Ralph Eggleston (October 18, 1965 – August 28, 2022)[1] was an American animator, art director, storyboard artist, and production designer at Pixar Animation Studios.[2][3] He won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for For the Birds.[4]

Ralph Eggleston
Born(1965-10-18)October 18, 1965
DiedAugust 28, 2022(2022-08-28) (aged 56)
Occupation(s)Comic artist, illustrator, animator, art director, storyboard artist, production designer
Years active1983–2022
EmployerPixar Animation Studios (1992–2022)
Notable work

Biography

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Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Eggleston graduated from the California Institute of the Arts before beginning his career as an animator in 1983.[5] His first significant contribution was as the chief animator for the 1987 episode Family Dog for Steven Spielberg's anthology series Amazing Stories.[5] Following this project he worked as an animator for Kroyer Films on numerous projects for television and film in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including serving as art director for the 1992 film FernGully: The Last Rainforest.[5] He also worked as an animator on several projects with Walt Disney Animation Studios, including the films Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), and Pocahontas (1995).[1]

Eggleston began his career at Pixar in 1992, hired during the development of Toy Story, his work on which won him the Annie Award for Best Art Direction. He wrote and directed the Oscar-winning Pixar short film For the Birds.[6] He worked as Production Designer on the film Inside Out for six years;[7] this film received the Annie Award for Best Production Design.[8]

Death

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After a prolonged illness, Eggleston died on August 28, 2022, at the age of 56, from a colorectal infection caused by a pancreatic tumor.[9][1] Elemental was dedicated to his memory, along with Thomas Gonzales, Amber Martorelli, and J. Garrett Sheldrew.[10] As a tribute to Eggleston, a sign reading "Eat at Ralph's - Two cents" can be seen in Element City.[11] Another tribute to Eggleston can be seen in Inside Out 2 as one of the artists for Anxiety, number 87, was designed to be a caricature of him.[12]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Burton, Carson (August 29, 2022). "Ralph Eggleston, Pixar Animator Behind 'For the Birds' and 'Toy Story,' Dies at 56". Variety. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "Oscar-Winning Disney/Pixar Artist Ralph Eggleston Dies of Pancreatic Cancer". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  3. ^ "Oscar Winning 'For the Birds' Director Ralph Eggleston Dies at 56". Animation World Network. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "2002 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Jeff Lenburg (2006). "Eggleston, Ralph". Who's who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television's Award-winning and Legendary Animators. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. pp. 76–77. ISBN 9781557836717.
  6. ^ Mia Galuppo (April 13, 2016). "Pixar's Ralph Eggleston on the Continued Importance of "Rough Sketch"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Ralph Eggleston Talks 'Inside Out'". Animation World Network. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "Ralph Eggleston". www.trojan-unicorn.com. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  9. ^ Amidi, Amid (August 29, 2022). "Ralph Eggleston, a Cornerstone of Pixar's Visual Style, Dies at 56". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  10. ^ Sohn, Peter (May 24, 2023). "Elemental" (Credits). Getty Images. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  11. ^ "Elemental includes Easter egg tribute to late Pixar animator". Entertainment Weekly. June 14, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Shaffer, Joshua (June 18, 2024). "Inside Out 2 Fun Facts and Easter Eggs". Discovering The Magic Kingdom. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
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