Dave Michener

Dave Michener 1932-2018

He was not on the list.

Dave Michener, a veteran Disney animator, story artist, and director from 1956 up until his retirement from The Walt Disney Studios in 1987, passed away on February 15th, 2018, it was reported by his wife, Donna. He was 85 years old. Michener died at his home in Los Angeles, California from complications due to a virus.

Over the course of his 31-year career with Disney, Michener contributed his artistic talents to such Disney classics as “Sleeping Beauty,” “One Hundred and One Dalmatians,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book,” “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day,” “The Aristocats,” “Robin Hood,” “The Rescuers,” “The Fox and the Hound,” and finally “The Great Mouse Detective” (for which he received a co-directing credit alongside John Musker and Ron Clements).
Michener was born in Los Angeles on November 5, 1932. His father was a famous architect who helped design many of the iconic buildings in the Miracle Mile district of the city. His uncle was the acclaimed best-selling author, James Michener.
Michener was personally selected by Walt Disney to work at the studio as a result of his impressive art exhibit at Chouinard Art Institute. Upon graduation in 1956, he began his career in animation after receiving a call from Disney himself telling him that he had the job. Within weeks of being hired, Michener was animating on the original “Mickey Mouse Club” television show. Soon after, he was assigned to work on feature films, where he assisted the legendary Milt Kahl (one of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men”) for seven years. He proceeded to have a hand in nearly every animated feature the studio produced over the next three decades.

Michener once observed, “I have always felt privileged to work for Disney. As a small boy of five or seven years old, my dad brought me out to the studio, and it was instant love. I never really wanted to work anywhere else. When you take an animated character and move an audience to tears, you’ve done a magical thing.”
During the early 1980s, Michener took on the enormous job of producing and directing nearly all of the character animation for the various pavilions at EPCOT Center near Orlando, Florida. He performed similar duties for Tokyo Disneyland’s “Meet the World” attraction, and for a PSA pre-show on the history of aviation at Disneyland. He officially retired from Disney on November 30, 1987.

Michener went on to teach animation at Cal Arts (California Institute for the Arts) starting in 1989. The following year, he began consulting for Hanna-Barbera on their full-length feature, “Jetsons: The Movie,” and later became the full-time director/producer on “Once Upon a Forest,” until his retirement from the industry.
His last artistic contribution was as illustrator for the award-winning children’s book, How Butterbees Came to Bee.

Michener is survived by his wife, Donna, who shared his life for 67 years. He also leaves behind three daughters – Suzanne Gerhardt, Cynthia van Houten, and Donna Michelle Michener. His survivors also include six grandchildren – Courtney, Jeffrey, Lauren, Kimberly, Gwendolyn, and Joseph – and three great grandchildren, Isaac, Evey, and Levi Bea.

Director

Lily Tomlin in Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987)

Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville

5.2

TV Movie

Director

1987

 

Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Eve Brenner, Candy Candido, Diana Chesney, Barrie Ingham, Melissa Manchester, Susanne Pollatschek, Frank Welker, and Alan Young in The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The Great Mouse Detective

7.1

Director

1986

 

Writer

Bette Midler, Cheech Marin, Roscoe Lee Browne, Billy Joel, Joey Lawrence, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Richard Mulligan in Oliver & Company (1988)

Oliver & Company

6.6

story

1988

 

Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Eve Brenner, Candy Candido, Diana Chesney, Barrie Ingham, Melissa Manchester, Susanne Pollatschek, Frank Welker, and Alan Young in The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The Great Mouse Detective

7.1

story adapted by

1986

 

Disney's Halloween Treat (1984)

Disney's Halloween Treat

8.4

Video

stories (as David Michener)

1984

 

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

7.2

story (as David Michener)

1981

 

Eva Gabor, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, James MacDonald, Bob Newhart, and Geraldine Page in The Rescuers (1977)

The Rescuers

6.9

story (as David Michener)

1977

 

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

7.5

story sequences

1973

 

Art Department

Elisabeth Moss, Ellen Blain, Michael Crawford, Paige Gosney, Benji Gregory, and Ben Vereen in Once Upon a Forest (1993)

Once Upon a Forest

6.5

storyboard artist

1993

 

Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Judith Barsi, Kelly Briley, Cyndi Cozzo, and Vic Tayback in All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

All Dogs Go to Heaven

6.7

storyboard artist (uncredited)

1989

 

Jodi Benson in The Little Mermaid (1989)

The Little Mermaid

7.6

storyboard artist (uncredited)

1989

 

Bette Midler, Cheech Marin, Roscoe Lee Browne, Billy Joel, Joey Lawrence, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Richard Mulligan in Oliver & Company (1988)

Oliver & Company

6.6

story artist (as David Michener)

1988

 

Phillip Glasser in An American Tail (1986)

An American Tail

6.9

storyboard artist (uncredited)

1986

 

Nigel Hawthorne, Grant Bardsley, John Byner, Phil Fondacaro, and Susan Sheridan in The Black Cauldron (1985)

The Black Cauldron

6.3

storyboard artist (uncredited)

1985

 

Animation Department

The Proud Family (2001)

The Proud Family

6.5

TV Series

animation supervisor (uncredited)

2001–2002

18 episodes

 

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995)

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

6.9

TV Series

animation supervisor

1995–1997

7 episodes

 

Droopy: Master Detective (1993)

Droopy: Master Detective

6.3

TV Series

animation director (as David Michener)

1993–1994

13 episodes

 

Tom & Jerry Kids Show (1990)

Tom & Jerry Kids Show

6.2

TV Series

animation supervisor (as David Michener)

1990–1993

65 episodes

 

Elisabeth Moss, Ellen Blain, Michael Crawford, Paige Gosney, Benji Gregory, and Ben Vereen in Once Upon a Forest (1993)

Once Upon a Forest

6.5

animation director

1993

 

Tone Loc, Jonell Green, Marques Houston, and Faizon Love in Bebe's Kids (1992)

Bebe's Kids

5.8

supervising animation director (as David Michener)

1992

 

The Itsy Bitsy Spider (1992)

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

6.3

Short

supervising animation director

1992

 

The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (1990)

The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda

7.1

TV Series

animation supervisor (as David Michener)

1990–1991

26 episodes

 

Rodney Dangerfield, Susan Boyd, Bill Farmer, Barbara Goodson, Christopher Collins, Patricia Parris, Ronnie Schell, Ned Luke, and Tom Williams in Rover Dangerfield (1991)

Rover Dangerfield

5.9

animation director

1991

 

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990)

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures

6.4

TV Series

animation supervisor (as David Michener)

1990

13 episodes

 

Gravedale High (1990)

Gravedale High

6.5

TV Series

animation supervisor (as David Michener)

1990

13 episodes

 

Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone (1990)

Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone

7.2

TV Series

animation supervisor (as David Mitchener)

1990

13 episodes

 

Timeless Tales from Hallmark (1990)

Timeless Tales from Hallmark

7.2

TV Series

animation supervisor

1990

6 episodes

 

Mel Blanc, Brad Garrett, Patti Deutsch, Dana Hill, Steve McClintock, Don Messick, George O'Hanlon, Ronnie Schell, Penny Singleton, Russi Taylor, Tiffany, Jean Vander Pyl, Frank Welker, and Patric Zimmerman in Jetsons: The Movie (1990)

Jetsons: The Movie

5.5

supervising animation director (as David Michener)

1990

 

Lily Tomlin in Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville (1987)

Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville

5.2

TV Movie

animation director

animation producer (as David Michener)

1987

 

Jon Lovitz, Timothy E. Day, Deanna Oliver, Thurl Ravenscroft, and Timothy Stack in The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

The Brave Little Toaster

7.2

supervising animation director (as David Michener)

1987

 

Sterling Holloway, John Fiedler, Clint Howard, Barbara Luddy, Junius Matthews, Howard Morris, Bruce Reitherman, Hal Smith, Timothy Turner, Jon Walmsley, Dori Whitaker, Paul Winchell, Ralph Wright, and Connor Quinn in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

7.5

character animator (uncredited)

1977

 

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974)

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too

7.8

Short

animator (uncredited)

1974

 

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

character animator

1970

 

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968)

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

7.9

Short

animator

1968

 

The Jungle Book (1967)

The Jungle Book

7.6

assistant animator (uncredited)

1967

 

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins (1964)

Mary Poppins

7.8

assistant animator (uncredited)

1964

 

Junius Matthews, Rickie Sorensen, Karl Swenson, and Martha Wentworth in The Sword in the Stone (1963)

The Sword in the Stone

7.1

assistant animator (uncredited)

1963

 

A Symposium on Popular Songs (1962)

A Symposium on Popular Songs

6.5

Short

assistant animator (uncredited)

1962

 

Rod Taylor, Sandra Abbott, Cate Bauer, Barbara Beaird, Lisa Daniels, Lisa Davis, David Frankham, Betty Lou Gerson, Mimi Gibson, Barbara Luddy, Mickey Maga, J. Pat O'Malley, Tudor Owen, Thurl Ravenscroft, Rickie Sorensen, Martha Wentworth, Mary Wickes, Frederick Worlock, and Ben Wright in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

One Hundred and One Dalmatians

7.3

assistant animator (uncredited)

1961

 

Clarence Nash in Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)

Donald in Mathmagic Land

7.8

Short

assistant animator (uncredited)

1959

 

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Sleeping Beauty

7.2

assistant animator (uncredited)

1959

 

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

assistant animator (uncredited)

1958

1 episode

 

Paul Bunyan (1958)

Paul Bunyan

6.9

Short

assistant animator (uncredited)

1958

 

Walt Disney, Kevin Corcoran, Annette Funicello, Sharon Baird, Lonnie Burr, Tommy Cole, Tim Considine, Jimmie Dodd, Lynn Fields, Darlene Gillespie, Don Grady, Cheryl Holdridge, Tommy Kirk, Cubby O'Brien, Karen Pendleton, David Stollery, Roy Williams, Lynn Ready, and Linda Hughes in The Mickey Mouse Club (1955)

The Mickey Mouse Club

7.6

TV Series

animator (as David Michener)

1957–1958

79 episodes

 

Thanks

The Animation Podcast (2015)

The Animation Podcast

Podcast Series

dedicatee (as David Michener)

2018

1 episode

 

Palm Springs (1989)

Palm Springs

5.8

Short

thank you

1989