Floyd Norman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Floyd Norman
Norman in 2016
Born	Floyd E. Norman (1935-06-22) June 22, 1935 (age 90) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Notable work	Sleeping Beauty The Sword in the Stone The Jungle Book Mary Poppins One Hundred and One Dalmatians Toy Story 2 Monsters, Inc. Mickey Mouse comic strip
Title	Animator, writer, artist
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Floyd E. Norman (born June 22, 1935) is an American animator, writer, and cartoonist. He has worked for many famous animation companies. These include Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Ruby-Spears, Film Roman, and Pixar.

Floyd Norman's Amazing Animation Journey

Floyd Norman fell in love with animated movies when he watched Disney's Dumbo and Bambi. He studied illustration at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. His first job was helping comic book artist Bill Woggon, who created Katy Keene.

In 1957, Norman started working at The Walt Disney Company. He was an inbetweener for the movie Sleeping Beauty. This made him the first African-American artist to work at Disney for a long time. After serving in the military, he returned to Disney in 1960. He then worked on One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) and The Sword in the Stone (1963).

Becoming a Story Artist

Walt Disney himself noticed Floyd's talent. Norman used to draw funny sketches to entertain his co-workers. Because of these drawings, Walt Disney moved him to the story department. There, he helped create the story for The Jungle Book.

After Walt Disney passed away in 1966, Floyd Norman left Disney for a while. He started his own company, Vignette Films, Inc., with animator Leo Sullivan. Their company made animated films about black history. They also worked on parts of Sesame Street and the TV special Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert.

Norman later returned to Disney in the early 1970s. He worked on the animated movie Robin Hood. He also worked on many animated TV shows for Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears. In the 1980s, he wrote for Disney's comic strip department. He was the last person to write for the Mickey Mouse comic strip before it ended.

Working with Pixar and Beyond

Floyd Norman has contributed to many popular films. He was a story artist for Disney movies like The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, and Dinosaur. He also worked with Pixar on Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc..

Besides his animation work, Norman has written several books. These books share his experiences in the animation world. He also wrote a guide for animators called Animated Life. In 2016, a documentary film called Floyd Norman: An Animated Life was made about him.

He writes columns for websites like JimHillMedia.com and AfroKids.com. In 2016, he joined a special committee for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. He also illustrated a children's picture book called A Kiss Goodnight, written by Richard M. Sherman. In 2022, he spoke at an exhibition about The Jungle Book at The Walt Disney Family Museum.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Floyd Norman has received many important awards for his work.

• In 1979, he was added to the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
• In 2002, he received the Winsor McCay Award. This award honors people who have made great contributions to animation throughout their careers.
• In 2007, he was named a Disney Legend. This is a very special honor from The Walt Disney Company.
• In 2008, he received an Inkpot Award at San Diego Comic-Con.
• In 2013, he received the "Sergio Award" from The Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS).
• In 2014, he received the DFC Disney Legend award from the Disneyana Fan Club.
• In 2015, he won the Friz Freleng Award for Lifetime Achievement in Animation.
• In 2016, he received a Special Achievement Award from the African-American Film Critics Association.
• In 2018, he received an honorary Doctorate degree from Cogswell Polytechnical College.
• In 2019, he was honored with the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cartoonists Society.
• In 2021, he was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.

Filmography

Film

Television