Riley Thomson
Encyclopedia
Riley A. Thomson, Jr. was an American animator
and comics artist
who spent most of his career working with Walt Disney
films and characters. He directed six Disney short films including The Nifty Nineties
and Symphony Hour
.
(Warner Bros.) as an animator. While there he worked on Merrie Melodies
cartoons and focused on the character Porky Pig
. The following year Thomson went to work at Walt Disney Productions. He was first an animator and worked on Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies
, and Donald Duck short films. He also worked on the feature length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
(1937) and the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia
(1940).
After working on Fantasia Thomson moved to the story department where he became a writer and director. He directed the short films Put-Put Troubles (1940), The Little Whirlwind
(1941), The Nifty Nineties
, the remake of Orphans' Benefit, Mickey's Birthday Party (1942), and Symphony Hour
. He also received story credits for They're Off (1948) and Dude Duck (1951). (The latter misspells his surname as "Thompson.")
In 1950, Thomson moved into the field of comics. He worked for Western Publishing
from 1950 to 1953 drawing for several different comic books. His work mainly included Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse
, Donald Duck
, Pluto
, Chip 'n' Dale, Grandma Duck, and Jaq & Gus. He also drew Woody Woodpecker
comics. Throughout the 1950s Thomson drew comic strips for the Disney Studios including the Uncle Remus Sunday page (based on the 1946 film Song of the South
) and the Mickey Mouse daily newspaper strip.
Thomson returned to animation in 1957 and worked for Walter Lantz Productions until 1959.
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
and comics artist
Comics artist
A comics artist is an artist working within the comics medium on comic strips, comic books or graphic novels. The term may refer to any number of artists who contribute to produce a work in the comics form, from those who oversee all aspects of the work to those who contribute only a part.-Comic...
who spent most of his career working with Walt Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
films and characters. He directed six Disney short films including The Nifty Nineties
The Nifty Nineties
The Nifty Nineties is an animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters on June 20, 1941 by RKO Radio Pictures. The film stars Mickey and Minnie Mouse and romanticizes the decade of the 1890s....
and Symphony Hour
Symphony Hour
Symphony Hour is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson and features music adapted from the...
.
Career
Thomson began his career in 1935 at Leon Schlesinger ProductionsWarner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
(Warner Bros.) as an animator. While there he worked on Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
cartoons and focused on the character Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
. The following year Thomson went to work at Walt Disney Productions. He was first an animator and worked on Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies
Silly Symphonies
Silly Symphonies is a series of animated short subjects, 75 in total, produced by Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939, while the studio was still located at Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles...
, and Donald Duck short films. He also worked on the feature length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
(1937) and the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
(1940).
After working on Fantasia Thomson moved to the story department where he became a writer and director. He directed the short films Put-Put Troubles (1940), The Little Whirlwind
The Little Whirlwind
The Little Whirlwind is a 1941 animated short subject, part of the Mickey Mouse series, produced by John Sutherland for Walt Disney Productions. Directed by Riley Thomson, the short was released by RKO Radio Pictures on February 14, 1941...
(1941), The Nifty Nineties
The Nifty Nineties
The Nifty Nineties is an animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters on June 20, 1941 by RKO Radio Pictures. The film stars Mickey and Minnie Mouse and romanticizes the decade of the 1890s....
, the remake of Orphans' Benefit, Mickey's Birthday Party (1942), and Symphony Hour
Symphony Hour
Symphony Hour is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson and features music adapted from the...
. He also received story credits for They're Off (1948) and Dude Duck (1951). (The latter misspells his surname as "Thompson.")
In 1950, Thomson moved into the field of comics. He worked for Western Publishing
Western Publishing
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company was a Racine, Wisconsin firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Western Publishing also produced children's books and family-related entertainment products as Golden Books Family Entertainment...
from 1950 to 1953 drawing for several different comic books. His work mainly included Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
, Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
, Pluto
Pluto (Disney)
Pluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown , medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression...
, Chip 'n' Dale, Grandma Duck, and Jaq & Gus. He also drew Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
comics. Throughout the 1950s Thomson drew comic strips for the Disney Studios including the Uncle Remus Sunday page (based on the 1946 film Song of the South
Song of the South
Song of the South is a 1946 American musical film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is based on the Uncle Remus cycle of stories by Joel Chandler Harris. The live actors provide a sentimental frame story, in which Uncle Remus relates the folk tales of the...
) and the Mickey Mouse daily newspaper strip.
Thomson returned to animation in 1957 and worked for Walter Lantz Productions until 1959.