“Observe Everything. Communicate Well. Draw, Draw, Draw.” -Frank Thomas

Disney Legends Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston of the Nine Old Men

Disney Legend Frank Thomas, one of the most talented, inventive and influential animators in the history of the art form, a member of Walt Disney’s elite “Nine Old Men”, and a pioneering animator who worked on many classic shorts and features during his 43-year career at the Disney Studios.

Walt’s “Nine Old Men” were a core group of supervising animators who created Walt Disney Studios’ most famous work – such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Rescuers. Walt jokingly called them his “Nine Old Men” (even though most of them were in their 20s when they first started at the studio) – referring to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s nine Supreme Court judges. All nine of these talented gentlemen were named Disney Legends in 1989.

Disney Legend Thomas attended Stanford University where he worked on the campus humor magazine with future Disney animator Ollie Johnston. After graduating Stanford, Thomas attended the Chouinard Art Institute and then joined The Walt Disney Company. He animated dozens of feature films and shorts. He even played piano in the Firehouse Five Plus Two.

Disney Legend Frank Thomas on Piano