An massive book devoted to the senior animators dubbed by Disney, "the nine old men": Les Clark, Woolie Reitherman, Eric Larson, Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery and Marc Davis. An essential book in any animation library.

From the dustjacket:

Think of your favorite moments and characters in Disney films from the 1930's through the 1970's - moments of frenetic comic craziness or tender romantic poignancy, enacted by compelling heroes and heroines, playful animals, and dastardly villians - and chances are most were animated by on of the "Nine Old Men."

When Walt Disney gave his core group of animators this appellation, he wasn't referring to their advanced years - their median age was actually forty. He was instead making a joking reference to Franklin Roosevelt's description of his Supreme Court as "nine old men, all too aged to recognize a new idea." Nothing could have been further from the truth, in this case, as the nine unique personalities portrayed in John Canemaker's comprehensive history explored, expanded, and influenced character animation and moviemaking over the course of fifty years, consistently raising the bar by which the art form continues to be judged.

Through the span of their careers, these nine highly skilled men, with widely differing artistic gifts, viewpoints, personalities, and degrees of ambition and competitiveness, exhibited a loyalty to one another and their employer unparalleled in most professions. 'Walt Disney's Nine Old Men' explores their individual relationships with Walt and with each other, their artistic breakthroughs and failures, the rivalries, and studio politics. This candid narrative of their lives and contributions to a very special form of cinema illustrates why the work of the Nine Old Men will continue to be a significant, essential source for study and inspiration to animation and art lover for years to come.