Thelma D. Witmer was an American background artist, who worked for Disney and other studios for nearly 26 years.
Witmer was born in Nebraska and when her family moved to California in 1920, she went to college for four years before becoming a commercial artist, showcasing her skills in an illustrated Christmas book. In 1944, she joined Disney Studios and became one of only a handful of ranking female artists during this time period, alongside Mary Blair and Retta Scott.
She began work on several Donald Duck shorts before moving painting backgrounds for features, such as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and The Jungle Book. Witmer's work was often surprisingly bold and modern and the inventive artist also worked with the animation team behind Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. She left Disney after completing Jungle Book and for a brief period teamed up with Hanna-Barbera Productions where she provided animated backgrounds for a number of animated television shows, such as The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and The Harlem Globe Trotters before retiring in 1970.
She continued to live in Los Angeles until her death in 1996. She never married and lived alone with her parents until they passed away in 1955 and 1961, respectively.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Donald's Off Day | Background artist |
| 1945 | The Eyes Have It | Background artist |
| No Sail | Background artist | |
| 1946 | A Knight for a Day | Background artist |
| Make Mine Music | Background artist: "Willie the Operatic Whale" | |
| Frank Duck Brings 'em Back Alive | Background artist | |
| Song of the South | Background artist (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | Straight Shooters | Background artist |
| Clown of the Jungle | Background artist | |
| Bootle Beetle | Background artist | |
| 1948 | Daddy Duck | Background artist |
| Inferior Decorator | Background artist | |
| Three for Breakfast | Background artist | |
| Tea for Two Hundred | Background artist | |
| 1949 | Sea Salts | Background artist |
| Winter Storage | Background artist | |
| Honey Harvester | Background artist | |
| All in a Nutshell | Background artist | |
| Slide, Donald, Slide | Background artist | |
| Toy Tinkers | Background artist | |
| 1950 | Lion Around | Background artist |
| Cinderella | Background artist | |
| Crazy Over Daisy | Background artist | |
| Trailer Horn | Background artist | |
| Hook, Lion and Sinker | Background artist | |
| Out on a Limb | Background artist | |
| 1951 | Corn Chips | Background artist |
| Lucky Number | Background artist | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Background artist | |
| Cold Turkey | Background artist | |
| Bee on Guard | Background artist | |
| 1952 | Donald Applecore | Background artist |
| Let's Stick Together | Background artist | |
| Pluto's Party | Background artist | |
| Pluto's Christmas Tree | Background artist | |
| 1953 | Peter Pan | Effects Animator |
| The New Neighbor | Background artist | |
| Ben and Me | Background artist | |
| 1954 | Social Lion | Background artist |
| 1955-1961 | The Magical World of Disney | Background artist |
| 1955 | Lady and the Tramp | Background artist |
| Mickey Mouse Club | Background artist | |
| 1956 | Chips Ahoy | Background artist |
| I'm No Fool with a Bicycle | Background artist (uncredited) | |
| 1959 | Sleeping Beauty | Background artist |
| Donald in Mathmagic Land | Background artist | |
| 1960 | Goliath II | Background artist |
| 1961 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | Background artist |
| 1967 | The Jungle Book | Background artist |
| 1970 | The Aristocats | Background artist (uncredited) |
| 1977 | The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh | Background artist (uncredited): "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree" |
Gallery[]
External links[]
