American Animator. Pyle was a legendary animator who drew for such classics as 'Pinocchio', 'Bambi', 'Fantasia' and 'Mr. Magoo'. He was attending the University of Colorado as an art student and working as an advertising illustrator at a clothing store when he noticed a poster on campus from the new Walt Disney studio, which was looking to hire animators to come to Hollywood. He moved to Los Angeles and started at Disney in November 1937 as an office boy, then worked as an assistant on Pinocchio (1940). Pyle also worked on 'Fantasia' (1940) and 'Bambi' (1942) before leaving Disney to briefly work for Walter Lantz, where he helped out on Woody Woodpecker cartoons. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Force First Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, he drew for Vogue and created the nearsighted, accident-prone Mr. Magoo for United Productions of America. He was then hired by Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss) to animate the cartoon short 'Gerald McBoing-Boing', which won an Academy Award in 1951. Pyle later had a successful freelance career, working on such TV shows as 'Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure', 'Halloween Is Grinch Night' and Charlie Brown specials. Pyle, whose brother was the late Denver Pyle, best known for playing Uncle Jesse on the TV series 'The Dukes of Hazzard', donated his personal archives to Indiana University's Lilly Library.
American Animator. Pyle was a legendary animator who drew for such classics as 'Pinocchio', 'Bambi', 'Fantasia' and 'Mr. Magoo'. He was attending the University of Colorado as an art student and working as an advertising illustrator at a clothing store when he noticed a poster on campus from the new Walt Disney studio, which was looking to hire animators to come to Hollywood. He moved to Los Angeles and started at Disney in November 1937 as an office boy, then worked as an assistant on Pinocchio (1940). Pyle also worked on 'Fantasia' (1940) and 'Bambi' (1942) before leaving Disney to briefly work for Walter Lantz, where he helped out on Woody Woodpecker cartoons. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Force First Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, he drew for Vogue and created the nearsighted, accident-prone Mr. Magoo for United Productions of America. He was then hired by Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss) to animate the cartoon short 'Gerald McBoing-Boing', which won an Academy Award in 1951. Pyle later had a successful freelance career, working on such TV shows as 'Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure', 'Halloween Is Grinch Night' and Charlie Brown specials. Pyle, whose brother was the late Denver Pyle, best known for playing Uncle Jesse on the TV series 'The Dukes of Hazzard', donated his personal archives to Indiana University's Lilly Library.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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