Last Friday, Cartoon Brew broke the story that longtime Disney animator, Glen Keane, had left Walt Disney Animation. Keane joined the Walt Disney Company in 1974 and had remained a loyal contributor to the art form and company for nearly 38 years. Keane is the creator is many Disney classic characters such as Aladdin, the Beast, Tarzan and, most recently, Rapunzel.
In a letter sent out to his Disney coworkers on his final day with the studio, Keane wrote, “After long and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to leave Disney Animation. I am convinced that animation really is the ultimate art form of our time with endless new territories to explore. I can’t resist its siren call to step out and discover them.” Read the full text of the letter here.
List of Disney characters Glen Keane has worked on over the years:
- Penny & Bernard – The Rescuers
- Elliott the Dragon – Pete’s Dragon
- Bear – The Fox and the Hound
- Willie the Giant – Mickey’s Christmas Carol
- Eilonwy & Gurgi – The Black Cauldron
- Ratigan & Fidget – The Great Mouse Detective
- Fagin, Sykes , Jenny & Georgette – Oliver & Company
- Ariel – The Little Mermaid
- Marahute & Cody – The Rescuers Down Under
- Beast – Beauty and the Beast
- Aladdin – Aladdin
- Pocahontas – Pocahontas
- Tarzan – Tarzan
- John Silver – Treasure Planet
- Rapunzel – Tangled
We’re sad to see him go, but respect his decision to leave. We’re excited that he will remain in the world of animation, branching out and exploring all that the medium offers. We can’t wait to see what his next projects are and wish Keane and his family the best of luck!
Every week on our tumblr, we post concept art from the film we will be discussing during that week’s podcast. In honor of Keane’s departure, this week we will post Glen Keane concept art that he created over his 38-year tenure at the Walt Disney Studios. Check it out!
What are your thoughts on Glen Keane leaving? Is this good or bad news about the future of Walt Disney Feature Animation? Let us know in the comments!
