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IMDbPro

Wolfgang Reitherman(1909-1985)

  • Animation Department
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Wolfgang Reitherman in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Story Behind the Masterpiece (2002)
Clip: Sword From The Stone
Play clip2:00
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
4 Videos
4 Photos
Wolfgang Reitherman was a German-born American animator who was one of Disney's Nine Old Men.

He began working for Disney in 1933, along with future Disney legends Ward Kimball and Milt Kahl. The three worked together on a number of classic Disney shorts.

Reitherman directed several Disney animated feature films including: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), The Sword in the Stone (1963), The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), Robin Hood (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh (1977), and The Rescuers (1977).

He died in a car accident in 1985 at the age of 75. In 1989 Reitherman was posthumously named a Disney Legend, a hall of fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company.
BornJune 26, 1909
DiedMay 22, 1985(75)
BornJune 26, 1909
DiedMay 22, 1985(75)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar
    • 5 wins & 1 nomination total

Photos

Wolfgang Reitherman
Wolfgang Reitherman
Wolfgang Reitherman

Known for

Scatman Crothers, Eva Gabor, Sterling Holloway, Hermione Baddeley, Pat Buttram, Dean Clark, Gary Dubin, Liz English, Phil Harris, Lord Tim Hudson, George Lindsey, Roddy Maude-Roxby, Thurl Ravenscroft, Vito Scotti, and Paul Winchell in The Aristocats (1970)
The Aristocats
7.1
  • Director(directed by)
  • 1970
Sterling Holloway, George Sanders, Sebastian Cabot, Phil Harris, Clint Howard, J. Pat O'Malley, Louis Prima, and Bruce Reitherman in The Jungle Book (1967)
The Jungle Book
7.6
  • Director
  • 1967
Junius Matthews, Rickie Sorensen, Karl Swenson, and Martha Wentworth in The Sword in the Stone (1963)
The Sword in the Stone
7.1
  • Director
  • 1963
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Sleeping Beauty
7.2
  • Animation Department
  • 1959

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Animation Department

  • Lifestyles of the Rich and Animated (1991)
    Lifestyles of the Rich and Animated
    • animator (segment Moving Day, uncredited)
    • TV Movie
    • 1991
  • Noelle North and Lorenzo Music in Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985)
    Adventures of the Gummi Bears
    • animator (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1985
  • The Wuzzles (1985)
    The Wuzzles
    • animator (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1985
  • Mickey Mouse Disco (1980)
    Mickey Mouse Disco
    • animator
    • Short
    • 1980
  • The Magical World of Disney (1954)
    The Magical World of Disney
    • animator
    • TV Series
    • 1955–1979
  • Sandy Duncan, Joe Flynn, James Gregory, Dean Jones, Lee Montgomery, and Tony Roberts in The Million Dollar Duck (1971)
    The Million Dollar Duck
    • animation director (uncredited)
    • 1971
  • Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Paul Angelis, Peter Batten, John Clive, Dick Emery, George Harrison, Geoffrey Hughes, Ringo Starr, and The Beatles in Yellow Submarine (1968)
    Yellow Submarine
    • animation director
    • 1968
  • Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Don Messick, Alan Reed, and Jean Vander Pyl in The Flintstones (1960)
    The Flintstones
    • animator (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1964
  • Sleeping Beauty (1959)
    Sleeping Beauty
    • sequence director
    • 1959
  • A World is Born (1955)
    A World is Born
    • animation supervisor (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1955
  • Barbara Luddy and Larry Roberts in Lady and the Tramp (1955)
    Lady and the Tramp
    • directing animator
    • 1955
  • Grand Canyonscope (1954)
    Grand Canyonscope
    • animator (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1954
  • Ben and Me (1953)
    Ben and Me
    • animator
    • Short
    • 1953
  • Mel Blanc, June Foray, Kathryn Beaumont, Tony Butala, Paul Collins, Hans Conried, Bobby Driscoll, Robert Ellis, Connie Hilton, Margaret Kerry, Tommy Luske, John Wilder, Jeffrey Silver, Stuffy Singer, and Anne Whitfield in Peter Pan (1953)
    Peter Pan
    • directing animator: "The Crocodile"
    • 1953
  • Two Gun Goofy (1952)
    Two Gun Goofy
    • animator
    • Short
    • 1952

Director

  • Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom, Travis Oates, and Jack Boulter in Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (2011)
    Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2011
  • DTV Monster Hits (1987)
    DTV Monster Hits
    • Director (original material)
    • TV Movie
    • 1987
  • DTV 'Doggone' Valentine (1987)
    DTV 'Doggone' Valentine
    • Director (original material)
    • TV Movie
    • 1987
  • DTV Valentine (1986)
    DTV Valentine
    • Director (original material)
    • TV Movie
    • 1986
  • DTV: Golden Oldies (1984)
    DTV: Golden Oldies
    • Director
    • Video
    • 1984
  • DTV: Pop & Rock
    • Director (original material)
    • Video
    • 1984
  • Disney's Halloween Treat (1982)
    Disney's Halloween Treat
    • Director (original material)
    • Video
    • 1982
  • Corey Feldman, Jack Albertson, Pearl Bailey, Richard Bakalyan, Pat Buttram, Candy Candido, Keith Coogan, Clarence Nash, Jeanette Nolan, Paul Winchell, and 'Squeeks' the Caterpillar in The Fox and the Hound (1981)
    The Fox and the Hound
    • Director (earlier film clips, uncredited)
    • 1981
  • Sean Marshall, Clarence Nash, and Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)
    The Small One
    • Director (earlier cartoon clips, uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1978
  • Eva Gabor, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, James MacDonald, Bob Newhart, and Geraldine Page in The Rescuers (1977)
    The Rescuers
    • Director (directed by)
    • 1977
  • Sterling Holloway, John Fiedler, Clint Howard, Barbara Luddy, Junius Matthews, Howard Morris, Hal Smith, Jon Walmsley, Paul Winchell, and Ralph Wright in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
    The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
    • Director
    • 1977
  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974)
    Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
    • Director (earlier film clips, uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1974
  • Peter Ustinov, Brian Bedford, Pat Buttram, Ken Curtis, Andy Devine, Monica Evans, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Carole Shelley, and Terry-Thomas in Robin Hood (1973)
    Robin Hood
    • Director
    • 1973
  • ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)
    ABC Afterschool Specials
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • Superstar Goofy (1972)
    Superstar Goofy
    • Director (original material)
    • 1972

Producer

  • Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom, Travis Oates, and Jack Boulter in Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (2011)
    Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
    • producer
    • TV Series
    • 2011
  • The Magical World of Disney (1954)
    The Magical World of Disney
    • producer (segment Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too)
    • TV Series
    • 1982
  • Corey Feldman, Jack Albertson, Pearl Bailey, Richard Bakalyan, Pat Buttram, Candy Candido, Keith Coogan, Clarence Nash, Jeanette Nolan, Paul Winchell, and 'Squeeks' the Caterpillar in The Fox and the Hound (1981)
    The Fox and the Hound
    • co-producer
    • 1981
  • Eva Gabor, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, James MacDonald, Bob Newhart, and Geraldine Page in The Rescuers (1977)
    The Rescuers
    • producer (produced by)
    • 1977
  • Sterling Holloway, John Fiedler, Clint Howard, Barbara Luddy, Junius Matthews, Howard Morris, Hal Smith, Jon Walmsley, Paul Winchell, and Ralph Wright in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
    The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
    • producer
    • 1977
  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974)
    Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
    • producer
    • Short
    • 1974
  • Peter Ustinov, Brian Bedford, Pat Buttram, Ken Curtis, Andy Devine, Monica Evans, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Carole Shelley, and Terry-Thomas in Robin Hood (1973)
    Robin Hood
    • producer
    • 1973
  • ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)
    ABC Afterschool Specials
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • Scatman Crothers, Eva Gabor, Sterling Holloway, Hermione Baddeley, Pat Buttram, Dean Clark, Gary Dubin, Liz English, Phil Harris, Lord Tim Hudson, George Lindsey, Roddy Maude-Roxby, Thurl Ravenscroft, Vito Scotti, and Paul Winchell in The Aristocats (1970)
    The Aristocats
    • producer (produced by)
    • 1970

Videos4

The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
Clip 2:00
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:55
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
Clip 2:01
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:37
The Sword in the Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • 'Woolie' Reitherman
  • Born
    • June 26, 1909
    • Munich, Bavaria, Germany
  • Died
    • May 22, 1985
    • Burbank, California, USA(road accident)
  • Spouse
    • Janie McMillanNovember 26, 1946 - May 22, 1985 (his death, 3 children)
  • Children
    • Richard Reitherman

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Was part of the inner circle of Disney animators, known as the "nine old men". The other members were Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, Eric Larson, Ward Kimball, John Lounsbery and Les Clark.
  • Quotes
    Everyone thought he was crazy. I mean, Phil Harris in a Rudyard Kipling film? Still, I always trusted Walt. He had a good batting average.
  • Trademarks
      Known for "re-using" animation from older films and placing them in newer films (for example animation of Snow White dancing with the Dwarfs in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937) was reused for animation of Maid Marion dancing with Otto the Blacksmith in Robin Hood (1973))
  • Nickname
    • Woolie

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