Tyrus Wong Interview | Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation

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Tyrus Wong Interview

December 3, 2008 8:13 am

We want to wish Tyrus Wong a belated happy birthday. He turned 98 years old on October 25, 2008. Wong is best known for being the chief architect of Bambi’s visual style though he had an even longer career (25+ years) working at Warner Bros. as a storyboard artist and illustrator for live-action films. Below are excerpts from a video interview conducted with him last year by students at Otis College of Art and Design, the school that Wong attended in the 1930s back when it was known as Otis Art Institute. His energy and enthusiasm for life that comes through in this interview is truly inspiring. The entire conversation can be viewed by going to the Otis school’s library in LA.

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8 comments posted in Animators

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12/3/08 8:49am	Chuck R. says:
	Thanks for this post! I’m absolutely thirsting for more stuff of Ty Wong’s to be published. I’d especially love to see more of his figurative art and ceramic pieces. If anyone out there knows of any sources, I’m all ears. BTW, how can we order the DVD showing the entire Otis CAD interview? Mr Wong, happy birthday —you are an inspiration and an American treasure!
12/3/08 10:28am	Emily says:
	Happy birthday Tyrus! Bambi is my favorite animated film, and I’m very appreciative of the beauty and direction that Tyrus Wong gave to it. 98. Wow.
12/3/08 1:22pm	P Alvarado says:
	Awesome. I saw another video about a year ago that was just as good(was it posted here on the Brew?). Its amazing how sharp he is at his age, I can only hope to have a life as full as his, thanks for posting Amid.
12/3/08 1:41pm	Jules says:
	Tyrus Wong has outlived them all!
12/3/08 3:43pm	Frank says:
	I would have never thought that he was never introduced to Walt. So sad and such a shame…
12/4/08 8:17am	Sara says:
	Happy (late) Birthday, Mr. Wong! I heard a piece about him a couple of months ago on NPR and was very happy to learn that he was alive and well and making beautiful kites.
01/26/09 12:14pm	Chuck Busby says:
	I have two beautiful water color paintings by Mr. Wong, one is entitled Winter and the other is entitled Summer> I obtained both in 1961. How can I have these paintings appraised? Thank you.
05/6/09 9:47pm	charlie says:
	i have two paintings summer winter by tyrus wong

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