Fred Spencer | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1904-05-01)May 1, 1904 Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | November 11, 1938(1938-11-11) (aged 34) California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Animator |
| Years active | 1931–1938 |
Fred Spencer (May 1, 1904 – November 11, 1938) was an Americananimator who worked atWalt Disney Productions. He was considered an authority onDonald Duck and wrote an influential analysis of the character.
Spencer joinedWalt Disney Productions in 1931 and first worked on several earlyMickey Mouse cartoons. In 1932 he began independently producing a two-tier Mickey Mouse comic strip, even though he was not connected with the comics department at Disney. The studio approved the project and the strip appeared in the nationalDeMolay newsletter.[1]
The characterDonald Duck was introduced at Disney in 1934, and Spencer began to focus more on Donald than on Mickey. In December 1935 Spencer wrote an analysis of Donald which served as the standard for writing for, drawing, and animating the character. Spencer's model sheets included in the report feature a redesigned version of Donald that was shorter and rounder – largely identical to his appearance today. Spencer also included remarks on Donald's personality and mannerisms.[2][3][4] Donald's new design was seen on screen starting in 1936, although some animators took longer to adapt to the changes.[5]
Spencer animated on seven Disney short films as well as the studio's first feature,Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Spencer's short projects includeMickey's Fire Brigade (1935),On Ice (1935),Moving Day (1936),Donald and Pluto,Don Donald (1937),Pluto's Quin-puplets, andDonald's Golf Game (1938).[6]
Spencer was a member ofDeMolay International and received the prestigious Legion of Honor award. He also drew a monthly comic strip starringMickey Mouse for their magazine.[7] He died in acar accident in 1938.[1][8]
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