Robert Carey "Bob" Broughton was an American cameraman and visual effects artist, who worked on various Disney features, both animated and live-action for nearly 45 years.
A native of California, Broughton spent much of his childhood in Glendale where he attended Glendale High School and Glendale Junior College. He later attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), studying chemistry, physics, math, and optics before joining Disney in 1937, delivering mail to Studio offices before stepping into the camera department. There, he shot test camera on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a step in production to check the continuous action of animated scenes before photographing the final product. He soon graduated to the multiplane camera, giving more depth to scenes in Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi. His keen eye and steady hand won the rank of camera department supervisor.
He briefly left the studio serve in World War II as a cameraman in the field photographic branch of the Office of Strategic Services, headed by Hollywood director John Ford where he photographed an Oscar-winning film, directed by Ford, documenting the Battle of Midway. Returning to the studio, he became an assistant to Ub Iwerks in making effects that would better combine animation with live-action sequences. For a time, Broughton photographed Walt’s lead-ins for the weekly television series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.
His efforts allowed the visual effect that made Hayley Mills appear as twins in The Parent Trap, and his highest achievement, the illusion of Dick Van Dyke dancing with animated penguins in Mary Poppins as well as the titular nanny fly by using color traveling matte composite cinematography.
After retiring in 1982, Broughton helped coordinate the Studio's Golden Ears Retirement Club for 15 years and was honored as a Disney Legend in 2001. He passed away from pneumonia in 2009 and was survived by two sons, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Visual effects (uncredited) |
| 1940 | Pinocchio | Camera operator (uncredited) |
| Fantasia | Special animation effects: "Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria" (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | Bambi | Visual effects (uncredited) |
| Saludos Amigos | Animation photography (uncredited) Scene planner (uncredited) | |
| 1943 | Victory Through Air Power | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1944 | The Three Caballeros | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Make Mine Music | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| Song of the South | Animation photography (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | Fun and Fancy Free | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Melody Time | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| So Dear to My Heart | Animation photography (uncredited) | |
| 1949 | The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Cinderella | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Alice in Wonderland | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Peter Pan | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Lady and the Tramp | Animation photography (uncredited) |
| 1961 | The Parent Trap | Visual effects (uncredited) |
| 1963 | The Sword in the Stone | Animation camera (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Mary Poppins | Optical cinematography (uncredited) |
| 1967 | The Jungle Book | Animation camera (uncredited) |
| 1970 | The Aristocats | Animation camera supervisor (uncredited) |
| 1971 | Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Animation camera supervisor (uncredited) |
| 1973 | Robin Hood | Animation camera supervisor (uncredited) |
| 1974 | The Island at the Top of the World | Optical effects photography (uncredited) |
| 1977 | The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh | Animation camera supervisor: "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" (uncredited) |
| 1979 | The Black Hole | Optical photography coordinator |
| 1980 | The Watcher in the Woods | Special photographic effects: Other World sequence |
| 1982 | Tron | Optical effects |
Trivia[]
- His work in visual effects at Disney got him work alongside Ub Iwerks on Alfred Hitchcock's suspense film The Birds.
External links[]
Bob Broughton on IMDb
Bob Broughton at Find a Grave- From Walt Disney to War Movies: Bob Broughton
- Bob Broughton - d23
