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| Art Babbitt | |
|---|---|
| Name | Art Babbitt |
| Birth name | Arthur Harold Babitsky |
| Birth date | 8 October 1907 |
| Birth place | Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Death date | 4 March 1992 |
| Death place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Animator |
| Years active | 1929–1992 |
| Known for | Goofy, The Evil Queen, Fantasia |
| Spouse | Marge Champion (m. 1937; div. 1940), Tina Lesser (m. 1964) |
Art Babbitt was an influential American animator and a key figure in the development of Walt Disney Productions during its Golden Age. Renowned for his draftsmanship and character animation, he created definitive versions of iconic characters and was a leading force in the Screen Cartoonists' Guild, playing a central role in the historic 1941 labor strike. His later career included significant work for Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, and Richard Williams Animation, cementing his legacy as a master artist and a passionate advocate for animators' rights.
Born Arthur Harold Babitsky in Omaha, Nebraska, he later changed his surname to Babbitt. He moved to New York City in the late 1920s, where he began his career in animation at the Terrytoons studio, working on the Aesop's Film Fables series. Seeking greater artistic challenges, he relocated to California and was hired by the Disney studio in 1932, joining during the production of Mickey Mouse short films like The Mad Doctor. His early work at Disney demonstrated a rapid mastery of the principles of squash and stretch and character movement, quickly elevating him to the ranks of the studio's top animators.
At Disney, Babbitt became one of the studio's most skilled and innovative animators. He is credited with developing the personality and refined comedic timing of Goofy, transforming the character from a simple barnyard yokel into a beloved, everyman figure. His most celebrated dramatic work was the animation of The Evil Queen in *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*, particularly her magical transformation into the Old Hag. He also contributed masterful sequences to *Pinocchio* and was the lead animator for the "Dance of the Hours" segment in *Fantasia*, animating the ballet-dancing hippopotami and alligators. Babbitt was a founding instructor at the Disney-sponsored Chouinard Art Institute classes, teaching a generation of animators including Ward Kimball and Marc Davis.
Babbitt was a principal organizer for the Screen Cartoonists' Guild and a vocal critic of Walt Disney's management practices, which he viewed as unfair and autocratic. His high profile and outspoken advocacy, including his public support for fired colleague Arthur Heinemann, made him a primary target of management. The labor dispute culminated in the 1941 Disney animators' strike, a pivotal event in Hollywood labor history. Babbitt's decision to cross the picket line to retrieve personal belongings led to a famous, widely photographed physical altercation with Walt Disney himself. Although he returned to the studio after the strike's settlement, his relationship with Disney remained strained, and he was eventually fired in 1941 for his continued union activities.
After leaving Disney, Babbitt worked for the UPA studio on projects like the Gerald McBoing-Boing series, bringing a modern, graphic sensibility to his animation. He served as an animation director for Warner Bros. on *Cool Cat* shorts and contributed to numerous television series for Hanna-Barbera. In the 1980s, he worked extensively with Richard Williams Animation as an animation director on the acclaimed film *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* and as a teacher at The Richard Williams Animation Studio. Babbitt received the Winsor McCay Award from the ASIFA-Hollywood in 1974 and was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2007, recognizing his enduring artistic contributions and his role in improving working conditions for animation artists.
Babbitt was married twice, first to dancer and model Marge Champion from 1937 to 1940; she served as the live-action reference model for Snow White. In 1964, he married Tina Lesser, a painter and sculptor, with whom he remained until his death. He was known for his intellectual curiosity, extensive personal art collection, and passionate political engagement. Following a long illness, Art Babbitt died of renal failure in Los Angeles, California in 1992. His papers and artwork are held in the collection of the Walt Disney Archives.
Category:American animators Category:Disney Legends Category:People from Omaha, Nebraska