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Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man
Walt Disney once said of Marc Davis, “Marc can do story, he can do character, he can animate, he can design shows for me. All I have to do is tell him what I want and it’s there! He’s my Renaissance man.” As such, Davis touched nearly every aspect of The Walt Disney Company during his tenure. He began as an animator, whose supporting work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Bambi inspired Walt to promote him to full animator.
In the ensuing years, Davis breathed life into a bevy of iconic Disney characters, including Cinderella, Alice (in Wonderland), Tinker Bell, Maleficent, and Cruella De Vil. Then, in 1962, Walt Disney transferred the versatile Davis to the Imagineering department to help plan and design attractions for Disneyland and the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair. While at Imagineering, Davis conceived of designs for such classic attractions as Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion.
As Davis had so many talents and hats, it is only fitting that this tribute be composed by a multitude of talented writers. Experts in fine art, animation, Imagineering, and filmmaking have come together to honor Davis's contributions to their realms. Each chapter is accompanied by a wealth of artwork, much of which was offered up by Alice Davis exclusively for this book. This volume is both the biography and the portfolio of a man who was, on any given day, animator, Imagineer, world traveler, philanthropist, husband, and teacher.
In the ensuing years, Davis breathed life into a bevy of iconic Disney characters, including Cinderella, Alice (in Wonderland), Tinker Bell, Maleficent, and Cruella De Vil. Then, in 1962, Walt Disney transferred the versatile Davis to the Imagineering department to help plan and design attractions for Disneyland and the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair. While at Imagineering, Davis conceived of designs for such classic attractions as Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion.
As Davis had so many talents and hats, it is only fitting that this tribute be composed by a multitude of talented writers. Experts in fine art, animation, Imagineering, and filmmaking have come together to honor Davis's contributions to their realms. Each chapter is accompanied by a wealth of artwork, much of which was offered up by Alice Davis exclusively for this book. This volume is both the biography and the portfolio of a man who was, on any given day, animator, Imagineer, world traveler, philanthropist, husband, and teacher.
- GenresArtNonfictionBiography
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2014
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About the author
Walt Disney Company
37.4k books2,873 followersNote: The decision was made to consolidate all Disney publications under the name Walt Disney Company. This profile is for Walt Disney, the characters he created, and the company he founded. Any questions, please ask in the Librarian's Group.
Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion.
Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created some of the world's most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He has been awarded four honorary Academy Awards and has won twenty-two competitive Academy Awards out of fifty-nine nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as the international resorts Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland Hong Kong.
Disney died of lung cancer in Burbank, California, on December 15, 1966. The following year, construction began on Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. His brother Roy Disney inaugurated the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) (commonly referred to as Disney) is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt Disney and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929. Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production, television, and travel. Taking on its current name in 1986, The Walt Disney Company expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theatre, radio, publishing, and online media. In addition, it has created new divisions of the company in order to market more mature content than it typically associates with its flagship family-oriented brands.
The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, and ABC Family; publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions; and owns and licenses 11 theme parks around the world. On January 23, 2006, it was announced that Disney would purchase Pixar in an all-stock transaction worth $7.4 billion. The deal was finalized on May 5. On December 31, 2009, Disney Company acquired the Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for $4.24 billion. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company.
--from Wikipedia
Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion.
Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created some of the world's most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He has been awarded four honorary Academy Awards and has won twenty-two competitive Academy Awards out of fifty-nine nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as the international resorts Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland Hong Kong.
Disney died of lung cancer in Burbank, California, on December 15, 1966. The following year, construction began on Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. His brother Roy Disney inaugurated the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) (commonly referred to as Disney) is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt Disney and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929. Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production, television, and travel. Taking on its current name in 1986, The Walt Disney Company expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theatre, radio, publishing, and online media. In addition, it has created new divisions of the company in order to market more mature content than it typically associates with its flagship family-oriented brands.
The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, and ABC Family; publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions; and owns and licenses 11 theme parks around the world. On January 23, 2006, it was announced that Disney would purchase Pixar in an all-stock transaction worth $7.4 billion. The deal was finalized on May 5. On December 31, 2009, Disney Company acquired the Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for $4.24 billion. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company.
--from Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 4, 2024
A great look at much of Marc Davis' artwork from his Disney films to the Disney Parks to correspondence with his wife. We even see artwork of the cancelled Disney Chanticler project.
September 22, 2014
From BetweenDisney.com
As I have become more and more familiar with those that make the magic, the late Marc Davis has become my favorite Imagineer. His ability to mix fun with interesting designs continues to help The Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Haunted Mansion. I have often said on my list of literary wants is a volume that captures all of his interests from animation to the theme parks and beyond. And now we can finally say that title exists.
Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man provides an artistic biography of Davis' life. The artist's journey is documented by numerous authors, including some who knew the man, including John Canemaker, Andreas Deja, Pete Doctor, Marty Sklar and Marc Davis (yes, I said Marc Davis). Each author takes up an aspect of his career from his own early animal studies, Davis the art teacher, animation, Imagineering, Davis' fine art and more. Davis' own chapter is an excerpt from an unpublished book in which he discusses anatomy and motion. Author Mindy Johnson provides a chapter that will delight Disney fans, "The Divine Miss Alice", which provides a biography of Davis' widow Alice who is a legend in her own right. The entire volume is wonderfully illustrated with Davis' work, much of it coming from the Alice Davis Collection.
First and foremost what strikes a reader is the art. The book has over sized pages which show off a master artist and draftsman's efforts. A common theme amongst the authors is Davis' flawless representation of movement, and his personal sketches of football games and dancers shows that clear ability to visually communicate movement with static pictures. The inclusion of early drawings, including those done on Butcher paper are exciting, as one feels they are uncovering Davis' early works. And the included Disney Theme Park images will delight. My personal favorites include concept art for the Western River Expedition which show that Davis planned a ride full of puns. But the concept art for the Haunted Mansion art gallery found on pages 138 and 139 made me wish the page was even bigger so the crease did not have to interfere with my view of the masterpiece. Speaking of masterpieces, the book provides something that Disney fans are not used to, numerous samples of Davis' fine art. These pieces, be it a tree study or a spirit house from his Papua New Guinea trips show Davis' ability to work in numerous formats and styles.
The chapter text, usually 3 to 5 pages long, present Davis' well-rounded life. My favorite chapters show a teacher, a man at play, and a husband. "Marc as Teacher" by Bob Kurtz presents Davis the instructor. One really can see the ease at which Davis could quickly form an image with expert lines. And you get insight to his teaching style. For me a highlight is seeing something I thought no longer exists, photographs of some of his chalkboards. "Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands" shows a man looking to learn more about his world and his art. But his sketches, including a canoe mishap allow us to see a man with a sense of humor. And of course, his art from his trips is spectacular. And along with his whimsy, the accompanying text shows that even in his later years he still had a vivid imagination. Finally, "The Divine Miss Alice" gives us a biography of Alice Davis. I have personally gotten so used to hearing Alice Davis talk about Marc Davis that it was refreshing to see her own work highlighted. Additionally, the images help document a true romance.
Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man is a book I have wanted on my Between Book shelf for awhile, well before it even existed. This volume is a must have for Marc Davis fans, Disney animation historians and Disney Parks enthusiasts. In one volume Davis fans can reference his entire art career and see why Walt Disney considered Davis his Renaissance Man.
Review Copy Provided by Publisher
As I have become more and more familiar with those that make the magic, the late Marc Davis has become my favorite Imagineer. His ability to mix fun with interesting designs continues to help The Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Haunted Mansion. I have often said on my list of literary wants is a volume that captures all of his interests from animation to the theme parks and beyond. And now we can finally say that title exists.
Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man provides an artistic biography of Davis' life. The artist's journey is documented by numerous authors, including some who knew the man, including John Canemaker, Andreas Deja, Pete Doctor, Marty Sklar and Marc Davis (yes, I said Marc Davis). Each author takes up an aspect of his career from his own early animal studies, Davis the art teacher, animation, Imagineering, Davis' fine art and more. Davis' own chapter is an excerpt from an unpublished book in which he discusses anatomy and motion. Author Mindy Johnson provides a chapter that will delight Disney fans, "The Divine Miss Alice", which provides a biography of Davis' widow Alice who is a legend in her own right. The entire volume is wonderfully illustrated with Davis' work, much of it coming from the Alice Davis Collection.
First and foremost what strikes a reader is the art. The book has over sized pages which show off a master artist and draftsman's efforts. A common theme amongst the authors is Davis' flawless representation of movement, and his personal sketches of football games and dancers shows that clear ability to visually communicate movement with static pictures. The inclusion of early drawings, including those done on Butcher paper are exciting, as one feels they are uncovering Davis' early works. And the included Disney Theme Park images will delight. My personal favorites include concept art for the Western River Expedition which show that Davis planned a ride full of puns. But the concept art for the Haunted Mansion art gallery found on pages 138 and 139 made me wish the page was even bigger so the crease did not have to interfere with my view of the masterpiece. Speaking of masterpieces, the book provides something that Disney fans are not used to, numerous samples of Davis' fine art. These pieces, be it a tree study or a spirit house from his Papua New Guinea trips show Davis' ability to work in numerous formats and styles.
The chapter text, usually 3 to 5 pages long, present Davis' well-rounded life. My favorite chapters show a teacher, a man at play, and a husband. "Marc as Teacher" by Bob Kurtz presents Davis the instructor. One really can see the ease at which Davis could quickly form an image with expert lines. And you get insight to his teaching style. For me a highlight is seeing something I thought no longer exists, photographs of some of his chalkboards. "Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands" shows a man looking to learn more about his world and his art. But his sketches, including a canoe mishap allow us to see a man with a sense of humor. And of course, his art from his trips is spectacular. And along with his whimsy, the accompanying text shows that even in his later years he still had a vivid imagination. Finally, "The Divine Miss Alice" gives us a biography of Alice Davis. I have personally gotten so used to hearing Alice Davis talk about Marc Davis that it was refreshing to see her own work highlighted. Additionally, the images help document a true romance.
Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man is a book I have wanted on my Between Book shelf for awhile, well before it even existed. This volume is a must have for Marc Davis fans, Disney animation historians and Disney Parks enthusiasts. In one volume Davis fans can reference his entire art career and see why Walt Disney considered Davis his Renaissance Man.
Review Copy Provided by Publisher
October 4, 2020
A lovely book covering Disney artist extraodinaire, Marc Davis, and how he influenced every aspects of Disney.
Each chapter is written by someone who worked with Davis or was influenced by him such as animation directors Glen Keene and Pete Doctor.
Each chapter is also filled with beautiful drawings from his private life, Disney Imagineering, animation, his classes, and from his trips abroad.
A special extra is his character art for a film that never came to be, Chandelier.
Each chapter is written by someone who worked with Davis or was influenced by him such as animation directors Glen Keene and Pete Doctor.
Each chapter is also filled with beautiful drawings from his private life, Disney Imagineering, animation, his classes, and from his trips abroad.
A special extra is his character art for a film that never came to be, Chandelier.
February 13, 2021
A beautiful tribute to one of the Walt Disney Company's greatest artists, animators, and teachers. This book was overflowing with so many incredible pieces of art that helped paint an even better portrait of who Marc Davis was and just exactly why Disney nicknamed him his "Renaissance Man." Davis' talents were numerous and insurmountable, making this the perfect compendium for any fan of animation as an art form.
January 23, 2017
Simple but with the right information
January 19, 2018
Really cool to see all his sketches and the concept art. What a talented artist!
August 17, 2021
Great draftsmanship! And there’s a lot of tributes from other artists.
March 26, 2022
A wonderful art collection with biographical sections. Plus a section on his wife, Alice, and her sketches.
December 3, 2019
This is a beautiful book about one of the Walt Disney Company's most legndary artisits. The artwork is truly stunning and much of it will remind readers of the Disney movies or theme park rides that they are connected to. A special treat is seeing artwork on films and rides that never made it past the blue sky phase.
While there are some great individuals that open the various chapters with a small essay, I feel like we still could use some more text to better understand Marc Davis and his artisitic career. Nevertheless this book is beautiful and well worth a read if you are a Disney fan.
While there are some great individuals that open the various chapters with a small essay, I feel like we still could use some more text to better understand Marc Davis and his artisitic career. Nevertheless this book is beautiful and well worth a read if you are a Disney fan.
June 14, 2023
Marc Davis had such a big influence on Disneyland and some of the characters in the films with his beautiful and creative ideas. I wish I got the chance to see his lectures. He gave back so much to his fans and students. Inspiring works. I wish there was more in the book - more interviews. I still gave it five stars. I liked how there were multiple contributors to the book - from people who knew Marc and worked with him and seeing what he meant to them. I loved the story of how he met Alice and how they traveled together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2017
I LOVED poring over large prints of Davis' artwork. Some of the text was lovingly rendered, some of it was Glen Keane mixing metaphors, some of it was Marty Sklar diminishing Davis' genius down to humor. The excerpts from Davis' unpublished books on drawing and the art of Papua New Guinea are tantalizing; even if they're unfinished, I want to read them so so so so so badly.
December 30, 2023
Equal parts memoir, art book and Disney history.
A nice overview of Davis' career and life, as he was a cornerstone of Disney history as well as a crazy talented artist.
The history part can be a bit fluffy, but every other page features breathtaking examples of Davis' art.
A nice overview of Davis' career and life, as he was a cornerstone of Disney history as well as a crazy talented artist.
The history part can be a bit fluffy, but every other page features breathtaking examples of Davis' art.
October 26, 2014
A delightful read that portrays a really vivid depiction of the immensely talented Marc Davis. I have always been an admirer of Marc Davis' artwork and was so excited that a book of his artwork had finally been made. This book lives up to all expectations and then some. I could gaze at his artwork forever!
November 30, 2014
This book was amazing detailed with the process of Marc Davis. Absolutely gorgeous illustrations done by the man who took the reins after Mary Blair. Highly recommended for a Disney fan or a fan of 20th century American pop art.
(This was another book that I finished a long time ago but forgot to add!)
(This was another book that I finished a long time ago but forgot to add!)
May 12, 2015
This was fabulous, I wish there was such a book for every one of the blessed Nine Old Men! I really developed an appreciation for Davis and his work. I am so inspired by him and can't wait to try after his techniques.
August 15, 2016
I could have used a heftier chapter covering Davis' Imagineering work, but this is a great overview of his artistic output, and a long overdue tribute to the legend.
February 7, 2015
Great bits about Marc, and just fantastic artwork.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews