lobo, 1962). For White Wilderness ( White Wilderness, 1958) and Wild Cats ( Jungle Cat, 1960) he was at the Berlinale 1959, the Berlin International Film Festival 1960 again awarded respectively to the " Golden Bear " for best documentary.

After his successes as an animator and documentary director James Algar dared to own productions for the Disney studio. From 1962 to 1975, created nine feature films and 14 own episodes of the television series The Wonderful World of Disney. In 1977, James Algar drew from the film industry back into retirement. The films in which he played a leading role were honored, among others, with nine Oscars, and a few months after his death, it was explained to him posthumously on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Walt Disney Productions for Disney Legend.

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