Tom Sito
Encyclopedia
Tom Sito is a well-known American animator
, animation historian and teacher. He has been called a "key figure in the Disney Renaissance
", and one of the One Hundred Most Important People in Animation.
, Sito was introduced to animation while attending cartooning classes at the High School of Art and Design
. He continued his studies in animation at The School of Visual Arts with Howard Beckerman, cartooning under Harvey Kurtzman
, and life drawing at The Art Students League of New York under Robert Beverly Hale
. He married his wife Pat in 1980.
on one of his final projects, an education short entitled "Protection in the Nuclear Age"(1977). His first big break was when in 1976 he was hired by legendary animation director Richard Williams
to work on his film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
. There he met and worked with animation luminaries like Eric Goldberg
, Art Babbitt
,and John Canemaker
. After several years doing commercial animation work in New York and Toronto, Sito relocated to Los Angeles and worked on TV projects like The Super Friends
for Hanna & Barbera (1978), He Man and the Masters of the Universe and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
(1983–1985).
, Beauty and the Beast
, Aladdin, The Lion King
, Pocahontas
, Fantasia 2000
and Dinosaur
.
. He worked on the films ANTZ, The Prince of Egypt, Paulie: A Parrots' Tale and for a time was the storyboard director of the first Shrek
film. He was President of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonist's Local 839 (later renamed The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839
) from 1992 to 2001, where he was awarded the title President Emeritus. He co-directed the animation for the Warner Bros 2001 movie Osmosis Jones
, and contributed to other animated films such as Garfield
(2005), the PBS TV series Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns
(2008), and the 2006 Taiwanese short "Adventures in the NPM" which won first prize at the 2006 Tokyo Anime Festival.
In 2009 Tom Sito was awarded the June Foray Award at ASIFA-Hollywood
's Annie Award
s for a lifetime of service to the animation community.
's anthology " Jews in American Popular Culture", and updated the classic animation how-to book " Timing for Animation" for Focal/Elsevier Press in 2009.
Tom Sito has lectured about animation around the world and has taught animation and animation history at UCLA Film School, The American Film Institute
, Woodbury College, Santa Monica College. He is currently an instructor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts
.
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, animation historian and teacher. He has been called a "key figure in the Disney Renaissance
Disney Renaissance
The Disney Renaissance refers to an era beginning roughly in the late 1980s and ending in the late 1990s, during which Walt Disney Animation Studios returned to making successful animated films mostly based on stories that were known to many, restoring public and critical interest in Disney.The...
", and one of the One Hundred Most Important People in Animation.
Education
Born and raised in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Sito was introduced to animation while attending cartooning classes at the High School of Art and Design
High School of Art and Design
The High School of Art and Design is a Career and Technical Education high school located at 1075 Second Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan, New York City, New York.It is operated by the New York City Department of Education...
. He continued his studies in animation at The School of Visual Arts with Howard Beckerman, cartooning under Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic books and magazines. Kurtzman often signed his name H. Kurtz, followed by a stick figure Harvey Kurtzman (October 3, 1924, Brooklyn, New York – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic...
, and life drawing at The Art Students League of New York under Robert Beverly Hale
Robert Beverly Hale
Robert Beverly Hale was an artist, curator of American paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and instructor of artistic anatomy at the Art Students League of New York and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art...
. He married his wife Pat in 1980.
Early career
Sito assisted retired Disney animator Shamus CulhaneShamus Culhane
James "Shamus" Culhane was an American animator, film director, and film producer.Culhane worked for a number of American animation studios, including Fleischer Studios, the Ub Iwerks studio, Walt Disney Productions, and the Walter Lantz studio. He began his animation career in 1925 working for J.R...
on one of his final projects, an education short entitled "Protection in the Nuclear Age"(1977). His first big break was when in 1976 he was hired by legendary animation director Richard Williams
Richard Williams
Richard Williams is a Canadian animator. He is best known for serving as animation director on Disney/Amblin's Who Framed Roger Rabbit and for his unfinished feature film The Thief and the Cobbler...
to work on his film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure is a 1977 American animated film directed by Richard Williams. It was produced by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, and released by 20th Century Fox...
. There he met and worked with animation luminaries like Eric Goldberg
Eric Goldberg
Eric Goldberg may refer to:* Eric Goldberg , Canadian painter* Eric Goldberg , American animator and film director...
, Art Babbitt
Art Babbitt
Arthur Harold Babitsky , better known as Art Babbitt, was an American animator, best known for his work at The Walt Disney Company. He received over 80 awards as animation director and animator, but is most famous for creating Goofy...
,and John Canemaker
John Canemaker
John Cannizzaro Jr. , better known as John Canemaker, is an independent animator, animation historian, author, teacher and lecturer. In 1980, he began teaching and developing the animation program at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts', Kanbar Institute of Film and Television Department...
. After several years doing commercial animation work in New York and Toronto, Sito relocated to Los Angeles and worked on TV projects like The Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
for Hanna & Barbera (1978), He Man and the Masters of the Universe and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids is an animated series created, produced, and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. Filmation was the production company for the series. The show premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985...
(1983–1985).
The Walt Disney Animation Revival
Tom Sito was summoned by his old mentor Richard Williams once more in 1987, to animate on Disney/Amblin's Academy Award winning hit film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?. Returning to Los Angeles in 1988, Sito became a mainstay of the Disney Feature Animation division, contributing to the classic films The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid (1989 film)
The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
, Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
, Aladdin, The Lion King
The Lion King
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
, Pocahontas
Pocahontas (1995 film)
Pocahontas is the 33rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and was originally released to selected theaters on June 16, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
, Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the 38th feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and a sequel to 1940's Fantasia...
and Dinosaur
Dinosaur (film)
Dinosaur is a 2000 American computer-animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures on May 19, 2000, and is the 39th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
.
After Disney
Sito left the Disney studio in 1995 to help set up the animation unit of DreamWorks SKG, later DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
. He worked on the films ANTZ, The Prince of Egypt, Paulie: A Parrots' Tale and for a time was the storyboard director of the first Shrek
Shrek
Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
film. He was President of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonist's Local 839 (later renamed The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839
The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839
The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839 is a professional guild and union of animation artists, writers and technicians. It was formed in 1952...
) from 1992 to 2001, where he was awarded the title President Emeritus. He co-directed the animation for the Warner Bros 2001 movie Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones is a 2001 live-action/animated comedy film directed by Tom Sito and Piet Kroon for the animated segments and the Farrelly brothers for the live-action segments...
, and contributed to other animated films such as Garfield
Garfield
Garfield is a comic strip created by Jim Davis. Published since June 19, 1978, it chronicles the life of the title character, the cat Garfield ; his owner, Jon Arbuckle; and Arbuckle's dog, Odie...
(2005), the PBS TV series Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns
Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns
Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns is an animated television series that follows the adventures of the brothers Click and Clack from their auto repair shop Car Talk Plaza. The program stars Tom and Ray Magliozzi , also known as the Tappet Brothers, from National Public Radio's Car Talk...
(2008), and the 2006 Taiwanese short "Adventures in the NPM" which won first prize at the 2006 Tokyo Anime Festival.
In 2009 Tom Sito was awarded the June Foray Award at ASIFA-Hollywood
ASIFA-Hollywood
ASIFA-Hollywood, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, California, USA, which is a branch member of the "Association Internationale du Film d'Animation" or "ASIFA"...
's Annie Award
Annie Award
The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
s for a lifetime of service to the animation community.
Books
In 2006 Tom Sito wrote "Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson" which has been hailed as a seminal work on the history of the labor movement in American animation. The London Review of Books said "Sito's book contains the best account yet of the 1941 Walt Disney Strike, with documentation from the union side". Sito also contributed the animation chapter to Dr. Paul BuhlePaul Buhle
Paul Merlyn Buhle is a Senior Lecturer at Brown University, author or editor of 35 volumes including histories of radicalism in the United States and the Caribbean, studies of popular culture, and a series of nonfiction comic art volumes. He is the authorized biographer of C. L. R...
's anthology " Jews in American Popular Culture", and updated the classic animation how-to book " Timing for Animation" for Focal/Elsevier Press in 2009.
Tom Sito has lectured about animation around the world and has taught animation and animation history at UCLA Film School, The American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
, Woodbury College, Santa Monica College. He is currently an instructor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts
USC School of Cinematic Arts
The USC School of Cinematic Arts, until 2006 named the School of Cinema-Television , is a film school within the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. It is the oldest and largest such school in the United States, established in 1929 as a joint venture with the Academy of...
.