Disney artist and historian John Culhane has passed away. Mr. Culhane was a huge fan of Disney Animation when he wrote the definitive book about Fantasia. The company soon began using him as both an artist and an author.
As much as he was influenced by Disney Animation, Disney Animation was influenced by him. He served as the model for the dastardly character Mr. Snoops from The Rescuers:
He found his way into (appropriately enough) Fantasia 2000, inspiring the Walter Mitty-esque businessman who imagines a lively life, far removed from his reality of a workaday world.
Mr. Culhane's contributions to the world of animation have been immeasurable. And despite not knowing his name, generations of children will enjoy the works he inspired for decades to come.
