Disney Legend Burny Mattinson, a Disney Veteran who spent 70 years working in the magic of Walt Disney Animation Studios, passed away today. February 27, at age 87. Disney studio’s longest-serving employee, Mattinson made his debut as an in-betweener...
Disney Legend Burny Mattinson, a Disney Veteran who spent 70 years working in the magic of Walt Disney Animation Studios, passed away today. February 27, at age 87. Disney studio’s longest-serving employee, Mattinson made his debut as an in-betweener on Lady and the Tramp (1955).
Burny passed away at the Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park, California. He was still working full time as a story consultant and studio mentor at Disney during the time of his passing. A ceremony to honor the animator with the studio’s first-ever 70th anniversary service award was scheduled for June 4.
I had the honor of meeting Burny during my tour with Don Bluth at the Disney studios. I got to be a fly on the wall while these two legends recapped their experiences working for Walt himself. He will be missed dearly.
“I mean, 50 years is a long time, but I still feel like that 18-year-old kid that came here back in ’53, you know? I never feel like I’ve gotten old.”
— Burny Mattinson on marking 50 years at Disney.
From the Left: Burny Mattinson, Steve Anderson, Don Bluth, Lavalle Lee, Howard Green