Richard Williams (1933-2019)
For those of you who have not heard of his name, it is with deep sadness that I announce that Richard Williams died of cancer on August 16th, 2019, at age 86. Williams was a Canadian-born animator best known for animating "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Pink Panther." He was also known for his unfinished animated masterpiece "The Thief and the Cobbler." Unfortunately, this piece had a turbulent history because it was independently funded. The film fell out of Williams' hands, completed production, and underwent two rounds of editing by two distributors. A fan named Garrett Gilchrist later recovered it from obscurity by producing a fan restoration of Williams' version entitled "The Recobbled Cut." It compiles the film's previous versions and is supported by many people, including those who worked on the unfinished project. This fan edit played a large part in restoring "The Thief and the Cobbler" to what the creator intended. You can watch it on YouTube. In 2013, Williams released a rough cut of his movie "A Moment in Time," which screened in Los Angeles with Williams present.
For those of you who have not heard of his name, it is with deep sadness that I announce that Richard Williams died of cancer on August 16th, 2019, at age 86. Williams was a Canadian-born animator best known for animating "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Pink Panther." He was also known for his unfinished animated masterpiece "The Thief and the Cobbler." Unfortunately, this piece had a turbulent history because it was independently funded. The film fell out of Williams' hands, completed production, and underwent two rounds of editing by two distributors. A fan named Garrett Gilchrist later recovered it from obscurity by producing a fan restoration of Williams' version entitled "The Recobbled Cut." It compiles the film's previous versions and is supported by many people, including those who worked on the unfinished project. This fan edit played a large part in restoring "The Thief and the Cobbler" to what the creator intended. You can watch it on YouTube. In 2013, Williams released a rough cut of his movie "A Moment in Time," which screened in Los Angeles with Williams present.
As a teenager, I began admiring Williams and his animation genius when I discovered "The Thief and the Cobbler" while browsing the internet. It means a lot to him, considering how many years he spent working on that film before they dismissed him.
Williams began his animation career working on television commercials and produced his self-financed short film "The Little Island" in 1958, which earned him a BAFTA. He then started animating title sequences for various movies. Two of these animations appeared in Blake Edwards's "The Pink Panther" movies.
In 1971, Williams directed the animated short "A Christmas Carol," which won him an Academy Award. He also made his full-length animated feature, "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure," and the Emmy Award-winning animated TV movie "Ziggy's Gift." Williams' proudest accomplishment was the animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which earned him two Oscars. In 2002, Williams authored his how-to book "The Animator's Survival Kit." Before his death, he made two short animations, including "Circus Drawings" and "Prologue."
Williams began his animation career working on television commercials and produced his self-financed short film "The Little Island" in 1958, which earned him a BAFTA. He then started animating title sequences for various movies. Two of these animations appeared in Blake Edwards's "The Pink Panther" movies.
In 1971, Williams directed the animated short "A Christmas Carol," which won him an Academy Award. He also made his full-length animated feature, "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure," and the Emmy Award-winning animated TV movie "Ziggy's Gift." Williams' proudest accomplishment was the animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which earned him two Oscars. In 2002, Williams authored his how-to book "The Animator's Survival Kit." Before his death, he made two short animations, including "Circus Drawings" and "Prologue."
We lost an unsung legend, but we will never forget his legacy. Here are clips from his films that showcase his stunning, sometimes surreal animation.
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