[Deathwatch] Bill Peet, Disney Illustrator, 87

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Bill Peet, illustrated Disney films, dies at 87
Based Captain Hook on Walt
May 14, 2002 Posted: 12:13 PM EDT (1613 GMT)

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/14/obit.peet.ap/index.html

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Bill Peet, a Disney illustrator and
writer revered for drawing such characters as Dumbo and creating the
screenplay for "101 Dalmatians," has died. He was 87. 

Peet died Saturday at his home in the San Fernando Valley, said Howard
Green, vice president of communications for Disney Studios. He recently
had pneumonia and battled cancer and heart problems over the past
several years. 

Peet was among a group called the "Nine Old Men," who helped develop a
series of storyboards that later became some of Disney's first animated
films. 

"Bill Peet was Walt Disney's greatest story man and considered to be on
a par with Walt himself in terms of telling strong stories with vibrant
characters," said animation historian John Canemaker. "He profoundly
influenced some of the studio's greatest features and created some of
its most memorable characters." 

Among the Disney classics featuring Peet's talents are "Fantasia,"
released in 1940, "Song of the South" in 1946, "Cinderella" in 1950,
"Alice in Wonderland" in 1951, and "Sleeping Beauty" in 1959. 

Peet was chosen to write the screenplay for "101 Dalmatians" in 1961.
Two years later, he was tabbed again to write and draw the characters
for "The Sword in the Stone." 

After the two animated feature films, Peet left the studio in 1964
because of a thorny relationship with Disney. In his autobiography
published in 1989, Peet said he drew the evil Captain Hook in "Peter
Pan" to resemble Disney. 

Peet also asked that his name be taken from the credits of "The Jungle
Book," which was in development, because he didn't support changes made
after he left the project. 

After Peet left Disney, he published children's books, including
"Goliath II," "The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg" and "Chester the
Worldly Pig." 

Born and raised in Indiana, Peet started his career as an artist for a
greeting card company in Dayton, Ohio. He later responded to an
advertisement that read, "Walt Disney is looking for artists." 

He soon began drawing Donald Duck cartoons and was assigned to work on
"Pinocchio," which helped him climb the company ladder. 

He received more a dozen book awards for children's literature and
earned an Annie Award for contributions to animation.