Burt Gillett

Burton Fred "Burt" Gillett was an American director, writer, and animator, who worked on many Silly Symphonies for Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Gillet was born on October 15, 1891 to his father, Lewis Martin Gillett (1859-1910), a watchmaker at a jewelry store, and his mother, Fra McClure (1867-1944). In 1904, his family moved to Pennsylvania, where, as a high school student in 1907, Judge's Weekly awarded him second prize in a drawing contest conducted by the publication. He commuted to New York to attend the Art Students League in Manhattan around 1910. During his art education, he worked as a cashier at a lumber company.

Gillett started his professional artistic career as a newspaper cartoonist/writer for The Connellsville News and later, as a reporter for The Daily Courier. By 1913, he moved to New York, where he worked as a cartoonist for the Newburgh Daily News, and became the head of their art department. In 1918, Gillett changed careers and began directing animated shorts companies, like International Film Service in Manhattan, William Randolph Hearst's King Features Syndicate, the Barré-Bowers studio, Max Fleischer studios, and Pat Sullivan studios.

In 1929, Walt Disney visited New York for talented animator and discovered Gillett along with Ben Sharpsteen and began as an animator on early Mickey Mouse cartoons and Silly Symphonies before directing his first short Wild Waves. Following Carl Stalling's departure from the studio in January 1930, Gillett took charge of some of the directorial duties. Many of his colleagues recalled Gillett's boundless enthusiasm and stimulation as a director, as he acted out the character's movement with his body to his animators and musical composer; primarily working with Bert Lewis and Frank Churchill. Despite his contributions, Gillett also had a notorious temperament that left some feeling distain towards him.

In 1936, he took charge at Van Beuren studios where he attempted to revive Felix the Cat with methods he learned from Disney only to have minimal success. Despite a second stint at Disney directing Lonesome Ghosts, The Moth and the Flame, and Brave Little Tailor, his problems with alcohol and mental instability led to him leaving the animation industry in 1940.

Gillett led a more private life while still remaining in the West Coast and making periodical visits to Connellsville, where he was still fondly remembered for his newspaper work. He passed away in 1971 at Los Angeles, California.

Filmography[]

Year	Film	Position
1929	The Barnyard Battle	Animator- uncredited
	The Karnival Kid	Animator - uncredited
	Mickey's Choo-Choo	Animator- uncredited
	Mickey's Follies	Animator- uncredited
	The Plowboy	Animator- uncredited
	The Jazz Fool	Animator- uncredited
	Wild Waves	Director- uncredited
1930	Cannibal Capers	Director - uncredited
	The Gorilla Mystery	Animator- uncredited
	Frolicking Fish	Director - uncredited
	The Fire Fighters	Director Story - uncredited
	Arctic Antics	Director
	The Shindig	Director - uncredited
	The Chain Gang	Director - uncredited
	The Gorilla Mystery	Director Animator - uncredited
	Monkey Melodies	Director - uncredited
	The Picnic	Director - uncredited
	Winter	Director - uncredited
	Pioneer Days	Director - uncredited
	Playful Pan	Director- uncredited
1931	The Birthday Party	Director- uncredited
	Birds of a Feather	Director- uncredited
	Traffic Troubles	Director- uncredited
	Mother Goose Melodies	Director- uncredited
	The Moose Hunt	Director
	The Delivery Boy	Director
	The Busy Beavers	Director
	Mickey Steps Out	Director - uncredited
	Blue Rhythm	Director- uncredited
	Fishin' Around	Director- uncredited
	The Barnyard Broadcast	Director- uncredited
	The Beach Party	Director- uncredited
	Mickey Cuts Up	Director- uncredited
	Mickey's Orphans	Director- uncredited
1932	The Duck Hunt	Director- uncredited
	The Mad Dog	Director
	Flowers and Trees	Director- uncredited
	Just Dogs	Director- uncredited
	Mickey's Nightmare	Director- uncredited
	Bugs in Love	Director - uncredited
	King Neptune	Director - uncredited
	The Wayward Canary	Director
	Babes in the Woods	Director- uncredited
	Mickey's Good Deed	Director- uncredited
1933	Mickey's Pal Pluto	Director
	Ye Olden Days	Director- uncredited
	Three Little Pigs	Director- uncredited
	Mickey's Gala Premier	Director- uncredited
	The Steeple-Chase	Director- uncredited
	Giantland	Director - uncredited
1934	Shanghaied	Director - uncredited
	Playful Pluto	Director
	The Big Bad Wolf	Director - uncredited
	Gulliver Mickey	Director - uncredited
	Orphan's Benefit	Director - uncredited
	Mickey Plays Papa	Director - uncredited
1937	Lonesome Ghosts	Director - uncredited
1938	The Moth and the Flame	Director
1938	Brave Little Tailor	Director - uncredited