” … and then there were none.”
For over three decades now, animation fans have been quietly counting down. As first John Lounsbury, and then Les Clark slipped away. Followed by Woolie Reitherman, Milt Kahl and Eric Larsen. Then Marc Davis, Ward Kimball and Frank Thomas. And today word came out of Sequim, WA. that Ollie Johnston — the last of Walt’s Nine Old Men — had passed away.
Which is why — over the next few days — you’re going to be reading lots of stories loaded with language like ” … this is the end of an era.” Or — worse than that — “Well, at least now Frank ‘n’ Ollie are back together again.”
Which (I think, anyway) does a real disservice to Johnston’s friends & family. I mean, there they are — mourning the passing of this man not because he was a member of a group or some team. But — rather — because Ollie was an individual that they genuinely loved.
And yet here the rest of us are, rushing as we try & turn Johnston’s death into this truly significant moment in animation history. We don’t stop & actually take a moment to acknowledge that this gentle, sweet old guy is no longer with us. We’re all far too busy trying to lump Ollie in with the Nine Old Men and/or reducing his artistic legacy to ” … half of the Frank ‘n’ Ollie team.”
Ollie Johnston deserves better than that. An artist of his calibre, a guy who went out of his way to help create a series of books — “Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life,” “Too Funny For Word: Disney’s Greatest Sight Gags,” “Walt Disney’s Bambi: The Story and the Film” & “The Disney Villain” — that animators & film historians still consult today … They shouldn’t automatically be lumped in with any one group and/or just be dismissed as a member of some team. A man like that deserves his moment in the sun. Where he’s then recognized as being an individual who’ll be sorely missed.
Oh, sure. Over the past 30 years or so, Ollie did recieve a fair amount of recognition. Which — given the high quality character animation that this man & his assistants cranked out for film after film — Johnston richly deserved.
But if you can look past all of those awards & accolades that he received, those animation events where Ollie was feted by both Disneyana fans as well as those who worked in the industry … What you’d discover is that Johnston was something of a homebody. Given his druthers, Ollie would have taken a pass on attending yet another international film festival. Preferring instead to stay home, fire up the miniature train that Johnston had had built in his backyard back in the late 1940s and then taking the kids from the neighborhood out for another ride around the track.
Okay. I know. Ollie Johnston’s passing really is the end of an era. At least as far as animation buffs and/or film historians are concerned.
But before we all start yammering about the historical significance of Disney’s Nine Old Men and/or Frank ‘n’ Ollie, let’s remember that this is Marie’s husband, Ken & Rick’s Dad that we’re talking about here. And to them … This is a really-for-real person that they just lost. Not some piece of Hollywood history. And for these folks, Ollie Johnston was a flesh-and-blood man who — even though he was 95 years-old and had been in poor health for quite a while now — is still going to be dearly missed.
Not because he was one of Disney’s Nine Old Men. Not because he was part of the Frank ‘n’ Ollie team. But because Ollie Johnston was a remarkable individual. Who — all by himself, for what he did over the course of his 50+ year career, more importantly for the type of person that he was — deserves a moment alone in the spotlight.
The entire JHM staff wishes to extend its heartfelt condolences to the friends & family of Ollie Johnston during their time of sorrow.