Marc Davis

The first Marc Davis Lecture took place in the Samuel Goldwyn Theater at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on January 27, 1994 with Davis himself, one of Disney's "Nine Old Men," as the inaugural participant in this lecture named in his honor. The Marc Davis Lecture was established to provide a forum for film animators and other experts in the craft to share their experiences as well as to explore with colleagues the challenges of creating animation for the screen. Davis' association with Walt Disney and the Disney Studio began in 1935. Among the characters to whom Davis gave shape and life were Bambi, Br'er Rabbit, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Maleficent and Cruella DeVil. He also did extensive preliminary work on a number of the attractions featured at the New York World's Fair, Disneyland, Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, including "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "It's a Small World" and "The Haunted Mansion."

Marc Davis died in Los Angeles after a brief illness on January 12, 2000, at the age of 86. His work continues to inspire new generations of artists.

The Marc Davis Lectures:

Marc Davis, 1994
Chuck Jones, 1995
John Lasseter, 1996
Nick Park and Peter Lord, 1997
Scott MacQueen, 1998
A Tribute to Marc Davis, 2000
Drawing from Japan: Anime and it's Influences, 2001
Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, 2003
Frederic Back, 2005