Eric Larson

Eric Larson (September 3, 1905 - October 25, 1988) (age 82) 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, 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 Oldman, Dan Haskett, Glen Keane, Bill Kroyer, John Lasseter, John Musker, Phil Nibbelink, Richard Rich, 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 after he finished working on The Great Mouse Detective and died two years later.