- “It was a priceless experience. He was a taskmaster and a genius, with the amazing faculty of knowing what the public wanted and how to give it to them.”
- ―George Rowley
George A. Rowley was an American animator, effects animator, special effects artist, and animation director for the Disney studios for 21 years.
Rowley was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and spent his boyhood there and in Omaha. His early penchant for art drew him like a magnet for further studies at the Omaha Art Academy and The Chicago Art Institute. After moving west in the early 1930s, he continued his art studies at Chouinard and also encountered a young public school teacher named Mina Throne, who later became his wife.
In 1934, George Rowley joined the Disney Studio's Effects Animation Department where he remained for 21 years as animator and department head. In addition to the beloved features previously mentioned, he has animation credits for 11 other full-length Disney films including: The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp. One of his special projects on Three Caballeros was an intricate ending in which a bull pranced onto the scene and burst into a mind-boggling fireworks display spelling out "The End" in various languages, concluding with a lively burst of red white-and-blue for the English translation.
Rowley was also known for using the visual effect of "Disney's Pixie Dust" to illustrate the most magical moments in animated films, such as Pinocchio, Fantasia, Cinderella, and Peter Pan. The most notable example is the transformation of Cinderella's rags into a beautiful ball gown, thanks to the prodigies of her Fairy Godmother. This type of visual effect required meticulous work, but allowed the audience to identify the magical identity of Disney films, both emotionally and visually.
George Rowley left the Disney studios after his participation in Lady and the Tramp. In 1955, he joined Paramount Studios and became a supervising animator. He has worked with other companies, such as Filmation, Larry Harmon Productions, Sketch Book Films, and Hanna-Barbera. Retired in 1970. Nevertheless, he remained active in making the comic strip that he publishes for Leisure World News, an American newspaper. He also made guest appearances at institutes to talk about his career as a facilitator. Rowley died on August 18, 1991 at the age of 86.
Filmography[]
Gallery[]
External links[]
George Rowley on Wikipedia- George Rowley on IMDb
- George Rowley at Find a Grave
- 1970 the Year of George A. Rowley — The Historian
