Norman Ferguson
Occupation / Title:Animation Supervisor, Animator, Director
Date of birth:02/09/1902
Date of death:04/11/1957
Biography
Norm Ferguson was hired by Walt Disney in 1929. It was not until 1931 when Norm finally received recognition through his creation of Pluto. No other animator had the same handle on the character than him. His skill on handling Pluto was showcased in an animated short called “Playful Pluto” (1934) where Pluto is shown attempting to free himself from flypaper. Due to his ability to animate well, he was later assigned to supervise other animated shorts such as “The 3 Little Pigs.” He was also given the chance to supervise feature animation such as Snow White. After finishing supervising Peter Pan in 1953, he retires from the studio and dies couple of years later from diabetes.
Family and early life
Norm Ferguson was born from a Scottish Father and an Irish Mother. He lived and was raised at New York, U.S.A
Career outline
Norm Ferguson joined the Walt Disney Studios in 1929. After years of service, he retires in 1953 after finishing supervising his last feature animated film: Peter Pan.
Personal style
Norm Ferguson had the ability to create animated figures with weight, volume, and life. His characters had their own thoughts and personalities through his energetic animation. He enjoyed drawing things that felt “right” and if it means breaking certain rules, so be it as long as he got the results he wanted. Lastly, Norm Ferguson worked quickly and economically. For instance, he can finish forty feet of animation in a day, where the average then was ten to fifteen feet.
Animator Fred Moore once said, “Fergy doesn’t know that you can’t raise the eyebrows above the head circle, so he goes ahead and does it and it gives a great effect.”
Honors and awards
Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1987