Ward Kimball was featured on the 2nd episode of “The Disney Family Album” and originally aired on the Disney Channel in July of 1984. I featured the Ward Kimball Disney Family Album in SamsDisneyDiary, along with additional details on the series and its’ creation.
Ward Kimball was an animator for Disney Studios from 1934-1972, but he was so much more than an animator. One of Walt’s Nine Old Men, Ward was a railroad enthusiast and talented jazz trombonist. He founded the Dixieland Band Firehouse Five Plus Two. His animation style focused on comical characters, rather than realistic human designs. Ward instilled life in diverse characters like Mickey, Jiminy Cricket, Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Ward was awarded two Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film. After retirement, Ward continued to work for Disney including working on EPCOT Center’s “World of Motion” attraction. According to this Disney Family Album, Walt often referred to Ward as “a Genius”, something he never said about anyone else.
Don’t miss any of the Disney Family Albums: Clarence “Ducky” Nash, The Missing Episode, Ward Kimball, Sherman Brothers, Jim MacDonald, Milt Kahl, Ken Anderson, Disneyland Designers, Eric Larson, Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw, Wolfgang (Woolie) Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Voice Actors, WED Imagineers, Golden Horseshoe Revue, Ollie Johnston, Annette Funicello, Marc Davis, The Milotte’s and the Beebe’s, Fess Parker / Buddy Ebsen, The StoryMen
