John Wilson

Directing

John Wilson

Born — Died

1919-08-08 — 2013-06-20

Place of birth

Wimbledon, London, England, UK

Known for

Directing

Credits

18 titles

John D. Wilson was a British animation director, producer, and animator. He began his career after World War II, working in the art department of Pinewood Studios. John then joined GB Animation, where learned the art of animation under the tutelage of former Disney animation director David Hand. In 1950, the Wilson family immigrated to the United States where John joined the Walt Disney Studios and worked on classic films such as Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp as well as cartoons. In 1955, Wilson founded his own animation company, Fine Arts Films.

Known for

Shinbone Alley poster
6.4

Suicidal poet Archy tries to end his life by jumping off a bridge, but awakens to find he has assumed the life of a cockroach and has become a part of a community of creatures living in a newspaper office. He also discovers that he can still write poetry, using a typewriter, and begins to enjoy his new life. Archy develops deep feelings for the lovely but self-destructive cat Mehitabel, but will have to fight to win her from bad-boy tomcat Bill.

Shinbone Alley

1970

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling poster
7.0

In this adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Stanley the duck timidly leaves the only home he's ever known -- the egg he hatched from -- to learn more about himself and search for his family. Along the way, he meets Nathan, a happy-go-lucky fox who teaches Stanley not to worry about his exterior, noting that one shouldn't pass judgment on others based on looks alone. Features the voices of Wolfman Jack, Rick Dees and Susan Blu.

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling

1982

The Smallest Elephant in the World poster
NR

Mocked throughout the jungles of India due to his small size, the smallest elephant in the world--no bigger than a house cat--has decided enough is enough. After all, if he's no bigger than a house cat, then a house must be where he belongs! After a long journey in the hold of a ship, this smallest elephant in the world finds himself a home with a nice little boy inside. But he must disguise himself as a cat to satisfy the boy's mother, and disaster strikes when he is confronted with his first mouse... Little does he know that the perfect home is waiting for him, in a circus where differences are celebrated, not scorned.

The Smallest Elephant in the World

1977

The Incredible Art of Animation: A Living Art Form poster
NR

Demonstrates various elements and techniques of an animated film. Shows how these elements such as the voice tracks, pictures, music, and sound effects can be mixed together to produce a musical motion picture.

The Incredible Art of Animation: A Living Art Form

1971

The Emperor's Oblong Pancake poster
NR

An animated version of the story about an emperor who tried to change all the round objects in his kingdom into oblong ones

The Emperor's Oblong Pancake

1964

The Chocolate Princess poster
NR

Sweet little chocolate-bar shaped Chocolate Princess lives a lonely life in Sugarland. Then one day she meets Sour Ball, a happy, round little boy from Sourland. Narrated by Bill Cosby, the story of their difficulty with the King's prejudice toward Sour Ball provides a doubly delicious lesson on not judging a person by his or her exterior.

The Chocolate Princess

1974

Behind the camera

Shinbone Alley poster
6.4

Suicidal poet Archy tries to end his life by jumping off a bridge, but awakens to find he has assumed the life of a cockroach and has become a part of a community of creatures living in a newspaper office. He also discovers that he can still write poetry, using a typewriter, and begins to enjoy his new life. Archy develops deep feelings for the lovely but self-destructive cat Mehitabel, but will have to fight to win her from bad-boy tomcat Bill.

Shinbone Alley

1970

Shinbone Alley poster
6.4

Suicidal poet Archy tries to end his life by jumping off a bridge, but awakens to find he has assumed the life of a cockroach and has become a part of a community of creatures living in a newspaper office. He also discovers that he can still write poetry, using a typewriter, and begins to enjoy his new life. Archy develops deep feelings for the lovely but self-destructive cat Mehitabel, but will have to fight to win her from bad-boy tomcat Bill.

Shinbone Alley

1970

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling poster
7.0

In this adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Stanley the duck timidly leaves the only home he's ever known -- the egg he hatched from -- to learn more about himself and search for his family. Along the way, he meets Nathan, a happy-go-lucky fox who teaches Stanley not to worry about his exterior, noting that one shouldn't pass judgment on others based on looks alone. Features the voices of Wolfman Jack, Rick Dees and Susan Blu.

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling

1982

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling poster
7.0

In this adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Stanley the duck timidly leaves the only home he's ever known -- the egg he hatched from -- to learn more about himself and search for his family. Along the way, he meets Nathan, a happy-go-lucky fox who teaches Stanley not to worry about his exterior, noting that one shouldn't pass judgment on others based on looks alone. Features the voices of Wolfman Jack, Rick Dees and Susan Blu.

Stanley, the Ugly Duckling

1982

The Smallest Elephant in the World poster
NR

Mocked throughout the jungles of India due to his small size, the smallest elephant in the world--no bigger than a house cat--has decided enough is enough. After all, if he's no bigger than a house cat, then a house must be where he belongs! After a long journey in the hold of a ship, this smallest elephant in the world finds himself a home with a nice little boy inside. But he must disguise himself as a cat to satisfy the boy's mother, and disaster strikes when he is confronted with his first mouse... Little does he know that the perfect home is waiting for him, in a circus where differences are celebrated, not scorned.

The Smallest Elephant in the World

1977

The Incredible Art of Animation: A Living Art Form poster
NR

Demonstrates various elements and techniques of an animated film. Shows how these elements such as the voice tracks, pictures, music, and sound effects can be mixed together to produce a musical motion picture.

The Incredible Art of Animation: A Living Art Form

1971

The Emperor's Oblong Pancake poster
NR

An animated version of the story about an emperor who tried to change all the round objects in his kingdom into oblong ones

The Emperor's Oblong Pancake

1964

The Chocolate Princess poster
NR

Sweet little chocolate-bar shaped Chocolate Princess lives a lonely life in Sugarland. Then one day she meets Sour Ball, a happy, round little boy from Sourland. Narrated by Bill Cosby, the story of their difficulty with the King's prejudice toward Sour Ball provides a doubly delicious lesson on not judging a person by his or her exterior.

The Chocolate Princess

1974

No artwork available
NR

This is a musical retelling of the classic Clement Moore poem animated with soft sculpture animals.

The Night Before Christmas

1968

Journey to the Stars poster
NR

Currently lost. Supposedly unseen since the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Projected onto the walls of the Boeing Spacearium to an accumulated audience of over 7million.

Journey to the Stars

—

Casey at the Bat poster
NR

A baseball team from the fictional town of "Mudville" (the home team) is losing by two runs in its last inning. Both the team and its fans, a crowd of 5,000, believe that they can win if Casey, Mudville's star player, gets to bat.

Casey at the Bat

1976

No artwork available
NR

Explains the government to a cartoon caveman named Ugh.

My Government U.S.A.

1967

No artwork available
NR

Explains the government to a cartoon caveman named Ugh.

My Government U.S.A.

1967

The Salty Sea poster
NR

A folktale that explains how the sea became salty. The sea wasn't always salty but when a magic mill is taken on board a ship and set to grind salt disaster follows. The salt keeps flowing but no-one knows how to stop the mill and eventually the weight of the salt takes the ship and the mill to the bottom of the sea.

The Salty Sea

1965

Petroushka poster
NR

An animated short of Igor Stravinsky's ballet Petroushka

Petroushka

1956

Johnny Appleseed poster
NR

The animated story of Johnny Appleseed, who introduced apple trees to many parts of North America, as well as nursing the nature around him.

Johnny Appleseed

1965

Tara, The Stonecutter poster
NR

An animated cartoon dramatizing a Japanese folktale about a stone-cutter whose successive wishes to be a rich man, an emperor, the sun, a storm cloud, and a mountain are all granted, until finally he wishes to become himself again and is a happy man.

Tara, The Stonecutter

1954

No artwork available
NR

Animation inspired by and set to the Joni Mitchell song.

Big Yellow Taxi

1971