American animator and director (1907?1979)
Les Clark
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Born
| Leslie James Clark
(
1907-11-17
)
November 17, 1907
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Died
| September 12, 1979
(1979-09-12)
(aged 71)
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Occupation(s)
| Animator, film director
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Years active
| 1927?1975
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Known for
| One of
Disney's Nine Old Men
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Spouses
|
Miriam Lauritzen
(
div.
1952)
Georgia Vester
(
m.
)
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Children
| 2
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Leslie James Clark
(November 17, 1907 ? September 12, 1979) was an American
animator
and the first of
Disney's Nine Old Men
, joining
Walt Disney Productions
in 1927.
Biography
[
edit
]
1907?1927: Early life
[
edit
]
Les Clark was born in
Ogden, Utah
in 1907, the eldest of 12 children to James Clark, a carpenter,
[1]
and Lute Wadsworth.
[2]
By 1910, the family lived in
Salt Lake City
[1]
and by 1920, they lived in
Twin Falls, Idaho
.
[3]
By 1930, they lived in
Los Angeles
,
[4]
where Clark attended
Venice High School
. During high school, he worked a summer job at an ice cream shop near the
Walt Disney Studio
.
Walt
and
Roy Disney
were frequent patrons at the shop, and Walt had once complimented Les on his lettering job of the menus. Eventually, Clark asked Walt for a job. He recalled Walt's reply:
...[Walt said] 'Bring some of your drawings in and let's see what they look like.' So, I copied some cartoons and showed them to Walt. He said I had a good line, and why don't I come to work on Monday.
[5]
1927?1954: Animator
[
edit
]
In 1927, Clark began working the Monday after he graduated high school for a temporary position,
[5]
[6]
first as a camera operator and later as an ink and paint artist.
At the time, the studio were finishing the
Alice Comedies
and starting work on
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
.
In 1928, Disney traveled to New York to renegotiate their contract with
Charles Mintz
. Disney refused to accept a less acceptable contract leaving the character to Mintz, who held the character's copyrights.
On the way back to
Los Angeles
, Disney and
Ub Iwerks
co-created
Mickey Mouse
as a replacement. Iwerks mainly animated the first
Mickey Mouse
cartoons
Plane Crazy
(1928),
The Gallopin' Gaucho
(1928), and
Steamboat Willie
(1928) in which Clark worked as an
inbetweener
.
A year later, Clark made his debut as an animator for the first
Silly Symphony
short
The Skeleton Dance
(1929). He drew the scene of a skeleton playing on another skeleton's ribcage like a xylophone.
In 1930, Iwerks left Disney to form his
namesake studio
. Clark then became the official animator for Mickey Mouse.
Most notably, Clark animated the character in the 1935 short
The Band Concert
.
On the
Silly Symphony
short
The Goddess of Spring
(1934), Clark used his sister Marceil as a reference model for the character
Persephone
. After watching his finalized animation, Clark remembered: "I was very disappointed in my effort and I told Walt so."
On
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
(1937), Clark animated several scenes of the dwarfs during the "Silly Song" sequence, including Dopey smashing his face with a cymbal, Doc playing a horn, and Doc and Happy running from Sneezy's loud sneeze.
He also animated the scene of the three dwarfs dancing with
Snow White
, a moment first filmed in live-action that used as a visual reference for the animators.
Clark then animated Mickey Mouse in
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
segment for
Fantasia
(1940). Clark animated the scenes in which Mickey "puts the hat on and starts bringing the brooms to life?the dance up the stairs and the water vats?until he exits over the water."
Clark also animated the Sugar Plum Fairies for
The Nutcracker Suite
segment.
Meanwhile, Clark animated a few scenes of the title character in
Pinocchio
(1940), most particularly when Pinocchio turns around when Geppetto inspects him before leaving for school.
He next animated the train sequence to
Baia
in
The Three Caballeros
(1945).
Andreas Deja
complimented Clark's animation, writing it is "charming, as it chugs along to an energetic musical beat through a landscape that is reminiscent of a children's illustration."
For
Song of the South
(1946), Clark handled the animation interacting with
Uncle Remus
(portrayed by
James Baskett
) during the "
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
" musical number.
A year later, he animated the Singing Harp for the
Mickey and the Beanstalk
segment in
Fun and Fancy Free
(1947).
Melody Time
(1948) soon followed, in which Clark animated the bumblebee for the
Bumble Boogie
segment.
On
Cinderella
(1950), Clark animated
the title character
, sharing the role with
Eric Larson
and
Marc Davis
.
He also animated the title character in
Alice in Wonderland
(1951), most particularly the scene when she enlarges herself at the White Rabbit's house.
Clark then reteamed with Davis again on the character
Tinker Bell
for the 1953 film
Peter Pan
.
For
Lady and the Tramp
(1955), Clark animated the scenes of Lady as a puppy.
1955?1975: Directing career
[
edit
]
After
Lady and the Tramp
(1955), Clark transitioned into becoming a director. He remembered Disney first approached him to direct in 1940, but he decided to remain an animator.
During the mid-1950s, he was asked again and accepted the offer. For the
Disneyland
television program, he directed and animated the opening titles with Tinker Bell.
Also, he directed the "Five Senses" animated inserts with
Jiminy Cricket
for
The Mickey Mouse Club
.
He made his feature directorial debut with
Sleeping Beauty
(1959), in which he directed the opening scene in which the townspeople arrive at the castle for Aurora's christening.
He returned to directing educational animated shorts, including
Donald in Mathmagic Land
(1959), in which he directed a sequence with a pool table.
His last project for Disney was
Man, Monsters and Mysteries
(1974).
He retired from Disney on September 30, 1975.
Personal life
[
edit
]
During the late 1930s, Clark met Miriam Lauritzen, a set decorator and model, who had a son Richard from a previous marriage. Clark married Lauritzen and adopted Richard. In 1945, they had a daughter, Miriam. The couple divorced in 1952 due to Miriam's alcoholism.
In 1967, Clark married his second wife, Georgia Vester, after meeting at an arts exhibit.
He died of lung cancer in
Santa Barbara, California
on September 12, 1979.
[30]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Credits
|
Characters
|
Notes
|
1937
|
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
|
Animator
|
Snow White
, Dopey, Sneezy, Doc, Happy, Grumpy, Bashful
|
|
1940
|
Pinocchio
|
Animator
|
Pinocchio
|
|
Fantasia
|
Animator - Segments "
The Nutcracker Suite
" and "
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
"
|
Mickey, the Sugar Plum Fairies
|
|
1941
|
Dumbo
|
Animator
|
|
|
1943
|
Saludos Amigos
(Short)
|
Animator
|
|
|
1945
|
The Three Caballeros
|
Animator
|
Train
|
|
1946
|
Make Mine Music
|
Animator
|
|
|
Song of the South
|
Directing Animator
|
|
|
1947
|
Fun and Fancy Free
|
Directing Animator
|
Singing Harp
|
|
1948
|
You Were Meant for Me
|
Choreographer
|
|
|
Melody Time
|
Directing Animator
|
Bumblebee (
Bumble Boogie
)
|
|
So Dear to My Heart
|
Animator
|
|
|
1949
|
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
|
Character Animator (uncredited)
|
|
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1950
|
Cinderella
|
Directing Animator
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Cinderella
|
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1951
|
Plutopia
(Short)
|
Animator
|
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|
Alice in Wonderland
|
Directing Animator
|
Alice
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1952
|
The Little House
(Short)
|
Animator
|
|
|
1953
|
Peter Pan
|
Directing Animator
|
Tinker Bell,
Tiger Lily
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|
Ben and Me
(Short)
|
Animator
|
|
|
1954
|
The Magical World of Disney
(TV Series)
|
Special Effects -
1 Episode
|
|
|
1955
|
Lady and the Tramp
|
Directing Animator
|
Lady (as a puppy)
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|
You the Human Animal
(Short)
|
Director
|
|
|
Contrast in Rhythm
(Short)
|
Animator
|
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|
1956 - 1958
|
The Magical World of Disney
(TV Series)
|
Animator -
3 Episodes
|
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1958
|
Paul Bunyan
[31]
(Short)
|
Director
|
|
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1959
|
Sleeping Beauty
|
Sequence Director
|
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Donald in Mathmagic Land
(Short)
|
Sequence Director
|
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1961
|
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
|
Character Animator
|
|
|
Donald and the Wheel
(Short)
|
Animator
|
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|
1961 - 1970
|
The Magical World of Disney
(TV Series)
|
Director -
3 Episodes
|
|
|
1962
|
A Symposium on Popular Songs
(Short)
|
Animator
|
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1963
|
The Magical World of Disney
(TV Series)
|
Sequence Director -
1 Episode
|
|
|
The Sword in the Stone
|
Character Animator (uncredited)
|
|
|
1964
|
The Restless Sea (TV Movie Documentary)
|
Director
|
|
|
1965
|
Freewayphobia #1
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
Steel and America (Short)
|
Director
|
|
|
Donald's Fire Survival Plan
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
Goofy's Freeway Troubles
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
1967
|
Family Planning
(Short)
|
Director
|
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1968
|
The Mickey Mouse Anniversary Show
|
Animator
|
|
|
1969
|
Physical Fitness and Good Health (Short)
|
Director
|
|
|
The Social Side of Health
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
The Project
(Short)
|
Director
|
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The Game
(Short)
|
Director
|
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The Fight
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
Steps Towards Maturity and Health
(Short)
|
Director
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1970
|
New Girl
(Short)
|
Director
|
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Lunch Money
(Short)
|
Director
|
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1972
|
The Great Search: Man's Need for Power and Energy
(Documentary short)
|
Director
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1973
|
VD Attack Plan
(Short)
|
Director
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I'm No Fool with Electricity
(Short)
|
Director
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1974
|
Man, Monsters and Mysteries
(Short)
|
Director
|
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|
1980
|
Mickey Mouse Disco
(Short)
|
Animator
|
|
|
1984
|
DTV: Rock, Rhythm & Blues
(Video)
|
Animator
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|
DTV: Pop & Rock
(Video)
|
Animator
|
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|
DTV: Golden Oldies
(Short)
|
Animator
|
|
|
2000
|
Fantasia 2000
|
Animator - Segment "
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
"
|
|
Archive Footage
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
1910 United States Federal Census
- ^
Utah, Birth Certificates, 1903-1911
- ^
1920 United States Federal Census
- ^
1930 United States Federal Census
- ^
a
b
"Les Clark"
.
D23
.
The Walt Disney Company
. Retrieved
December 31,
2020
.
- ^
Trimmer, Tracie (February 8, 2017).
"The First of the Nine: Les Clark"
.
Walt Disney Family Museum
. Archived from
the original
on May 22, 2017
. Retrieved
April 8,
2017
.
- ^
"Les Clark, Animator of Mickey Mouse, Snow White"
.
Los Angeles Times
. September 17, 1979. Part I, p. 18
. Retrieved
January 31,
2024
– via Newspapers.com.
- ^
Wolfe, Jennifer (December 31, 2012).
"Animator Lee Hartman Dies at 82"
.
Animation World Network
. Retrieved
January 6,
2013
.
Sources
[
edit
]
- Canemaker, John (2001).
Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation
. Disney Editions.
ISBN
978-0-786-86496-6
.
- Culhane, John (1983).
Walt Disney's Fantasia
. Harry N. Abrams.
ISBN
978-3-8228-0393-6
.
- Deja, Andreas (2015). "Les Clark".
The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators
.
Routledge
. pp. 1?31.
ISBN
978-1-1350-1586-2
.
- Ghez, Didier, ed. (2012). "Les Clark by John Culhane".
Walt's People: Volume 12?Talking Disney with the Artists who Knew Him
. Theme Park Press. pp. 29?41.
ISBN
978-1-4771-4789-4
.
- Thomas, Frank; Johnston, Ollie (1981).
Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life
.
Abbeville Press
.
ISBN
0-89659-233-2
.
- Peri, Don (2008). "Les Clark".
Working with Walt: Interviews with Disney Artists
.
University Press of Mississippi
. pp. 119?133.
ISBN
978-1-604-73023-4
.
External links
[
edit
]
Awards for Les Clark
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
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Released
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Upcoming
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Cancelled
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Associated
productions
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Related topics
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History
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Methods and
technologies
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Documentaries
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Miscellaneous
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International
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National
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Artists
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Other
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