Mel Shaw

Mel Shaw (born Melvin Schwartzman; December 19, 1914 – November 22, 2012) was an American animator, design artist, writer, and artist. Shaw was involved in the animation, story design, and visual development of numerous Disney animated films, beginning with Bambi, which was released in 1942. His other animated film credits, usually involving animation design or the story, included The Rescuers in 1977, The Fox and the Hound in 1981, The Black Cauldron in 1985, The Great Mouse Detective in 1986, Beauty and the Beast in 1991, and The Lion King in 1994.

Early life Shaw was born on December 19, 1914, in Brooklyn, New York.

Death Shaw died from congestive heart failure on November 22, 2012, at the Woodland Care Center in Reseda, California, at the age of 97. His first wife, Louise, died in 1984. Shaw's second wife, Florence Lounsbery, who died in 2004, was the widow of Disney animator, John Lounsbery. They had resided in Acampo, California, for more than twenty years.

Filmography We're in the Money (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1933 Tale of the Vienna Woods (short) (story, animator and character layouts - uncredited) - 1934 Toyland Broadcast (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1934 Good Little Monkeys (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1935 Alias St. Nick (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1935 Bottles (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1936 To Spring (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1936 Merbabies (short) (animator - uncredited) - 1938 Fantasia (visual development artwork) - 1940 Dumbo - 1941 Bambi (writer, visual development artwork) - 1942 The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (visual development artwork for the Mr. Toad segment) - 1949 Disneyland - (story for the Tricks of Our Trade episode) - 1957 The Rescuers - 1977 Deadman's Curve (TV Movie) (writer: "Baby Talk" song) - 1978 The Fox and the Hound (creative assistant to the producers) - 1981 The Black Cauldron (writer) - 1985 The Great Mouse Detective (writer) - 1986 It's Howdy Doody Time (TV special) (thanks - as Melvin Shaw) - 1987 Beauty and the Beast (production consultant: visual development) - 1991 The Lion King (visual development artist) - 1994 Tarzan (assistant animator) - 1999 Treasure Planet (key animator) - 2002 Brother Bear (character designer) - 2003 Finding Grandma (short) (editor) - 2010