Marc Davis, one of Disney's "Nine Old Men", and one of the designers of attractions at Disneyland - passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2000.

Davis joined the Disney studio in 1935, helping to create the main character in "Snow White" (1937).  The studio was so impressed with his work, it asked Davis to design the characters in "Bambi" (1942).  

But it was "Cinderella"  (1950) that made Davis a legend.  Walt Disney's all-time personal favorite piece of animation was one of the sequences that Marc worked on ~ Cinderella coming down the stairs wearing the dress the mice and birds created for.  

After Cinderella, Davis moved on to "Alice in Wonderland"  (1951).  Working closely with Milt Kahl, he animated Alice, the Mad Hatter and March Hare. In  "Peter Pan" (1953), Davis brought both Wendy and Tinker Bell to life.

Davis made his greatest mark on Disney's most expensive and last hand inked film, "Sleeping Beauty" (1959).  Davis' expert ability to draw detail made him the obvious choice to do Sleeping Beauty's two main characters ~ the lovely and dainty heroine, Briar Rose and the evil, foreboding villain Maleficent.

Davis next tackled the character, Cruella DeVil in "101 Dalmations " (1961).  In fact Cruella and Maleficent have become the two most collected and popular characters in Disney history.

After Chanticleer and the Fox which was never completed, Disney asked Marc to work on his newest project, Disneyland.

 Marc Davis joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1961, and was fundamental in the concept, character design and execution of Walt Disney's "The Jungle Cruise", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "The Haunted Mansion", "Country Bear Jamboree" and "It's A Small World".  His designs for Pirates of the Caribbean became a family affair when his beautiful wife Alice was given the job of designing the pirate costumes. Alice also designed costumes for other attractions including It's a Small World.

Davis was given the Disney Legend Award in 1989. This award was created by Roy E. Disney to honor individuals whose body of work has made a significant impact on the Disney entertainment legacy.

Before, during and since his retirement from the Disney Company, Marc's artistic passions were directed towards fine arts. To that end, he taught at the Chouinaurd Institute for seventeen years and has lectured all over the world. Practically every evening after leaving Disney, he retired to his own studio and created, over these many years, a prestigious amount of personal masterpieces.

In 1999, the Walt Disney Art Classics decided to consult with the four remaining "Nine Old Men" and have them choose future pieces for the Animator's Choice Series.  Marc Davis was a big influence behind the 1999 piece of Tinker Bell on the Mirror, "Tinker Bell Pauses to Reflect" (pictured above).

Marc is survived by his wife Alice in Los Angeles, California.

He has had a profound effect on all that we know today as Disney. He will live on in his timeless work, and in our hearts.