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Jack Hannah

1913 - 1994 (age 81) • Directing

Jack Hannah (January 5, 1913 - June 11, 1994) was an animator, writer and director of animated shorts.He began his career at the Walt Disney Studios as an animator in the short Modern Inventions (released on May 29, 1937). After thirteen films in that capacity, he was assigned to the story department writing cartoon short continuities, beginning withDonald's Nephews (released on April 15, 1938). He received writing credit on 21 Disney cartoon shorts.In 1942 he collaborated with Carl Barks on the first two comic books Barks worked on, Pluto Saves the Ship and Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold. Hannah in subsequent years did a handful of other Donald Duck comic book stories but unlike Barks he stayed at the studio and eventually was given a chance to be a director. The short Donald's Off Day (released on December 8, 1944) was the first of 94 films he would direct. These include most of the shorts featuring Donald Duck in the post-war era along with all starring Chip 'n Dale and Humphrey the Bear; he also directed some shorts starring Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Pluto and some minor Walt Disney characters. After Disney stopped producing animated shorts Hannah did 14 episodes of the Walt Disney anthology television series (composed of footage from the classic cartoons along with new linking material) and fulfilled his ambition to direct live-action by handling Walt Disney's introductions for the episodes. Hannah hoped to segue into a career in live-action but "Walt had me pegged as an animation director so he balked at the suggestion. We had a few heated discussions and I became aware that I had come to an impasse." He then went to the Walter Lantz Studio and directed a number of films featuring Woody Woodpecker and some minor characters. Besides directing shorts Hannah also was Assistant Director for the TV series The Woody Woodpecker Show, which started airing on October 3, 1957. "I did more or less the same thing that I did with Walt Disney in directing live action except Lantz was better at taking direction." His last directing effort was the short Charlie's Mother-In-Law (released on April 16, 1963). He retired shortly thereafter.Hannah was one of the co-founders, along with T. Hee, of the Character Animation program at the California Institute of the Arts.Hannah was honored as a "Disney Legend" in 1992. As Carl Barks is credited with creating the personality of Donald Duck's comic book version, Jack Hannah is credited with developing, if not creating, the personality of the animated version. It is for this reason Disney historian Jim Korkis has dubbed him "Donald Duck's Other Daddy".Hannah died in 1994, aged 81.

Known For

Mickey's House of Villains

73%

Director

2002

Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse

70%

Director

2001

The Old Mill

73%

Animation

1937

Pluto's Christmas Tree

72%

Director

1952

Lambert the Sheepish Lion

72%

Director

1952

Trick or Treat

70%

Director

1952

Chef Donald

69%

Story

1941

Chip an' Dale

67%

Director

1947

100 Years of Disney Animation: A Shorts Celebration

50%

Director

2023

The Pixar Story

75%

Lamp Shop Owner (voice) (archive footage)

2007

Disney's Christmas Favorites

70%

Director

2005

Everybody Loves Donald

72%

Director

2003

Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Goofy

75%

Director

2002

Mickey's House of Villains

73%

Director

2002

Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse

70%

Director

2001

Disney's House of Mouse

77%

Director

2001

Here's Goofy!

67%

Director

1987

DTV: Rock, Rhythm & Blues

Director

1984

Daisy

Director

1984

Donald Duck's First 50 Years

60%

Director

1984

Lady and the Lamp

59%

Lamp Shop Owner (voice)

1979

Halloween Hall o' Fame

Animation Director

1977

Corny Concerto

40%

Director

1962

Punchy Pooch

58%

Director

1962

Mother's Little Helper

40%

Director

1962

Rocket Racket

75%

Director

1962

Mackerel Moocher

90%

Director

1962

The Beary Family

71%

Director

1962

Fowled-Up Birthday

75%

Director

1962

Pest of Show

90%

Director

1962

Rock-a-Bye Gator

75%

Director

1962

Fish and Chips

55%

Director

1962

Doc's Last Stand

70%

Director

1961

Kids Is Kids

60%

Director

1961

Tin Can Concert

80%

Writer

1961

Tin Can Concert

80%

Director

1961

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