Glen Keane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glen Keane
Born	(1954-04-13) April 13, 1954 (age 71) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Animator Author Illustrator Cartoonist
Years active	1973–present
Employer	Filmation (1973) Walt Disney Animation Studios (1974–2012)
Spouse(s)	Linda Hesselroth ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	Claire Keane Max Keane
Awards	Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film Dear Basketball (2017)
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Glen Keane (born April 13, 1954) is a famous American animator, director, and artist. He is best known for his amazing work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. For 38 years, he helped bring many beloved characters to life.

He worked on classic Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Glen Keane also animated characters in Pocahontas, Tarzan, and Tangled.

In 2013, he was named a Disney Legend. This special title honors people who have made a big impact on Disney. In 2017, Keane directed Dear Basketball, a short animated film. He won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for this film with basketball star Kobe Bryant.

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

Glen Keane was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was Bil Keane, a famous cartoonist who created The Family Circus. Glen grew up watching his father draw.

His father encouraged Glen's interest in art. He gave Glen a book about drawing the human body. This helped Glen learn how to draw characters with realistic movements.

After high school, Glen went to the California Institute of the Arts. This is a special school for artists. He studied animation there and learned from great teachers.

Animation Career at Disney

Glen Keane demonstrating storyboarding

Glen Keane joined Disney in 1974. He worked with experienced animators like Ollie Johnston. His first films included The Rescuers and Pete's Dragon. He animated Elliott the Dragon in Pete's Dragon.

In the early 1980s, Keane explored new ways to animate. He worked on a test scene that combined traditional hand-drawn animation with computer backgrounds. This was a very new idea at the time. It helped pave the way for future animated films.

Keane became a lead character animator at Disney. He was part of a group of young artists who created many famous characters. This time is often called a "New Golden Age" for Disney animation.

Bringing Iconic Characters to Life

Glen Keane designed and animated Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989). He also animated the giant eagle Marahute in The Rescuers Down Under.

He was the main animator for the title characters in three huge Disney hits:

• Beast in Beauty and the Beast
• Aladdin in Aladdin
• Pocahontas in Pocahontas

While living in Paris, France, Keane worked on Disney's 1999 film Tarzan. He drew the main character, Tarzan, making him move like a real ape-man. Later, he animated John Silver in Treasure Planet.

Directing and New Adventures

In 2003, Glen Keane started directing Disney's animated film Tangled. This movie was based on the story of Rapunzel. He wanted to mix the classic feel of hand-drawn animation with computer animation.

He later became an executive producer for Tangled. On March 23, 2012, Glen Keane left Walt Disney Animation Studios after 37 years. He wanted to explore new ways to tell stories through animation. He felt there were "endless new territories to explore."

After leaving Disney, Keane joined a group at Motorola. He helped engineers create interactive hand-drawn animation. In 2014, he released his first animated short film called Duet. It was a groundbreaking hand-drawn cartoon.

In 2015, Keane was invited to work on a special project for the Paris Opera. He also created another animated short called Nephtali.

Glen Keane has also written and illustrated children's books. These books are based on Bible stories and feature characters like Adam Raccoon.

In 2020, Keane directed the Chinese animated film Over the Moon. This movie is about a girl who builds a rocket to meet a legendary moon goddess. It was released on Netflix.

Personal Life

Glen Keane married Linda Hesselroth in 1975. They have two children, Claire Keane and Max Keane. Both of their children have also become artists and animators.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Glen Keane para niños

Images for kids

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  Glen Keane

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  Glen Keane's signature