Known for Visual Effects
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
Born
February 9, 1914
Died
February 10, 2011 (age 97)
Birthplace
Dayton - Ohio - USA
Filmography
78 films


A Symposium on Popular Songs
1962 · 20m · US
Professor Ludwig von Drake plays a variety of popular music, all of which he wrote. First, ragtime: the Rutabaga Rag, with vegetables dancing in stop-motion. Next, the Charleston, with cut-out animation of a singer and dancers. Dixieland and more cut-out animation; the crooner/love ballad; 50's doo-wop; and finally, rockabilly.


Noah's Ark
1959 · 20m · US
The Biblical story of Noah's ark full of animals gets the Disney treatment in this animated short.


The Adventures of Chip 'N' Dale
1959 · 48m · US
An assortment of classic Disney cartoons blended into a complete movie featurette. Features "Two Chips and a Miss," "Chicken in the Rough," "Donald Applecore," "Chips Ahoy," "Up a Tree," and "The Lone Chipmunk."


The Truth About Mother Goose
1957 · 14m · US
We learn the true stories behind various nursery rhymes. Little Jack Horner: a servant to a city official was delivering a present to King Henry VIII, baked, as was the custom of the time, in a pie. The present was the deed to a valuable estate, which Horner stole. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary: Mary Stuart brought "quite contrary" French style to the Scottish court. After a series of disastrous romances, she was jailed; the jailer's son, captivated by her, helped her escape. After a brief but disastrous attempted coup, she fled to England, where her sister, Queen Elizabeth, soon grew jealous and had her imprisoned. London Bridge: The bridge, finished in 1209, was soon lined by shops with luxury apartments upstairs, turning into a popular commercial and cultural zone. The Great Fire that broke out in 1666 spread to the bridge, but the houses were rebuilt. Over the ages, things decayed. In 1823, things finally got bad enough that the bridge was demolished and replaced.


A Cowboy Needs a Horse
1956 · 7m · US
A young boy dreams of being a cowboy. After he gets the basics, as outlined in the title song, he's attacked by Indians. He runs out of bullets and manages to lasso them. He smokes the peace pipe with their chief. A robber is holding up a stagecoach and he rides to the rescue, refusing the reward. He also saves a train from a dynamited bridge, and a girl tied to a cactus, before riding into the sunset (and back to his suburban bed).


Jack and Old Mac
1956 · 7m · US
Two stylized nursery rhymes are shown. First is "The House That Jack Built" as told with a variety of characters composed of letters that spell out their names (Example: the cow is made up of an intertwined C, O, and W). Next is "Old MacDonald Had a Band" (no, not farm) in which Old MacDonald and his band give way with a hot jazz number (even his animals play instruments). The piece comes to an end when Old MacDonald's wife is tired of doing all the housework and gives him a swift whack on his head with her rolling pin.


I'm No Fool with a Bicycle
1956 · 8m · US
Jiminy Cricket narrates the history and practice of bicycle safety.


The Winged Scourge
1943 · 10m · US
The Seven Dwarfs fight malaria.


The Grain That Built a Hemisphere
1943 · 11m · US
This animated documentary outlines the history and importance of corn in North America.