Frank and Ollie

Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston were animators with Walt Disney Studios from the 1930s to 1980s.  They worked with Walt Disney and other animators, who Disney affectionately called "The Nine Old Men" and helped to shape Disney animation in both shorts and feature films.  They were known for expressive animation and loved their work.

But their relationship went beyond colleagues.  Thomas and Johnston first met at Stanford in the 1920s, with no plans to work in animation, although they were both impressed with the animated short films produced by Disney.  They spent decades as close friends and neighbors, with tight connections between their families and left a lasting legacy to subsequent animators.

You may not know their names or recognize them, but you know their work.  Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston worked on 23 animated features films for Disney and gave life to numerous iconic moments.

The Good:

Thomas and Johnston are charming and clearly enjoy working together.  Their stories have a natural cadence, as they tell it together.  There is a lot of care and obvious affection as they talk about each other, and no jealousy as they brag about the other's accomplishments.

It is a loving portrait of best friends with a long history, as they talk about their lives and passions (outside of animation).  In addition to Thomas and Johnston, and their wives, other animators talk about their impact on the medium and Disney animated films.

The Bad:

If you are not interested in the subject, this may not hold your attention.

Other Comments:

-Director Theodore Thomas is Frank's son. He also directed the Disney documentary Walt & El Grupo in 2008.

-In addition to their animation work, the pair also co-wrote several books about animation.

-They had voice cameos in animated films directed by Brad Bird: 1999's The Iron Giant and 2004's Pixar film The Incredibles.  In both films, their characters appeared together.

-Thomas died in 2004 and Johnston died in 2008, making them the final 2 of Disney's Nine Old Men.

-John Canemaker's "Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation" also chronicles the lives of Thomas and Johnston (along with the other 7 animators).

-An easy and enjoyable documentary that makes me want to learn more about these men and the rest of the Nine Old Men.

Frank and Ollie (1995) 89 minutes

Director: Theodore Thomas

Frank Thomas

Ollie Johnston

Sylvia Roemer

John Canemaker

John Culhane

Marie Johnston

Jeanette Thomas

Glen Keane 

Andy Gaskill