Burny Mattinson Biography

Fast Facts

• Was inducted into the Disney Legends program in 2008 to commemorate his more than 50 years of work with the company
• After he graduated from high school, his mother dropped him off at the front gate of Disney Studios, where a guard looked at his portfolio and called the head of Personnel, who gave him his first job at Disney as a mailroom clerk
• Was inspired to become an artist for Disney after seeing "Pinocchio" at the age of 6
• Began working as an in-between animator on "Lady and the Tramp" before becoming an assistant animator on "Sleeping Beauty" and "101 Dalmatians․"
• Quote: "[on his long career at Disney] "I mean, 50 years is a long time, but I still feel like that 18-year-old kid that came here back in '53, you know? I never feel like I've gotten old․""
• Quote: "Storyboards are as close to direction as you can get․ You're telling cameras where to go, what's happening on screen, where to cut, and really making a blueprint for the film․"
• Directed and produced his first film, "Mickey's Christmas Carol," after sending a copy of the Disneyland Records Christmas album that had inspired the idea for the film to Ron Miller, then the head of Disney
• Best known as a storyboard artist for Disney films who worked on "The Fox and the Hound," "Aladdin" and "The Lion King․"
• Worked under Eric Larson for 12 years on projects like "The Sword in the Stone," "Mary Poppins," "The Aristocats" and "The Jungle Book․"
• Is Disney Studios' last active employee to have worked directly with Walt Disney himself