Don Lusk

Donald Ross "Don" Lusk (October 28, 1913 – December 30, 2018) was an American animator and director,

Lusk joined Walt Disney Productions in 1933 and remained there until 1960, animating on most of the studio's features of the period, among them Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. He interrupted that work to serve in the United States Marine Corps animation unit during World War II. He served in the United States Marine Corps for three years, during World War II, in its newly created Animation Unit.

Career Lusk was hired by The Walt Disney Company in 1933 as an Inbetweener. He worked on Pinocchio, Fantasia (The Nutcracker Suite and The Pastoral Symphony Segments), Bambi, Song of the South, Melody Time, So Dear to My Heart, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty and One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

Lusk left Disney in 1960, but continued to work as an animator during the 1960s and 1970s. During the early 1960s, he worked at Walter Lantz Productions under Jack Hannah's unit. Aside from animation, Lusk also directed multiple cartoon films and series, including the Peanuts TV specials and movies and for the Hanna-Barbera studio. His work at the latter included The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, The Smurfs, and Tom and Jerry. His Peanuts credits as a director include It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.

Recognition In 2014 Lusk was one of three recipients of the Winsor McCay Award, the animation industry's lifetime achievement award, presented at the 42nd Annie Awards alongside Didier Brunner and Lee Mendelson.

Personal life and death Lusk married Marge Lusk, who worked in the Personnel Department of Disney Studios in Burbank. The couple had two children. He died on December 30, 2018, in San Clemente, California, aged 105.

Filmography As animator (Walt Disney Productions) Year Title Credits Characters 1940 Pinocchio Animator Fantasia Animator - Segments "The Nutcracker Suite" and "The Pastoral Symphony" 1942 Bambi Animator 1946 Song of the South Animator 1948 Melody Time Character Animator 1949 So Dear to My Heart Animator The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad Character Animator 1950 Cinderella Character Animator 1951 Alice in Wonderland Character Animator 1952 Lambert the Sheepish Lion (Short) Animator Trick or Treat (Short) Animator 1953 Peter Pan Character Animator Ben and Me (Short) Animator 1955 Lady and the Tramp Character Animator 1959 Sleeping Beauty Character Animator 1954-1959 The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) Animator – 5 Episodes 1961 One Hundred and One Dalmatians Character Animator 2002 Mickey's House of Villains (Video) Animator - Segment "Trick or Treat"

As director (selected) It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975) The Smurfs (1981–1989) The Flintstone Kids (1986–1988) Scooby-Doo television series