Floyd Norman | |
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.jpg) Norman in 2016 | |
| Born | Floyd Ernest Norman (1935-06-22)June 22, 1935 (age 90) |
| Notable work | Sleeping Beauty The Sword in the Stone The Jungle Book Mary Poppins One Hundred and One Dalmatians Toy Story 2 Monsters, Inc. Mickey Mouse comic strip |
| Title | Animator,writer,artist,cartoonist |
| Website | http://floydnormancom.squarespace.com |
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Floyd Ernest Norman (born June 22, 1935)[1] is an Americananimator,writer,artist andcartoonist. Over the course of his career, he has worked for various animation companies, among themWalt Disney Animation Studios,Hanna-Barbera Productions,Ruby-Spears,Film Roman andPixar.
Norman's love for animated pictures started in his childhood when he watched the Disney feature filmsDumbo andBambi.[2] Norman grew up inSanta Barbara, California and attendedSanta Barbara High School before attendingArt Center College of Design inPasadena, California, where he majored in illustration.[3][4] He had his start as an assistant toKaty Keene comic book artistBill Woggon, who lived in the Santa Barbara, California. In 1957, Norman was employed as aninbetweener onSleeping Beauty (released in 1959) atThe Walt Disney Company, becoming the firstAfrican-American artist to remain at the studio on a long-term basis.[5] Following his work onSleeping Beauty, Norman was drafted, and returned to the studio after his service in 1960 to work onOne Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) andThe Sword in the Stone (1963).[5] AfterWalt Disney saw some of the inter-office sketches Norman made to entertain his co-workers, he was reassigned to thestory department, where he worked withLarry Clemmons on the story forThe Jungle Book.[5]
After Walt Disney died in 1966, Floyd Norman left the Disney studio to co-found Vignette Films, Inc., with business partner animator/directorLeo Sullivan. Vignette Films, Inc. produced six animated films and was one of the first companies to produce films on the subject of black history.[6][7] Norman and Sullivan worked together on various projects, including segments forSesame Street and the originalHey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert television special conceived byBill Cosby, which aired in 1969 on NBC.[5][8] In 1972, a differentFat Albert and the Cosby KidsSaturday morning cartoon series was produced forCBS byFilmation Associates.
Norman returned to Disney at one point in the early 1970s to work on the Disney animated featureRobin Hood, and worked on several animated television programs atHanna-Barbera andRuby-Spears. In the 1980s he worked as a writer in thecomic strip department at Disney and was the last scripter for theMickey Mouse comic strip before it was discontinued.[9]
He has worked on motion pictures forWalt Disney Animation Studios andPixar, having contributed creatively as astory artist on films such asThe Hunchback of Notre Dame,Mulan andDinosaur for Walt Disney Animation Studios andToy Story 2 andMonsters, Inc. for Pixar among others, includingReel FX'sFree Birds.
Norman has also published several books of cartoons inspired by his lifetime of experiences in the animation industry,Faster! Cheaper!: The Flip Side to the Art of AnimationISBN 9780942909029;Son of Faster, Cheaper!: A Sharp Look Inside the Animation BusinessISBN 9781881368373;How the Grinch Stole DisneyISBN 9781881368380;Disk Drive: Animated Humor in the Digital Age; andSuspended Animation: The Art Form That Refuses To Die.[10]
Norman has also authored a semi-biographical animation primer, titled:Animated Life: A Lifetime of Tips, tricks, techniques and Stories from an Animation Legend (Animation Masters)ISBN 0240818059, that was published byFocal Press in 2013. He is the subject of the 2016 documentaryFloyd Norman: An Animated Life.[11]
He is a columnist for the websites JimHillMedia.com and AfroKids.com.
In 2016 Norman was appointed to the education and outreach committee of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.[12][13]
Debuting at the 2017D23 Expo,Disney Editions published the picture bookA Kiss GoodnightISBN 9781484782286 written byRichard M. Sherman and illustrated by Norman.[14]
Norman was also part of a Members Only Preview for the behind-the-scenes exhibition titledWalt Disney’s The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece during a special talk alongsideAndreas Deja,Darleen Carr andBruce Reitherman which took place on June 22, 2022.[15] The exhibition took place atThe Walt Disney Family Museum from June 23, 2022, to January 8, 2023.[16]
Norman was inducted into theBlack Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1979.[17] Norman was a recipient of theWinsor McCay Award for "recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation" at the 2002Annie Awards.[18] Norman was named aDisney Legend in 2007.[1] In 2008, he appeared as Guest of Honor atSan Diego Comic-Con, where he was given anInkpot Award.[19]In 2013 Norman was honored with the "Sergio Award" from TheComic Art Professional Society (CAPS).[20] in 2014, Norman was the recipient of the DFC Disney Legend award given by theDisneyana Fan Club.[21]In 2015 Norman received the Friz Freleng Award for Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Animation from the International Family Film Festival.[22][23]In 2016, Norman was the recipient of the Special Achievement Award (Legendary Animator) from theAfrican-American Film Critics Association.[24][25]In June 2018, Norman received an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy degree fromCogswell Polytechnical College.[26]In May 2019, Norman was honored with the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award from theNational Cartoonists Society.[27][28] In 2021, Norman was inducted into theSociety of Illustrators Hall of Fame[29]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Sleeping Beauty | clean-up artist/in between artist (uncredited) |
| 1961 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | animator of Kanine Krunchies commercial (uncredited) |
| 1963 | The Sword in the Stone | assistant animator (uncredited) |
| 1967 | The Jungle Book | story artist (uncredited) |
| 1973 | Robin Hood | assistant animator (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Scooby Goes Hollywood | layout artist |
| 1994 | Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights | storyboard artist |
| A Flintstones Christmas Carol | ||
| 1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | story |
| 1998 | Mulan | |
| 1999 | Toy Story 2 | additional story artist |
| 2000 | The Tigger Movie | |
| Dinosaur | story artist | |
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | additional story artist |
| 2002 | Cinderella II: Dreams Come True | |
| 2005 | Kronk's New Groove | |
| 2013 | Free Birds | |
| 2022 | Mickey: The Story of a Mouse | himself |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Skyhawks | Animator |
| 1969 | Hot Wheels | |
| 1969 | Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert | Cell artist (uncredited) |
| 1970 | Josie and the Pussycats | Layout Artist |
| 1972 | Sealab 2020 | |
| 1973 | Goober and the Ghost Chasers | |
| 1974 | Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch | |
| 1976 | Jabberjaw | animator |
| 1977 | I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali | Layout Artist |
| 1977 | Laff-A-Lympics | |
| 1978 | Yogi's Space Race | |
| 1978–1979 | Godzilla | key layout artist |
| 1981 | The Kwicky Koala Show | story director |
| 1981–1989 | The Smurfs | layout artist/story director/storyboard artist |
| 1981 | Super Friends | Key Layout Artist |
| 1982 | Pac-Man | layout artist |
| 1984 | Alvin and the Chipmunks | story director/layout artist |
| 1984–1987 | Snorks | story director |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Teens | storyboard artist |
| 1988–1994 | Garfield and Friends | |
| 2002 | Courage the Cowardly Dog | |
| 2008 | Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns | |
| 2013 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | |
| 2015 | Robot Chicken | |
| 2020 | Pawn Stars | appeared as himself, episode: "I Don't Give a Dime" |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
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