Vance Gerry - my 152nd pick as a Disney Legend

My 152nd pick, Vance Gerry  was a screenwriter, character designer and storyboard artist. According to his LA Times obituary, Garry was  "Regarded as one of the most creative and talented story artists in the animation industry, Gerry joined the Walt Disney Studios in 1955 after studying at the Chouinard Art Institute. He rose quickly through the ranks to become a layout artist. He contributed to the television shows "Goofy's Cavalcade of Sports" and "How to Relax"; the short features "The Truth About Mother Goose" and "Donald in Mathmagic Land"; and the features "101 Dalmatians" and "The Sword in the Stone."

Gerry moved to the studio's story department on "The Jungle Book," Walt Disney's last animated feature. Looking back on that collaboration, Gerry said, "There was an aura about Walt: When he came into the room, you felt it. He focused very closely on what the characters would do and say."

Gerry later made major contributions to "Dalmatians," "The Aristocats," "Robin Hood," "The Rescuers," "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" and "The Fox and the Hound."

His Disney Filmography:


1959 Donald in Mathmagic Land Layout Artist

1960 Goliath II Layout Artist

1961 One Hundred and One Dalmatians Layout Artist

1961 Aquamania Story

1963 The Sword in the Stone Layout Artist

1966 Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree Story

1967 The Jungle Book Story

1968 Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day Story

1970 The AristoCats Story

1973 Robin Hood Story Sequences

1977 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Story

1977 The Rescuers Story

1978 The Small One Writer

1981 The Fox and the Hound Story

1985 The Black Cauldron Story

1986 The Great Mouse Detective Story Adaptation

1988 Oliver and Company Story

1990 The Rescuers Down Under Storyboard Artist

1990 The Prince and the Pauper Storyboard Artist

1994 The Lion King Character Designer

1995 Pocahontas Character Designer/Visual Development Artist

1996 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Character Designer/Visual Development Artist

1997 Hercules Story

1999 Tarzan Character Designer/Visual Development Artist

2000 Fantasia 2000 Conceptual Storyboard Artist: segment Carnival of the Animals

2004 Home on the Range Additional Visual Development Artist