AURORA PRESENTS A DON BLUTH PRODUCTION
BIOGRAPHIES |
DON BLUTH - Producer, Director, Story Adaption, Layout
"You can't tell a book by its cover" ... and that
old adage certainly applies to DON BLUTH.
Soft spoken, gentle, intense yet laid-back, BLUTH
would hardly strike you as a maverick, yet he is very much that and more.
Although a member of the Animation Review Board
at Walt Disney Productions and generally considered one of the brightest
young stars in their animation department, having enjoyed a meteoric climb
to the top, he nevertheless decided to strike out on his own, starting
Don Bluth Productions in the Fall of 1979.
In a story that sounds like a throwback to those
old "hey, let's make a film and we can use my garage for the studio" movies,
BLUTH did just that. Together with several other animators they worked
for years on their own time using their own funds to produce a labor of
love--a half-hour television special entitled "Banjo the Woodpile Cat."
Working on this project nights and weekends in DON BLUTH's garage, while
still working days at the other studio, BLUTH and his associates perfected
their craft. In September 1979, citing creative differences and the
need for more artistic freedom, he resigned from Disney to form his own
company.
MGM/UA DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING 10202 WEST WASHINGTON
BLVD. CULVER CITY, CA. 90230-(213) 558-5000
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Bluth, a devout Morman, gave two and a half years of
his life to a mission in Argentina for the Church. While primarily
a teaching and recruiting ministry, Bluth gained valued insight into a
wide spectrum of people which has proved helpful to him in his life's work.
Returning from Argentina in 1960, Bluth and his
brother managed a legitimate theatre in Culver City, California for several
years, directing and staging twelve musical comedies, This experience too
has been most useful. in his realistic approach to animation, sometimes
combining it with live action.
His career in animation began at age 18 in 1955
whenhe was hired by Disney Studios as an assistant animator and worked
on "Sleeping Beauty." He remained at the studio until he ''left for Argentina
in 1957. He joined Filmation Studios as a layout man in 1967, returning
to Disney in April, 1971 under their new training program.
His growth there was extraordinary. He worked
as an animator on "Robin Hood" released in 1973 and "Winnie the Pooh
and Tigger, Too," a featurette released in 1974.
He was directing animator on "The Rescuers"
released in The summer of 1977 and director of animation on "Pete's
Dragon," a musical fantasy combining live action and animation which was
released in December, 1977.
He produced and directed "The Small One," an animated
featurette released for Christmas, 1978 and was animating on "The
Fox and the Hound" up until the time he resigned in 1979.
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Under his own banner, he produced and directed an animated
featurette entitled "Banjo the Woodpile Cat" completed in December 1979.
MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH, the long-awaited first feature
length motion picture from his new company, is an Aurora Presentation of
a Don Bluth Production, to be released through United Artists.
Born in El Paso, Texas in 1937, Bluth attended Brigham
Young University in Utah, graduating in 1967 with a degree, in English.
He is a member of the Shorts Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences.
GARY GOLDMAN and JOHN POMEROY - Producer/Directing Animators/ Story
Adaptors
In an atmosphere charged with creativity and enthusiasm,
two of animation's most inspired craftsmen enjoy the fulfillment of a dream
started many years ago in the garage of founder Don Bluth of Don Bluth
Productions.
Together with Bluth, these two young men were considered
among the most valued animators in the department at Walt Disney Productions.
Both served on the Animation Review Board there until they resigned with
Bluth, launching their new company in the Fall of 1979.
Involved in every aspect of production, they are
both dedicated to the company philosophy of bringing back the glory that
was once animation; classical animation vs. the limited animation now used
extensively, and going beyond it through the use of modern technology.
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Each gives of his time to teach new trainees so as to
insure a future where classical animation will once more be respected as
a true artform.
GARY GOLDMAN began developing his artistic pursuits
in his early teen years. Born in 1944 in Watsonville, California, he's
an Air Force veteran who graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1971
with a degree in Fine Arts. He had a brief career as an electronic
technician utilizing training he received in the Air Force.
Joining Walt Disney Productions in 1972, he assisted
Frank Thomas on "Robin flood" in 1973, animated on "Winnie
the Pooh and Tigger, Too" in 1974, "The Rescuers" in 1977 and
was directing animator on "Pete's Dragon" in 1977 and
"The Small One," a featurette released in 1978.
His last assignment at Disney, was animating on
"The Fox and the Hound." He collaborated with Don Bluth on "Banjo the Woodpile
Cat," acting as producer and animator of this featurette released under
the Don Bluth Productions banner. GOLDMAN coordinated the two minute
animated segment of Universal's "Xanadu" and was responsible for most of
the optical work on that project.
A member of the Shorts Branch of the academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, GOLDMAN resides in Northridge, California
with his wife Jan and their two children.
JOHN POMEROY, incredibly accomplished for
his twenty-nine years, joined Walt Disney Productions as a trainee in 1973
and so impressed his employers that he was animating within six months.
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He worked on "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too" in 1974,
animated on "The Rescuers" and "Pete's Dragon" in 1977 and was a directing
animator on the short subject "The Small One" in 1978. He worked
on "The Fox and the Hound" until he left to form Don Bluth Productions
in 1979, where he produced and animated "Banjo the Woodpile Cat"
in collaboration with Bluth and Goldman.
An early interest in puppetry (marionettes and hand
puppets), plus a gift for sculpture and art manifested while still a child,
led to his choice of animation as a career.
He staged several successful one-man art shows while
attending Riverside City College majoring in architecture and Art Center
College of Design, majoring in illustration.
A native Californian, he and his wife Lorna, a fellow
animator with whom he has collaborated. on several projects, live in Glendale.
He is a member of the Shorts Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences.
DORSE LANPHER - Head of Special Effects Animation
Born in Pontiac, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit), Dorse
Lanpher originally planned a career in industrial design geared to the
automobile industry, and worked one year in that field. A visit to
Californials "Magic Kingdom" opened his mind to another direction for his
life's work the magical world of animation.
He was associated with Walt Disney Productions
for a total of twelve non-consecutive years; interrupted in 1958 for a
two-year stint in the U.S. Army, in 1961 when he worked for Technical
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communications, Inc. making space films for NASA among others and from
1963 to 1975 when he and four partners formed Screen Images, Inc.
They made numerous features and shorts for Lutheran and Baptist Television
including the following on which he served as directing animator; "Christmas
Is," "Easter Is," "Freedom Is," "The Town That Forgot About Christmas"
and "Dr. Tom and His Magic Tree." He animated ten five-minute television
spots while with Screen Images.
He started with Walt Disney Productions in 1956
and was assistant animator on "Our Friend the Atom," "Paul Bunyon'' and
"Mars and Beyond" (all short subjects) and "Sleeping Beauty," "Sword and
the Stone" and "101 Dalmations" (features). He was special effects
animator on "The Rescuers" in 1975. As head of the special effects
department at Disney Productions he worked On "Pete's Dragon, a featurette
entitled "The Small One and the animated special effects of the major science-fiction
live action drama "The Black Hole." He worked on ''The Fox and the Hound"
up until the time he resigned to join Don Bluth Productions in 1979.
He attended Art Center School, now called Art Center
College of Design, majoring in industrial design.
An avid racquetball and tennis player, he makes -his home in Burbank,
California and is currently writing a book on special effects animation.
MEL GRIFFIN - Production Executive
In his capacity of Executive Vice President of Don Bluth
Productions, Griffin guides the business affairs of the new
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studio and is responsible for virtually all operations not essentially
creative in nature.
He handles public relations, merchandising, sales,
negotiations, casting, financing, acquisitions, development deals and,
in short, every function fundamental to running an efficient studio.
Prior to joining Bluth Productions in 1977, Griffin
was associated with Schick. Having started with them in Seattle in
1974 in an entry level position he moved quickly through their ranks to
become assistant to the president three short years later.
He was associated with the Office of Economic Opportunities
in Seattle from 1972 to 1974 as a social worker responsible
for handling hundreds of cases.
Born in 1944 and raised in Portland, Oregon, Griffin
showed early leadership ability as president of the freshman class of Madison
High School and student body president of Marshall High School. He
majored in business administration at Portland Community College and the
University of Washington where he also pursued studies in sociology and
physical education.
An entrepreneur, he gives frequent lectures and
seminars around the country and has recently developed reciprocal relations
with the Peoples Republic of China.
An avid racquetball player, Griffin makes his home
in Northridge, California.
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RICHARD H. IRVINE and JAMES L. STEWART Executive Producers
JAMES L. STEWART, 42, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of Aurora Productions, was formerly a Vice President
and Administrative Assistant to the President of Walt Disney Productions.
During his twelve year career at Walt Disney Studios
which concluded In January 1978, Stewart functioned in a wide range of
management administrative activities including all corporate, governmental,
public and industrial relations.
Prior to being elected a Vice President in 1974, Mr. Stewart served
for seven years as administrative assistant to the Executive Vice President
then President of Walt Disney Productions.
Stewart was a Senior Publicist with MGM Studios
from 1961 to 1965 and was with the CBS Radio Network for two years prior.
He is a graduate of the University of Southern California
with a B.A. in Telecommunications and an M.B.A. in Finance.
RICHARD H. IRVINE, 39, President of Aurora Productions,
was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Talent Payments,
Inc., Production Payments, Inc., and Central Casting Corporation.
All subsidiaries of IDC Services, Inc. of
which he was Corporate Senior Vice President, West Coast, these companies
provide production services for motion picture, television and commercial
production activities in Los Angeles and worldwide.
He's held several other positions including:
Vice President
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Marketing, Trans American Video, Inc., President and Chief Operating Officer
of Straight Arrow Publishing, Inc. (publishers of Rolling Stone Magazine),
President of Walt Disney Educational Media Company which supervises non-theatrical
distribution of Disney Productions, and Director of Marketing for the Champion
Valley Farms division of Campbell Soup Company.
Mr. Irvine attended the University of Southern California.
ROBERT C. O'BRIEN - Author
Born Robert Leslie Conly in Brooklyn, New York,
he attended Williams College and graduated from the University of Rochester.
He was an editor and writer for Newsweek Magazine
from 1941 to 1944, and for Pathfinder from 1946 to 1951. From 1951
until his death in 1973, he served in the same capacity at National
Geographic Magazine.
His other books include "The Silver Crown," "A Report
From Group 17," and "Z For Zachariah" which was completed by his wife and
one of his daughters after his death.
His classic novel MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS
OF NIMH won for
him the 1972 John Newbery medal given annually by the American Library
Association for the most distinguished contribution to American literature
for children.
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