Being able to be at your favorite company,
Doing what you love,
Worked for 65 years,
What kind of experience is it?
"The most interesting part of the job is that you can immerse yourself in the animated world you created, and really get into the inner world of your characters."
—Bernie Martinson
From "Miss and the Tramp" (1955), "Sleeping Beauty" (1959), "101 Loyal Dog" (1961) to the later "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), "The Lion King" (1994), "Mulan" (1998), and then to "The Super Marines" in 2014... Did you know that there is a common animator behind this series of beloved Disney animated films? To this day, he is still composing more animation legends for Disney, and has also joined the production team of Invincible Destruction King 2.
He is Burny Mattinson, an artist, producer and director at Disney Animation Studios, and the longest-serving employee in Disney history.
June 4, 2018 marks the 65th anniversary of Bernie Martinson's official addition to Disney, becoming the longest-serving employee in Disney history. On that day, his friends, family and colleagues held a celebration for him to congratulate the immortal Disney legend and present a small cartoon book sculpture tailored to him engraved with his head and the word "65".
<h1>From messenger to producer</h1>
Born in 1935, Martinson is 83 years old this year. As early as the age of 6, he watched his first Disney movie "Pinocchio", was deeply attracted by the depth of the characters and sophisticated graphics, and dreamed of one day entering Disney. After graduating from high school in 1953, he joined Disney as a minor messenger.
Bernie Martinson's induction photo
By chance, he temporarily joined the disney cartoon The Rescuers (1977) team for a few weeks, working on the plot board. It was precisely because of this opportunity that he suddenly realized:
"I actually started making animations!" worst! Turns out I love doing animation so much! ”
He was headed by Wolfgang Reitherman, one of Disney's nine elders. Redman was a very tough boss, and when he saw the results of Martinson's work, he asked him, "Would you like to stay?" Martinson agreed.
Rescue Little Hero
Later, Martinson proposed to use Disney characters to make a work about Christmas carols, and the idea was adopted, and he officially became the producer and director of Disney Animation. Mickey's Christmas Carol came out in 1983 and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 1984.
The beginning of the film "Mickey's Christmas Carol"
Five years earlier, in 2013, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Martinson's work for Disney, he had become the last active employee in the Disney studio to work with Walt Disney himself.
On the second day he entered Disney, he met the famous Walt Disney figure, and he rushed forward to say hello: "Good morning, Mr. Disney!" Disney then turned around and replied, "Just call me Walt!" ”
Mr. Walt Disney
<h1>Work in bernie Martinson's eyes</h1>
"The most interesting part of the job is that you can immerse yourself in the world of animation that you created, and really get into the inner world of your characters. Of course, the most important thing is to have fun! After going through so much animation, I've found that when you can really enjoy your work, everything will be solved. ”
"One thing that hasn't changed since I started working is that I've always been looking forward to what will happen in the studio tomorrow, and that sense of anticipation makes me look forward to starting my work quickly every day. Of course, Disney has never let me down, and here, something new happens every day. These 65 years have been the most unforgettable memory for me, and I can only thank everyone for this most beautiful gift. ”
"During our production of The Great Mouse Detective (1986), we needed a villain voice actor. I've seen a movie called Champagne for Caesar (1950) in which the villain actor is Vincent Price, and I think he's exactly the guy I'm looking for. But he was 71 years old at the time, and maybe he wasn't what he was in the movies of that year. I invited him to audition, and he said yes, and it was very successful! Later he said to me:
You may wonder, since everyone knows my voice, why should I try to make this audition? I'm here because as an actor, when you're lucky enough to star in a Disney movie, your voice will continue to be heard by generations of audiences. If you can star in a Disney movie, everyone will always remember you. ’
That's the most appealing thing about Disney animation work, and your work will last a lifetime, something you won't get in any other job. ”
"Bernie Martinson is like a connection between us and those great Disney works, from the Walt Disney era to the Age of nine elders, and all the Disney animation that accompanied us growing up. He may even have been really involved in the production of many of these works. —Disney animator/colleague Eric Goldburg
"Through this celebration, congratulations to an employee like Bernie Martinson with 65 years of experience also reflects the value of the company's DNA for its predecessors." —Andrew Millstein, president of Disney Animation Studios
Happy 65th Anniversary!
Burny Mattinson