Re: Just Found - a Drawing of Ward's Grizzly Flats Loco

AZfarmer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It always seems to me that animated steam loco-
> motives appear to be pretty realistic illustrations
> in Disney films of that era, compared to typical
> cartoon caricatures.  That is, the wheels, drive
> rods, boiler features, etc. seemed to be drawn
> by someone who was knew well what a locomo-
> tive looks like and how they work.  I'm thinking
> of the short "Donald Duck's Railroad" (or some
> title like that), and other instances.  I'll bet that
> was Ward's hand in there (and likely Walt's too).


IIRC 'Pogo' cartoonist Walt Kelly was still at Disney Studios when Ward was there -

And author/illustrator Bill Peet as well.  I'd guess they all had a hand in 'Dumbo', and IIRC there was also a two-reeler called 'Casey Jones' that had some really excellent RR scenes.  After leaving Disney few years later, Kelly included the following tribute to Ward on page 132 of a 1960 paperback, his political spoof titled 'Pogo Election Special':


Note the name on the engine's boiler jacket, as well as the reference to Ward's band "The Firehouse 5+2" on her tender.

- Roosso

p.s. Bill Peet did some pretty good RR illustrations himself, not only in Disney cartoons but later on in several of his excellent children's books such as 'The Caboose Who Got Loose' and 'Escape from Shady Grove' – two of Jackelopette's favorites many years ago.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2017 07:16PM by Russo Loco.