Cartoon Brew

SAMMY McKIM (1924-2004)

If I could be one person in Hollywood history, I think I'd like to be Sammy McKim.

Who? Sam McKim! He spent his childhood on the backlots of Republic and Columbia Pictures appearing in two dozen B-Westerns (with Charles Starret, Gene Autry and Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and four serials (including The Lone Ranger and Dick Tracy's G-Men). After the war he pursued his love of art and became a artist for the Disney studio - mainly as one of the Imagineers, for 32 years (his conceptual paintings are among the most influential, and beautiful, for the Disney theme parks).

What a career! Sadly, as Jim Hill notes today, McKim has passed away. I had my one and only chance to meet him earlier this year at Bill Justice's birthday party. I asked him a lot of questions about making the serials... and what he thought about his boss, Walt Disney. He was in great spirits and I noted that looked like a double for Donald Rumsfeld (photo here)! But what a great guy.

Posted by at July 10, 2004 11:35 AM