Two Guys Named Joe

OneJoewasinhisninety-seventhyearwhenhediedin2005;theotherJoediedthesameyearatageforty-five.Bothdiedbeforetheirtime.Thisbookexplorestheinterplaybetweenpersonalcreativityandthecraftofanimationstorytelling,asseenthroughthelivesandartoftwoofitsgreatestpractitioners:JoeGrantandJoeRanft.GrantandRanftwereuniqueinfluencesonstorytellingattwomajorstudiosduringimportantperiodsinthehistoryofanimation.JoeGrant,infact,straddledtwoeras.Agiftednewspapercaricaturist,hecontributedideasforMickeyMouseandSillySymphonyshortsaswellasclassicmasterworkslikeSnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs;Pinocchio;Fantasia;andDumbo.AsWaltDisney’sconfidant,GrantplayedaleadingroleindefiningDisney’spioneeringanimationlegacy.Hereturnedtothestudioateighty-oneafterafortyyearhiatus,hiscreativespiritandabilitiesundiminished,andmadesignificantcontributionstoBeautyandtheBeast;Aladdin;Mulan;andTheLionKing,amongothers.JoeRanftbuiltonthetraditionsofthepastforgedbyGrantandotherstobecomethetopanimationstoryboardartistofhisgeneration,workingonTimBurton’sTheNightmareBeforeChristmas;TheBraveLittleToaster;WhoFramedRogerRabbit;JamesandtheGiantPeach;TheLittleMermaid;andBeautyandtheBeast,amongotherfilms.AsoneofPixar’screativefoundersandaclosefriendofJohnLasseter’s,Ranfthadamajorinfluenceonthestudio’ssignatureoriginality,warmth,andirreverenthumor,throughhiscontributionstoToyStory;ToyStory2;ABug’sLife;Monsters,Inc.;andCars.GrantandRanftwereinventiveandimaginative,withkeeninsightintocharacters,andtheyinspiredcolleaguesandentertainedaudiencesaroundtheworld.AlthoughtheircombinedcareersspannedtheGoldenAgeoftraditionalanimationthatbeganinthe1930satTheWaltDisneyCompanyandbecamethepresentdigitalageatPixarAnimationStudios,theirextraordinarycontributionsremainlargelyunknowntothepublic.