Marc Davis

Marc Davis
Background information
Fullname	Marc Fraser Davis
Born	March 30, 1913 Bakersfield, California, United States
Died	January 12, 2000 (aged 86) Glendale, California, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Artist, animator
Years active	1937-1978
Family information
Spouse	Alice Estes Davis (1956-2000)

Marc Fraser Davis was an American prominent artist and animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, the famed core group of animators in Walt Disney's animation studio.

Some of the animated characters Davis mainly designed and animated were Bambi, Thumper, and Flower from Bambi (1942), Br'er Rabbit from Song of the South (1946), the title character of Cinderella (1950), Alice from Alice in Wonderland (1951), Tinker Bell in Peter Pan (1953), Aurora and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Cruella De Vil in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).

Davis also played a key role in the creation of many Disneyland attractions, such as the Enchanted Tiki Room, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Ford Magic Skyway, Carousel of Progress, It's a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Nature's Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamboree, America Sings, and the unbuilt Western River Expedition, as well as creating the characters featured in those attractions.

In 1989, he was named a Disney Legend. He was also the recipient of the much-coveted Mousecar.

Davis died in January 2000; that same month, the Marc Fraser Davis Scholarship Fund was formally established at the California Institute of the Arts.

In 2014, Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man was published by Disney Editions Deluxe, followed by the 2019 publication of the two-volume box set Marc Davis In His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks.

Gallery

A 1965 group photograph of March Davis among other Disney artists in the WED parking lot in Glendale, California

Davis showing Ilene Woods his sketch of Cinderella, c. 1949.

Davis sketching Helene Stanley dressed as Briar Rose (along with Milt Kahl and John Lounsbery), c. 1954.

Davis and Clyde Geronimi giving directions to Jane Fowler dressed as Maleficent.

Davis attending a story meeting for Sleeping Beauty with Eric Larson, Joe Rinaldi, and Don DaGradi.

Davis discussing the storyboard of the "Boy Meets Girl" sequence from Sleeping Beauty with Milt Kahl.

Davis animating Briar Rose from Sleeping Beauty (1).

Davis animating Briar Rose from Sleeping Beauty (2).

Davis discussing his design of Princess Aurora with Mary Costa, c. May 1958.

Davis in "Tricks of Our Trade".

L-R: Joshua Meador, Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle, Walter Peregoy

Davis in "An Adventure in Art".

Marc Davis working on a model for Western River Expedition.

Marc Davis and Walt Disney with an animatronic for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Marc Davis working on the Barker Bird animatronic.

Marc with Henry

Davis in Bambi: The Magic Behind the Masterpiece.

Davis in You Can Fly!: The Making of Peter Pan.

Davis in Cinderella: The Making of a Masterpiece.

Davis in The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature.

Davis in Walt: The Man Behind the Myth.

Characters animated

Snow White

Bambi, Thumper, and Flower

Br'er Rabbit

Br'er Bear

Br'er Fox

Bongo

Mr. Toad

Cinderella

Drizella and Anastasia

Alice

The Little House

Tinker Bell

Wendy Darling

Princess Aurora

Maleficent

Anita

Cruella De Vil

Work on Disney Parks

Hatbox Ghost from The Haunted Mansion

Character sketches for the Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean

Elephant Bathing Pool concept for Jungle Cruise

The Snow Queen for the unbuilt Enchanted Snow Palace

Henry

Gomer

Zeke

Zeb

Ted

Fred

Tennessee

Ernest

Wendell

Liver Lips McGrowl

Trixie

Shaker

Sun Bonnets

Teddi Barra

Big Al

Melvin, Buff, and Max

Weasel from America Sings

Forlorn Fox from America Sings

Home on the Range sequence from America Sings

Quotes

• On Disneyland rides: "We really don't have a story, with a beginning, an end, or a plot. It's more a series of experiences building up to a climax. I call them experience rides."

External links

• Marc Davis on Wikipedia
• Marc Davis on IMDb
• Marc Davis at Find a Grave
• Disney Legends
• Memories of Marc Davis (LaughingPlace.com)
• Disney Family Album video: Marc Davis
• Marc Davis Collectors Society (official website)

v - e - d

1920s—1970s Disney's Nine Old Men: Milt Kahl • Frank Thomas • Ollie Johnston • Les Clark • John Lounsbery • Marc Davis • Ward Kimball • Eric Larson • Wolfgang Reitherman Animators: Bill Tytla • Art Babbitt • Lee Blair • Preston Blair • Fred Moore • Shamus Culhane • Cy Young • Don Lusk • Norman Ferguson • Hal King • Jack Hannah • Dick Kinney • Hal Ambro • Ken O'Brien • Judge Whitaker • Bill Justice • Don Bluth • Gary Goldman • Charles A. Nichols • Blaine Gibson • John Ewing • Walt Stanchfield • Rolly Crump • Fred Hellmich • Amby Paliwoda • Wilfred Jackson • Xavier Atencio • Ben Sharpsteen • Earl Hurd • Dale Oliver • Eric Cleworth • David Hand • Fred Spencer • Julius Svendsen • Jack Bradbury • Kenneth Muse • Rudolf Ising • Hugh Harman • Friz Freleng • Walt Kelly • Leo Salkin • John Dehner • Retta Scott • David Swift • Jack Cutting • Grant Simmons • Art Stevens • Frank Tashlin • Wathel Rogers • Tyrus Wong • Johnny Cannon • Bernard Wolf • John W. Dunn • Henry Selick • Tony Strobl • Chuck Williams • Burny Mattinson • Dave Suding • Andy Gaskill • Campbell Grant • John Hubley • Paul Murry • Harvey Toombs • Jane Baer • Tom Palmer • George Nicholas • Pete Alvarado • Robert Mckimson • John Sibley • Charlotte Huffine Visual Development, Layout, Background Artists and Character Designers: Gustaf Tenggren • Mary Blair • Marjorie Ralston • Marcellite Garner • Lillian Bounds • Edna Francis • Virginia Davis • Joe Grant • Mel Shaw • Claude Coats • Don DaGradi • John Hench • Eyvind Earle • Ken O'Connor • Thor Putnam • Albert Hurter • Herbert Ryman • Don Griffith • Basil Davidovich • Jack Boyd • Peter Ellenshaw • Ruthie Tompson • Earl Duvall • Retta Davidson • Ub Iwerks • Vance Gerry • Hazel Sewell • James Bodrero • Lance Nolley • Grace Bailey • Maurice Noble • Dale Barnhart • Andy Engman • Eustace Lycett • John Emerson • Joe Hale • Leota Toombs • Ferdinand Horvath • Jerry Rees • Jim Coleman • Dorse Lanpher • John P. Miller • Dodie Roberts • Norma Swank • Becky Fallberg • Walter Peregoy • Collin Campbell • Joshua Meador • Thelma Witmer • Hugh Hennesy • Helen Ogger • Charles Cristadoro • Joyce Carlson • McLaren Stewart • Ralph Hulett • Elmer Plummer • Al Dempster • Bill Layne • Betty Kimball • Tom Codrick • Ray Huffine • Phyllis Bounds • George Rowley • Art Riley Storyboard Artists and Writers: Bill Peet • Ralph Wright • Dick Huemer • Floyd Norman • Yale Gracey • Ted Sears • Erdman Penner • Joe Rinaldi • Winston Hibler • Otto Englander • William Cottrell • Bill Berg • Al Bertino • T. Hee • Homer Brightman • Ted Osbourne • Larry Clemmons • Harry Reeves • Jesse Marsh • Chuck Couch • Webb Smith • Dick Sebast • Peter Young • Dorothy Ann Blank • Bianca Majolie • Grace Huntington • Sylvia Holland • Carl Fallberg Directors: Clyde Geronimi • Hamilton Luske • Jack Kinney • Ted Berman • Richard Rich • George Scribner • Riley Thomson • Dick Lundy • Jack King • Burt Gillett • James Algar • Bill Roberts • Larry Lansburgh • Richard Irvine • Hal Adelquist Producers: Walt Disney • Ron Miller • Ken Anderson • Don Duckwall • Perce Pearce • Margaret J. Winkler • Harry Tytle 1980s—present Renaissance Directors: Rob Minkoff • Roger Allers • Gary Trousdale • Kirk Wise • Chris Sanders • Mark Dindal • John Musker • Mike Gabriel Story Trust Directors: Ron Clements • Chris Buck • Byron Howard • Don Hall • Chris Williams • Rich Moore • Stephen J. Anderson • Nathan Greno • Fawn Veerasunthorn Producers: Peter Del Vecho • Clark Spencer • Roy Conli • Dorothy McKim • Don Hahn • Shane Morris • Peter Schneider Associated Figures: Bob Iger • Roy Edward Disney • Michael Eisner • John Lasseter • Ed Catmull • Jeffrey Katzenberg • Bob Chapek • Jennifer Lee • Jared Bush Signature Voice Actors: Jim Cummings • Alan Tudyk • Katie Lowes • John DiMaggio • Maurice LaMarche • Jodi Benson • David Ogden Stiers • Jesse Corti • Paul Briggs • Raymond S. Persi • Phil Johnston • Frank Welker • Bill Farmer • Brian Cummings Signature Musicians: Robert B. Sherman • Richard M. Sherman • Alan Menken • Kristen Anderson-Lopez • Robert Lopez • Lin-Manuel Miranda • Howard Ashman • Tim Rice • Phil Collins • Stephen Schwartz • Marc Shaiman • Danny Troob Supervising Animators: Glen Keane • Andreas Deja • Eric Goldberg • Mark Henn • John Pomeroy • Randy Haycock • Dale Baer • Tony Bancroft • Tom Bancroft • Anthony DeRosa • Russ Edmonds • Bruce W. Smith • Michael Surrey • Duncan Marjoribanks • Ruben Aquino • Nik Ranieri • Ken Duncan • Ron Husband • Rick Farmiloe • Tom Sito • Tony Anselmo • Will Finn • Kathy Zielinski • Hendel Butoy • Ellen Woodbury • Matthew O'Callaghan • David Pruiksma • Bob Walker • Aaron Blaise • Nancy Kniep • James Baxter • Tony Fucile • Sergio Pablos • Randy Cartwright • Clay Kaytis Visual Development & Storyboard Artists: Dean DeBlois • Claire Keane • Brittney Lee • Jin Kim • Shiyoon Kim • Ryan Green • Sue C. Nichols • Michael Peraza, Jr. • Kevin Lima • Kelly Asbury • Toby Shelton • Barry Cook • Mark Kennedy • Carole Holliday • Jorgen Klubien • Brian Pimental • Donovan Cook • David Pimentel • Joseph Christopher Pepe • Rob Gibbs • Joe Ranft • Michael Giaimo • Perry Farinola • Randy Fullmer • Mark Walton • Lauren MacMullan • Daniel Gerson • Sam Levine Other Animators: Kaaren Lundeen • Michael Humphries • Tim Burton • Brenda Chapman • Sandro Cleuzo • Gary M. Eggleston • Brad Bird • David Stephan • Ray Harris • Ruben Procopio • Barry Atkinson • Thomas Baker • Chris Bailey • Geefwee Boedoe • Daan Jippes • Pres Romanillos • Ash Brannon • Christine Lawrence Finney • Mike Cosa • Jymn Magon • Butch Hartman • Bill Waldman • Chris Sonnenburg • James Lopez • Bradley Raymond • Darrell Van Citters • Aaron Springer • Terry Shakespeare • Pixote Hunt • Martin Schwartz