Best Animator of the Nine Old Men

[FantasiaMan]

I like the idea that lord-of-sith had with his Animator poll, so I thought I would do my own. Here it goes:

Who do you think is the greatest animator of the Nine Old Men?

For those who are having trouble picking their favorite, here is a list of what each animator did (in the order in which they arrived at Disney):

Les Clark- Mickey Mouse (Steamboat Willie, Band Concert, Sorcerer's Apprentice, etc. ), Train in Three Caballeros, Fairies in Nurtcracker Suite in Fantasia, Snow White dancing w/ the Dwarfs, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah scene in Song of the South, Tinker Bell on Disneyland T.V. show intro, Bongo in Fun & Fancy Free, etc.

Wolfgang Reitherman- Goofy, Magic Mirror in Snow White, Monstro in Pinocchio, Dinosaurs in Fantasia, Timothy Mouse in Dumbo, Headless Horseman, Crocodile in Peter Pan, Jaq & Gus bringing key up stairs in Cinderella, Dragon in Sleeping Beauty, etc.

Eric Larson- Figaro in Pinocchio, Aracuan Bird in Three Caballeros, Friend Owl in Bambi, Peter Pan & Darling children flying over London to Neverland, Laughing Place scene in Song of the South, centaurs & pegusus in Fantasia, animals in Snow White, Cinderella waking up & dancing with Prince, Mr. Toad, baby animals in Baby Mine sequence in Dumbo, Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, Princess Aurora dancing in forest w/ animals in Sleeping Beauty, puppies in 101 Dalmatians, etc.

Ward Kimball- Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio, Bacchus & Jacchus in Fantasia, crows in Dumbo, Three Caballeros, Pecos Bill, Lucifer, Jaq & Gus in Cinderella, Mad Hatter, March Hare & Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, Indians in Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse in the Little Whirlwind & the Niftie Ninties, etc.

Milt Kahl- Prince in Snow White, design of Pinocchio, design of Bambi, Llama in Saludos Amigos, Prince & King Hubert in Sleeping Beauty, Shere Kahn in Jungle Book, Madame Medusa & Snoops in Rescuers, Cinderella, Prince, King & Duke in Cinderella, Pongo during birth scene in 101 Dalmatians, Tigger, Robin Hood, Alice, Darling children in Peter Pan, Old Lawyer in AristoCats, etc.

Frank Thomas- Lady & the Tramp spagetti scene, Bambi & Thumper on Ice, The Seven Dwarfs crying for Snow White, Queen of Hearts & Doorknob in Alice in Wonderland, Ichabod, Captain Hook, Lady Tremaine, Squirrels in Sword in the Stone, Pinocchio dancing in Stromboli's puppet theater, Mickey Mouse in the Pointer & Brave Little Tailor, Three Fairies in Sleeping Beauty, penguins in Mary Poppins, etc.

Ollie Johnston- Mr. Smee in Peter Pan, Thumper in Bambi, Cupids & centaurettes in Fantasia, Pinocchio, Donald Duck in Three Caballeros, Little Toot & Johnny Appleseed in Melody Time, Brer Rabbit in Song of the South, Peter in Peter & the Wolf, Alice, Stepsisters in Cinderella, Susie the Little Blue Coupe, Ben Franklin in Ben & Me, 2 Mickey Mouse openings of the Mickety Mouse, Lady, Jock & Trusty in Lady & the Tramp, Fairies in Sleeping Beauty, Pongo & Perdita under the stove in 101 Dalmatians, Merlin, Wart & Archimedes in Sword in the Stone, penguins in Mary Poppins, Baloo & Mowgli in Jungle Book, Prince John & Sir Hiss in Robin Hood, Rufus in the Rescuers, etc.

John Lounsbery- Pluto, Old Hag in Snow White, Fox & Cat in Pinocchio, Ben Ali Gator in Fantasia, Pyramid of Pachyderm sequence in Dumbo, Wolf in Peter & the Wolf, Willie the Giant in Fun & Fancy Free, Mickey Mouse opening in Mickey Mouse Club, George Darling in Peter Pan, Tony & Joe in Lady & the Tramp, Wolf in Sword in the Stone, Flowers & Cheshire Cat intro sequence in Alice in Wonderland, Owl & Goons in Sleeping Beauty, Sgt. Tibs, Colonel, Horse, Horace & Jasper in 101 Dalmatians, elephants in the Jungle Book, etc.

Marc Davis- Flower in Bambi, Brer Fox & Brer Bear making Tar Baby in Song of the South, Mr. Toad, Cyril Proudbottom, weasels & Mole in Mr. Toad, Octopus & Eagle in Victory Through Air Power, Alice, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Wendy in Peter Pan, Briar Rose, Maleficent & Raven in Sleeping Beauty, Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians, etc.

Happy Voting!

[Disney Duster]

Marc Davis animated my favorite piece of animation, which is also my avatar, so I voted for him of course! He also animated my favorite villain, Maleficent.

There is one thing you forgot to mention FantasiaMan:

Milt Kahl also animated the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.

[FantasiaMan]

There is one thing you forgot to mention FantasiaMan:

Milt Kahl also animated the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.

My mistake, thanks.

Your favorite scene was also Walt Disney's, so great minds think alike, I suppose.

[Disney Duster]

Your favorite scene was also Walt Disney's, so great minds think alike, I suppose.

That's why I'm hoping to someday make great movies like Walt. Either acting in or directing them, or doing effects for them or somehow being involved with them.

I wish more people would vote in the Nine Old Men Poll, it's a good one!

[lord-of-sith]

I voted for Marc Davis. Not only did he create my favorite Disney character (Maleficent) but he also created many other classic characters.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Ollie Johnston is the BEST

[FantasiaMan]

I can't decide, & it's my own poll!

I would pick either Eric Larson or John Lounsbery. Although they weren't in the spotlight like Frank or Ollie, they were terrific animators. If it wasn't for Eric, second generation animators such as Andreas Deja & Glen Keane & even Ron Clements & John Musker probably wouldn't be there.