Susan Shadburne

Susan Carol Shadburne (December 16, 1942 – April 24, 2018) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and filmmaker, best known for her collaborations with her husband, claymation animator Will Vinton. She wrote the screenplay for The Adventures of Mark Twain, directed by Vinton, and wrote and directed the supernatural thriller film Shadow Play (1986). In addition to feature films, Shadburne wrote and directed several short films. Two of the short films Shadburne wrote that Vinton directed—Rip Van Winkle (1978) and The Great Cognito (1983) –were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

Biography Shadburne was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1960. She later attended Stanford University. Shadburne researched Mark Twain extensively while writing the screenplay, adapting it from his autobiography and integrating direct quotes from him into the dialogue. The following year, she wrote, produced, and directed the supernatural thriller film Shadow Play (1986) starring Dee Wallace and Cloris Leachman.

In her later life, Shadburne worked as a medical intuitive and energy healer.

Filmography Year Film Director Writer Producer Notes 1978 Claymation: Three Dimensional Clay Animation Documentary short 1978 Rip Van Winkle 1979 Short film 1979 Legacy: A Very Short History of Natural Resources Short film 1979 1980 Dinosaur Short film 1982 Short film 1986 Shadow Play 1987 King Cole's Party 1987 Turn Around Documentary film 1988 Grandpa's Magical Toys 1990 Short film 1992 We Are Family Short film 1994 Making a Difference Short film

Accolades Institution Year Category Recipient Result Academy Awards 1978 Best Animated Short Film Rip Van Winkle 1983 The Great Cognito