Birth/Death
B. 12/26/09
D. 12/12/1998
Occupation/Title
Animator. Director
Bio Summary
Don Patterson was an animator and a director for many influential pieces throughout his career. He Animated and directed for many studios and people including Disney, Screen Gems, MGM, Walter Lance and Hanna-barbera. Some of the key works he helped with at Disney include Pinocchio, Dumbo and Fantasia. While with Walter Lance, he animated many of the most popular Woody the Woodpecker episodes. He animated and directed at Hanna-Barbera and was able to work with his brother Ray Patterson. Don Patterson became a member of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists in 1952. He was a member of the animation union while working at Hanna-Barbera and in 1988 he took a honorable withdrawal from the union.
Early Life/Family
Brother of Ray Patterson.
Education/Training
Career Outline
1937-1945 Disney
1947-1949 MGM
1951-1960 Walter Lantz
1958-1986 Hanna-Barbera
Comments On Style
When animating characters Don Patterson had a short boxy style with jerky head and limb movements. When Don animated character dashes off-screen, they were followed by large ”smear” lines.
Anecdotes
In 1930 he lived across the street from Walt Disney, at the he was assistant animator at Disney. His coworkers all seemed to have something good to say about Patterson and gave him credit for helping with their works. Walter Lance gives Patterson credit for his work on Woody the Woodpecker and called Don Patterson an excellent animator.
Miscellaneous
Don Patterson was responsible for the clock scene in Pinocchio. He animated six total scenes in Dumbo. Most of the first Flintstone episodes were done by one person and some were done by Patterson.
Filmography
Pinocchio (1940)
Fantasia (1940)
Dumbo (1941)
The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones (1987)
Yogi’s great escape (1987)
Ruff & Reddy (1957-60)
The Huckleberry Hound Show (1959-62)
The Quick Draw McGraw Show (1959-62)
Loopy de Loop (1959-65)
The Flintstones (1960-66)
The Yogi Bear Show (1960-62)
Top Cat (1961)
Wally Gator, Lippy the Lion & Touché Turtle (1962-63)
The Jetsons (1962-63)
The Magilla Gorilla Show (1964-67)
The Peter Potamus Show (1964-67)
Jonny Quest (1964-65)
The Atom Ant Show (1965-67)
The Secret Squirrel Show (1965-67)
The Space Kidettes (1966)
Moby Dick & The Mighty Mightor (1967)
The Cattanooga Cats (1969)
The Harlem Globetrotters (1970-72)
Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch (1971)
The Flintstones Comedy Hour (1972)
Speed Buggy (1973)
Jeannie (1973)
The Great Grape Ape Show (1975)
The Scooby-Doo Show (1976-79)
Dynomutt The Wonder Dog (1976)
Jabberjaw (1976)
The Mumbly Show (1976)
Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear (1964)
A Christmas Story (1972).
Honors
Golden Award at the 1985 Motion Pictures Screen Cartoonists Awards
Related Links
Bibliographic References
Barrier, M. (2007). The animated man: A life of Walt Disney. California: University of California Press, Berkley and Los Angeles.
Beck, J. (2005) The animated movie guide. Chicago: Capella Books.
IMDb.com, Inc. (1990-2010). Don Patterson. The Internet Movie Database.
Kanfer, S. (1997). Serious business: The art and commerce of animation in America from Betty Boop to Toy Story. New York: Scribner.
Maltin, L. (1980). Of mice and magic: A history of American animated cartoons. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Peary, D. & Peary, G. (1980). The American animated cartoon: Critical anthology. New York: Dutton.
Sigall, M. (2005). Living life inside the lines: Tales from the golden age of animation. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi.
The American Animation Institute. (2010). Don Patterson. The Animation Guild.
Contributors To This Listing
Lyn Mantta (Animation Guild)
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