Ruthie Tompson facts for kids

Ruth Irene Tompson (July 22, 1910 – October 10, 2021) was an American camera technician and animation checker. She was known for her amazing work on animated movies at The Walt Disney Company. She was even named a Disney Legend in 2000, which is a special honor for people who have made a big difference at Disney. Ruthie lived to be 111 years old!

Ruthie Tompson's Life Story

Early Life and Meeting Walt Disney

Ruth Irene Tompson was born on July 22, 1910, in Portland, Maine. She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. When she was eight, her family moved to Oakland, California, in 1918. This was near the end of World War I, and she experienced the 1918 flu pandemic.

In 1924, Ruthie's parents divorced. Her mother, Arlene, married an artist named John Roberts. The family then moved to Los Angeles. Their new house was on the same street as Robert Disney's house. Robert was the uncle of Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney. Walt and Roy lived there when they first came to Los Angeles.

Ruthie met the Disney brothers when she visited her neighbor Robert's new baby. She remembered sitting on an apple box while visiting. The place where Walt Disney worked, then called the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, was close to her home. She walked past it on her way to school. She often stopped to watch them work through the window. One day, they invited her inside. She even appeared in some of their early cartoons called the Alice Comedies.

Working at Disney Studios

When Ruthie was 18, she started working at a place called Dubrock's Riding Academy. Walt and Roy Disney often played polo there. Walt remembered Ruthie from when she was a child and offered her a job as an inker. An inker traces the drawings onto clear plastic sheets called animation cels.

After learning to be an inker, Ruthie moved to the Paint Department. She helped with Disney's first full-length animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After working on other Disney films, Ruthie was promoted to a "final checker." Her job was to carefully check the animation cels before they were photographed for the movie.

During World War II, Ruthie became an animation checker supervisor. She worked on training films for the U.S. Armed Forces. These films featured famous Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy.

By 1948, Ruthie was working in the camera department. She helped figure out how to move cameras and make them work for animation. She was one of the first three women to join a special union for photographers. Ruthie kept moving up in the studio and eventually became the supervisor of the screen planning department.

Later Years and Legacy

Ruthie Tompson retired in 1975 after working for The Walt Disney Company for almost 40 years. After retiring, she worked for a TV channel at the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) Country House, where she lived.

In 2000, Ruthie was given the Disney Legends Award for her amazing work at Walt Disney Studios. In 2017, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences also honored her for her contributions to animation. In July 2020, Ruthie turned 110 years old! Many famous people, including Whoopi Goldberg, wished her a happy birthday.

Ruthie Tompson passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 10, 2021, at her home in Woodland Hills, California. She was 111 years and 80 days old. At the time of her death, she was the last known person who had worked on the first four Disney films: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Dumbo.

What Films Did She Work On?

Ruthie Tompson worked on many famous films and shows. Here are some of them:

• Lonesome Ghosts (1937)
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
• Pinocchio (1940)
• Fantasia (1940)
• Dumbo (1941)
• Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)
• Sleeping Beauty (1959)
• Popeye the Sailor (1960–62)
• Mary Poppins (1964)
• The Aristocats (1970)
• Robin Hood (1973)
• Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (short; 1974)
• The Rescuers (1977)
• The Lord of the Rings (1978)
• Metamorphoses (1978)
• The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story (Documentary) (1999)
• American Experience (TV Series documentary) (2015)
• 110-Year-Old Ruthie Tompson Tells Us About Making Snow White – NOT-SO SMALL WORLD (Web episode) (2020)

See also

In Spanish: Ruthie Tompson para niños