Boyd Kirkland | |
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| Born | Boyd Douglas Kirkland (1950-11-04)November 4, 1950[1] Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | January 27, 2011(2011-01-27) (aged 60) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film director,producer,Animator |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
Boyd Douglas Kirkland (November 4, 1950 – January 27, 2011) was an Americantelevisiondirector of animatedcartoons. He was best known for his work onX-Men: Evolution andBatman: The Animated Series.[1]
Kirkland was raised inUtah as a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[2] He received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration fromWeber State College inOgden, Utah.[3] His career in animation started in 1979 as a layout artist.[4] This evolved into XAM! Productions,[3] a partnership based inSalt Lake City that subcontracted for largerLos Angeles-based studios. He moved his family to Los Angeles in 1986.[4]
Kirkland published articles about the nature of God in Mormon thought. While amissionary for the LDS Church, Kirkland was confused about theAdam–God doctrine, ostensibly taught in the 19th century and denied in the 1970s, which led him to start questioning the current official church leaders.[5] After brief requests for answers from church leaders, Kirkland researched the controversy, resulting in articles published inSunstone Magazine,[6]Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,[7] and chapters ofLine Upon Line: Essays on Mormon Doctrine.[5][8][9]
Kirkland was a producer forAttack of the Killer Tomatoes, and as a storyboard artist forG.I. Joe: The Movie,Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland,My Little Pony: The Movie, andStarchaser: The Legend of Orin. Additionally, he was a director and writer forBatman: The Animated Series andThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. "Michael Korvac", an episode of the latter series, was dedicated to him.
Kirkland hadidiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) andinterstitial lung disease (ILD). He died on January 27, 2011, atRonald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, while awaiting alung transplant.
