WARD KIMBELLOne of Disney’s Nine Old Men

“Of the great animators that have walked through the halls of the Disney studio none have had the best combination of imagination, creativity, satirical sensibilities, uniqueness, a desire to expand the medium, and an eccentric personality than Ward Kimball. “(Ponti; web)

“From his contributions to the re-design of Mickey Mouse in 1938 and his animation on such classics as 'Snow White,' 'Pinocchio,' and 'Dumbo,' to his unbounded imagination on the trilogy of programs devoted to space exploration and his award-winning shorts, Ward has left his artistic mark on all of us. ” Roy E. Disney upon Kimball's death in 2002

"To the end of his days, Ward had a pixie-ish spirit that was irresistible. He had the soul of an artist and an innate sense of humor that came through in his work, his hobbies and his outlook on life. And he was always fun to be around. Ward Kimball was truly one-of-a-kind." (Leonard Maltin)

“Ward Kimball, for example closely resembles his own animated character, Jiminy Cricket, in the way he talks and through his facial expressions.” Robert Hookey speaking about the similarities of Disney animators and their characters. (Hookey; 41)

“My final two cents worth of advice is to develop an all-consuming curiosity for things both exotic and living,” explained Ward. “Read, observe, analyze, and above all be flexible. Keep an open mind. The world is ever changing fast. Don’t get caught in the corner of the ring. Keep an open mind and have fun. Take it from me, it’s worth it!” (Ponti; web)

Early Sketches of Jiminy Cricket

FUN FACTS ABOUT JIMINY CRICKETOver the course of his Disney career, there were three men who gave voice to Jiminy Cricket, Cliff Edwards (1940, 1947 and 1954), Eddie Carroll (1983, 1986, 1987 and 2001)and Raphael Sbarge(2011). A fourth, Phil Snyder (a non-English speaking voice actor), was used in the last two video games created in 2011 and 2013.In the original story written by Carlo Collodi Jiminy Cricket was killed by Pinocchio in a fit of rage (though Jiminy went unnamed in that story) “Our old friend, Jiminy Cricket, will also be part of the show. Jiminy’s going to help us with what we call our ‘factual entertainment.’ He’ll show the youngsters things about the living world, about health, hygiene, safety, and many other things that concern their well-being.” (Walt Disney on September 23, 1955, in an ABC broadcast introducing the brand new “Mickey Mouse Club” which began airing 10 days later. (Korkis; web)The name of the conscientious little cricket was derived from the phrase "Jiminy Crickets!" whcih denotes surprise or bewilderment, and has existed since at least 1848. It was first used by Disney in the film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" where the dwarfs exclaim the phrase upon returning from the mine. (CWNet.com; web)

EXAMPLES OF SQUASH AND STRETCH AS WELL AS ARC AND EXAGGERATION.