John David Wilson
Encyclopedia
John David Wilson is an English
artist
, animator
and producer
. He owns his own production studio, Fine Arts Films
.
; among his teachers was Robin Darwin
.
, Wilson served with the London Rifle Brigade. He was badly wounded in the African Campaign in 1941; while recuperating in Cairo
he spent time drawing cartoons. Some of these were brought to the attention of a printer
in Durban
who offered him a job; due to the seriousness of his injury he was discharged from the army and accepted the job.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, animator
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 producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He owns his own production studio, Fine Arts Films
Fine Arts Films
Fine Arts Films is a production studio based in Northern England and Hollywood. It was founded in 1955 by animator John David Wilson as a means to preserve the notion of animation as an art form.-History:...
.
Early years
Wilson was educated at the Watford Grammar School for Boys, Harrow Art School and the Royal College of ArtRoyal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
; among his teachers was Robin Darwin
Robin Darwin
Sir Robert Vere "Robin" Darwin KCB CBE was a British artist and Rector of the Royal College of Art.He was the son of the golf writer Bernard Darwin and his wife the engraver Elinor Monsell. His sister is the potter Ursula Mommens. He was a great-grandson of the naturalist Charles Darwin...
.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Wilson served with the London Rifle Brigade. He was badly wounded in the African Campaign in 1941; while recuperating in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
he spent time drawing cartoons. Some of these were brought to the attention of a printer
Printer (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
who offered him a job; due to the seriousness of his injury he was discharged from the army and accepted the job.
Film
- Peter PanPeter Pan (1953 film)Peter Pan is a 1953 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie. It is the fourteenth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and was originally released on February 5, 1953 by RKO Pictures...
" (film) (1952) - Lady and the TrampLady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
" (film) (1952) - Journey to the Stars" (film) (shown at The 1962 "Seattle World's Fair") (1952)
- Shinbone AlleyShinbone AlleyShinbone Alley is a musical with a book by Joe Darion and Mel Brooks, lyrics by Darion, and music by George Kleinsinger. Based on archy and mehitabel, a series of New York Tribune columns by Don Marquis, it focuses on poetic cockroach Archy, alley cat Mehitabel, and her relationships with...
" (film) (1970) - GreaseGrease (film)Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
" (film) (1978)
Television
- Mr. MagooMr. MagooQuincy Magoo is a cartoon character created at the UPA animation studio in 1949. Voiced by Jim Backus, Quincy Magoo is a wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of sticky situations as a result of his nearsightedness, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem...
(TV series) (1953) - Petrushka (ballet) (segment on Sol Hurok Music Hour) (1956)
- The Sonny and Cher Show (TV series) (1970-73)
- The Carol Burnett ShowThe Carol Burnett ShowThe Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
(TV series) (1972-76) - COS w/Bill Cosby (TV series) (1974)
- Stanley, the Ugly Duckling (TV show) (1982)
- Peter Pan and the PiratesPeter Pan and the PiratesPeter Pan & the Pirates is an American animated television series based on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan that originally aired on Fox Broadcasting Company from September 8, 1990 to September 10, 1991. Repeats continued to air until September 11, 1992. A repeat of the series' Christmas episode was aired...
(TV show) (1989) - Space CatsSpace CatsSpace Cats is a cartoon series for television that aired on NBC in 1991. It is a comedy show about alien felines helping mankind. It was from Paul Fusco, the creator of ALF.-Plot:...
(TV show) (1991) - The Specialists / MTV (TV show) (1992)
- MadelineMadelineMadeline is a children's book series written by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series and a live action feature film...
(TV show) (1994)
Military
- War MedalWar MedalA war medal is a military decoration awarded in time of war, as opposed to a service medal. It may refer to, for example:*War Medal *Campaign medal*Global War on Terrorism Service Medal*British War Medal - British Empire medal for service in World War I....
" (UK)" - Victory MedalVictory MedalVictory Medal, also referred to as the "Inter-Allied Victory Medal", can refer to one of the following World War I medals:-World War I Victory medals:*Victory Medal *World War I Victory Medal...
" (UK)" - Desert Starl" (UK)"
- War Star" (UK)"
- King George VIl" (UK)"
Film
- Gerald McBoing-BoingGerald McBoing-BoingGerald McBoing-Boing is an animated short film produced by United Productions of America and given wide release by Columbia Pictures on November 2, 1950...
" (Academy Award)" - Toot, Whistle, Plunk and BoomToot, Whistle, Plunk and BoomToot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom is an educational Adventures in Music animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions, and originally released to theaters by Buena Vista Distribution on November 10, 1953...
" (Academy Award)" - Shinbone AlleyShinbone AlleyShinbone Alley is a musical with a book by Joe Darion and Mel Brooks, lyrics by Darion, and music by George Kleinsinger. Based on archy and mehitabel, a series of New York Tribune columns by Don Marquis, it focuses on poetic cockroach Archy, alley cat Mehitabel, and her relationships with...
" (Golden Phoenix)" - MadelineMadelineMadeline is a children's book series written by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series and a live action feature film...
" (ACE Award)" - Tara, the Stonecutter" (New York Golden Eagle, London Film Festival Award, Edinburgh Film Festival Award)"
Notable mentions
- Considered the father of the conceptual music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
- Innovated the use of caricatures of voice talent