This is the year when some of Animation's Royalty turn one hundred years old.
Chuck Jones, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, who will be 100 this Halloween.
Marc Davis will hit this mark next year, and Ward Kimball in 2014.
For this Disney Magazine photo shoot these four got together in December of 1997 at the local Tam O'Shanter restaurant. What a rowdy bunch!!
I wonder if they ever had the chance to meet up again after that day.
The Tam opened in 1922, and it was one of Walt Disney's favorite restaurants.
And I can see why. It has the authentic charm of a Scottish Highland's Inn. And the food is very good, too.
During a recent visit there a waitress pointed out to me what used to be Walt's reserved table.
Who says LA has no history?
©Disney
So much history in that place. I love that shot of Ward being the center of attention, as he most surely was, from what's been said and written. So much personality in those guys, and of course their work. A toast to the masters!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that they kept meeting up even after they retired. The relationships built through their time at Disney must have been very special.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the dinner discussion on the Nine that several of you animator types had at The Tam, featured on the original Cinderella special edition DVD from a few years back (and seemingly omitted from the very recent diamond blu-ray release, thus I have to keep that first one, too...).
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand Walt's favorite table at the Tam O' Shanter had a bench against the wall he liked to sit at. Apparently he liked that spot because he liked to observe people who would come in the front door. As far as I know that bench is still there today.
ReplyDeleteOh man, awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful moment
ReplyDeleteWhat a great photo of four brilliant artists! Too bad Chuck Jones wasn't there as well. I hear Jones and Ward Kimball were good friends.
ReplyDeleteSo cool. I'll have to visit this place some day just so I can sit at Walt's table.
ReplyDeleteAndreas! this reminds me - we should grab lunch!
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Oh wow. This is great! Thanks for sharing. :)
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