John David Wilson

English artist, animator and producer

John David Wilson
Born	(1919-07-08)8 July 1919 Wimbledon, London, England
Died	20 June 2013(2013-06-20) (aged 93) Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Nationality	English
Occupation(s)	Animator Producer
Website	http://www.fineartsfilms.com/

John David Wilson (8 August 1919 – 20 June 2013) was an English artist, animator and producer. He owned his own production studio, Fine Arts Films.^[1]

Early years

Wilson was born on 8 August 1919 in Wimbledon, England. He was educated at the Watford Grammar School for Boys, Harrow Art School and the Royal College of Art; among his teachers was Robin Darwin.^[2]

World War II

During World War II, Wilson served with the London Rifle Brigade. He was badly wounded in the African Campaign in 1941; while recuperating in Cairo he spent time drawing cartoons. Some of these were brought to the attention of a printer in Durban who offered him a job; due to the seriousness of his injury he was discharged from the army and accepted the job.^[2]

Death

He died in Blackpool, England in 2013. In his last years, he had suffered from Alzheimer's disease.^[3]

Credits

Film

Great Expectations (1946)^[4]
Peter Pan (1953)^[3]
Lady and the Tramp (1955)^[3]
Journey to the Stars (shown at The 1962 Seattle World's Fair) (1962)
The Early Birds (1968)
Shinbone Alley (1970)
Grease (1978) (titles)^[5]
You Gotta Serve Somebody (1983) ^[6]
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

Television

Mr. Magoo (TV series) (1953)
Petrushka (segment on Sol Hurok Music Hour) (1956)^[7]
The Sonny and Cher Show (TV series) (1970–73)
The Carol Burnett Show (TV series) (1972–76)
COS w/Bill Cosby (TV series) (1976)
Stanley, the Ugly Duckling (TV show) (1982)
Peter Pan and the Pirates (TV show) (1990)
Space Cats (TV show) (1991)
The Specialists (TV show) (1992)
Madeline (TV show) (1994)

References

^ "Famed Animator John David Wilson Dies at 93". The Hollywood Reporter. July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
^ ^a ^b "The Fine Arts Films Story". Fine Arts Films, Inc. Retrieved 6 October 2007.
^ ^a ^b ^c "John D Wilson obituary". The Guardian. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023.
^ Grease credits animator Wilson dies – BBC
^ John David Wilson, animator on 'Lady and the Tramp,' 'Grease,' dies at 93 – TODAY
^ "Cartoons Considered For An Academy Award – 1983 -". cartoonresearch.com.
^ "Cartoons Considered For An Academy Award – 1962 -". cartoonresearch.com.