RIP Burny Mattinson, Disney Animator dies at 81! What’s the cause of his death?

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: Gracie Hale | In Death , Health

Source: Los Angeles Time

Burny was an American animator, director, producer, and story artist. He was popular as a longtime employee of the Walt Disney Company
He recently died on Monday, February 27 after a brief illness at Canyon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park
He was the longest-serving employee of Walt Disney Animation Studios

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The animation world is mourning the loss of beloved Burny Mattinson

Disney Animator Burny Mattinson is no longer amount us! Burny, a longest-serving employee of Walt Disney Animation Studios, passed away Monday, February 27.

His death was confirmed by Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger via Twitter with a heartbreaking statement.

“Deeply saddened that Disney Legend Burny Mattinson – our longest serving employee – has passed away. Burny started as a messenger on the lot in 1953 & went on to become a true icon of DisneyAnimation. We are forever grateful for his contributions & seven decades of service.”

He died after a brief illness at Canyon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park, according to the company.

Burny Mattinson passed away at age 81 (Source: METRO UK)

In 2018, Mattinson broke the previous record for Disney longevity created by artist and Imagineer John Hench by surpassing the previous mark of more than 64 years. He worked at Walt Disney Cartoon Studios for seven decades.

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Burny Mattinson can also receive donations in honor of him at the Woodland Hills-based Motion Picture and Television Fund, as stated by Disney.

Bury leaves behind two children, four grandchildren, and his wife Ellen Siirola.

What was Burny Mattinson famous for?

Burny was an American animator, director, producer, and story artist. He was popular as a longtime employee of the Walt Disney Company.

He recently set a record as the longest-serving employee at the Walt Disney Company. Similarly, he received the company’s first-ever 70th-anniversary service award in June 2022.

Mattinson, who was born on May 13, 1935, in San Francisco, was inspired to pursue a career in animation after seeing “Pinocchio” at the age of six. He started drawing in the hopes of recreating the Disney animation style.

When Mattinson graduated from high school, he joined The Walt Disney Corporation and within six months made the transition from the mailroom to an animation in-betweener on “Lady and the Tramp.”

Burny Mattinson was the longest-serving employee of Walt Disney Animation Studios (Source: Variety)

Before making his first live-action contribution, he collaborates with Marc Davis on “Sleeping Beauty” and “One Hundred and One Dalmatians,” then with Eric Larson on “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book,” and “The Aristocats”.

Later, Mattinson was hired as the lead animator for “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too”. Mattinson directed the animated featurette “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” in 1986 and co-directed “The Great Mouse Detective” in 1986.

He made contributions to many of Disney’s modern animated films from the 1990s, such as “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Tarzan,” “Mulan,” and more.

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