When I was about three or four years old, my parents took me to my
first movie in a theater - Disney’s “Snow White.” They weren’t sure if I would
be able to sit still, or if I would be overwhelmed by the darkness or the
sound. But I sat there, completely entranced, for the entire film. Only when it ended and the lights came up,
did I start to sob. My parents were
startled, and as they ushered me out of the theater, they kept reassuring me,
“It was just a movie! The witch isn’t real!” But as I sobbed through the
parking lot, the adults within earshot burst into laughter as I choked out
“I…just...didn’t want it...to end!”
This is a memory that has stayed with me, and I have always thought
about it through the lense of storytelling and its universal power.
I have always loved stories in all forms, especially books and movies. But recently, as I saw a colleague checking out a book about the female artists who worked at the Walt Disney Studios, something else occurred to me. I had thought for years about the stories and intricate artwork in Disney, but had never known much about who was behind it all. I needed to learn more about the women who helped tell these powerful stories.
I have always loved stories in all forms, especially books and movies. But recently, as I saw a colleague checking out a book about the female artists who worked at the Walt Disney Studios, something else occurred to me. I had thought for years about the stories and intricate artwork in Disney, but had never known much about who was behind it all. I needed to learn more about the women who helped tell these powerful stories.
“The Queens of Animation” by Nathalia Holt, is the story of the women who
worked to create and shape the animated Disney movies, from 1937’s “Snow White”
to “Frozen.” Early on, these were women
who were inspired by seeing some of the first Disney cartoons, like “Steamboat
Willy,” and made it their mission to work at the studio.
Unsurprisingly, it was difficult to find work as a woman in animation
in the 1930s. Job postings were listed
in areas of Men’s Work and Women’s, and most professional jobs did not mix genders.
Originally, the Disney studios only employed women in its Ink and Paint
Department. Talented male artists were
hired as animators or assistant animators, and they were the artists who worked
with the Story department to create the characters and stories that needed to
be drawn. Once completed, the images
were sent over to the women of the Ink and Paint Department to trace in smooth
india ink onto the transparent cells and, after the advent of color movies, paint
them. Though integral to every picture,
films that are considered some of the most timeless classics in American
cinema, these women were never
credited as artists, and were paid a fraction of what male artists made.
But Walt Disney was a man of chance and innovation. Though he did not
set out to employ women, he also recognized talent when he saw it. Holt’s book centers on five women who helped
make Disney into the company we know today: Bianca Majolie, Grace Huntington,
Sylvia Holland, Retta Scott, and Mary Blair.
The first woman he hired was an old classmate of his, Bianca Majolie,
whom he took on as a storyboard artist in 1935. Bianca would create many story
treatments for the company, and helped mold films like “Snow White,” “Bambi,”
and “Pinocchio” (which she also translated from the original Italian for the
studio.)
In 1936, Disney hired Grace Huntington as a writer. Grace would lend her intellect and wit to the
early Disney films, and she was a great screenwriter. Yet, she was also a
record setting pilot, and what she really wanted to do was fly. Unfortunately, even during a shortage of male
pilots during World War II, no one would hire a woman.
Sylia Holland, the second woman to be hired in the storyboard
department, was an accomplished artist and musician. Her musical knowledge would prove invaluable,
helping Disney find the right music to use in his films, which would shape
emotional elements of the story. Holland
chose the music from the Russian ballet, The Nutcracker, to use in the film
“Fantasia.” The use of this music in the
film helped reintroduce the ballet to America, where it had previously been a
failure with audiences.
Retta Scott would become the first female animator given screen credit
in a Walt Disney Animation Studios picture.
This is remarkable, as screen credits were rare for most animators, and
generally the competition was cut-throat among the most senior animators
working on a film. Retta worked on
several Disney films before becoming an artist at Golden Books, where she
helped create some of the most successful children’s books of the time.
Eventually, Holt focuses on the most influential of her subjects -
Mary Blair. Blair was brought in as a storyboard artist, and she would
influence the company like no one else
Originally, Blair’s husband Lee was hired as an animator, but Mary was
the one who would enchant Walt Disney and become one of his favorite
artists. Her playful paintings, with
bright colors and flat, modern style would inspire the feel of films like “Cinderella,”
“Alice in Wonderland,” and many more.
She would be the artist Disney would return to again and again, to
create the magical feel for his stories. Blair created an exhibit for Disney’s
presentation at the 1964-1965 World’s Fair entitled “It’s a Small World.” The
concept would prove so popular that he replicated it in his theme parks and
these attractions are still active today.
After working for Disney, Mary would join her life long friend Retta
Scott at Golden Books, bringing her colorful modern style to children’s
literature.
These exceptional women were largely forgotten for many years, and
most of them did not enjoy much recognition in their lifetimes. Only recently has their work been
rediscovered and properly studied. In
addition to Nathalia Holt’s “The Queens of Animation”, Mindy Johnson has written two books about the
women of Disney. “Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt
Disney Animation” is a coffee
table book featuring photographs of the women who worked at the Disney Studios,
and abundant samples of their art.
Johnson also created a book aimed at a younger audience, “Pencils, Pens & Brushes: A
Great Girl’s Guide to Disney Animation”, which takes her research from Ink & Paint
and creates illustrated collected biographies of the female animators. Mary Blair has several books about her,
including “The Art and Flair of Mary Blair” by John Canemaker, a stunning biography and
appreciation of her art.
Even though I didn’t know these womens’ names, their artwork and craft
has been inspiring me throughout my life. Now, that I’ve read “The Queens of Animation,” I know who to thank for the joy some of the
timeless Disney films mentioned above provide again and again.
