I don’t know how Didier Ghez does it.
I mean, the guy holds down a full-time job at Warner Bros. He also travels the world (Didier & his wife just got back from a trip to Africa). In addition to running his snazzy Disney History website (If you haven’t already bookmarked this great little site, do so now. You can thank me later). And in what little free time Ghez has left, he then edits the “Walt’s People” book series.
Which (For those of you who don’t know) is this terrific series of paperbacks that debuted back in January of 2005. Featuring in-depth interviews with many Disney Legends, “Walt’s People” quickly became a hit with animation history buffs. Which is why these same folks snatched up Volume 2 when it became available in November of 2005. As well as quickly acquiring copies of Volume 3 as soon as that installment of the series went on sale in May of 2006.
And now here comes Volume 4 of the “Walt’s People” series. Which — for my money — is the best edition so far. This 322-page paperback literally runs the gamut of Disney Company history. Starting with Russell Merritt & J.B. Kaufman‘s interview with Virginia Davis, the star of the “Alice Comedies” and running right up ’til Christian Ziebarth’s recent sit-down with Eric Goldberg. Where Goldberg discusses what’s being done now to revive Disney Feature Animation.
That’s really the best part of these “Walt’s People” books. You’ve got genuinely informed interviewers like animation historians Michael Barrier & Milt Gray, Disney archivist Dave Smith as well as JHM alumnus Jim Korkis sitting down with genuine Disney Legends like Joe Grant, Peter Ellenshaw and Roy Williams. Asking the sorts of questions that you’d ask if you got the chance.
And the stories! Where else are you going to hear about Dick Huemer‘s meeting with Walt Disney back in 1933? When Walt first spun out the storyline of “Snow White” a full year before work officially got underway on the studio’s original full-length animated feature. Then Disney started to tell Huemer about his dream of someday building an amusement park, only to have that tale interrupted as Charlie Chaplin & H.G. Wells came barging into Walt’s office.
Copyright 2007 Didier Ghez
Or — better yet — how about Didier’s interview with Brian Sibley? Where Sibley goes into great detail about his collaboration with P.L. Travers on that aborted “Mary Poppins” sequel. With Brian spelling out exactly what the storyline of “Mary Poppins Comes Back” was supposed to be like.
And speaking of sequels … All you “Roger Rabbit” fans will be thrilled to hear that “Walt’s People – Volume 4” also touches on the never-produced sequel, “Who Discovered Roger Rabbit.” With JHM’s own Floyd Norman talking about how veteran Disney producer Jim Pentecost recruited him to create some storyboards for the film, while Eric Goldberg worked with Frank Marshall & Tom Bancroft on a CG test for the project.
All this … Plus these great off-the-wall stories. Like the tale John Hench told Armand Eisen about why Felix the Cat eventually fell from favor while Mickey Mouse has remained popular with animation fans for decades:
“… Circles never cause anybody any trouble. We have bad experiences with sharp points, with angles, but circles are things we have fun with — babies, women’s behinds, breasts. So Mickey has made his way while a contemporary known as Felix the Cat didn’t get anywhere. He had points all over him, like a cactus. He has practically disappeared, while we couldn’t get rid of Mickey if we tried.”
It’s the stories like this (Plus Peter Emslie‘s cool caricatures) that make “Walt’s People — Volume 4: Talking Disney with the Artist who Knew Him” a must-have for animation fans. Which is why — as soon as you finish this installment of the series — you’ll immediately begin jones-ing for Volume 5. Which (according to Didier) will be out sometime this Summer.
So — again — I’m not sure how exactly Didier Ghez does it. But I’m awfully glad that he does. So you’re up for a great read that features lots of seldom-heard Disney-related stories, be sure and pick up a copy of Volume 4 of the “Walt’s People” series.
Your thoughts?