Bill Peet
A Disney storyman and children's book author who sketched some of the studio's most beloved characters, from Dumbo to Cruella de Vil.
1915–2002 (age 87)·American illustrator and animator·Birthday: January 29·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Peet's pencil was responsible for an astonishing share of Disney's classic visual DNA. Hired in 1937, just as 'Snow White' was finishing, he spent 27 years at the studio as an animator, storyboard artist, and key sketch artist. His lively, expressive line gave shape to characters like the cowardly lion in 'The Sword in the Stone,' the mischievous squirrels in 'The Jungle Book,' and the terrifying Cruella de Vil in '101 Dalmatians,' for which he also wrote the story adaptation. Frustrated by studio politics, he left Disney in 1964 to pursue a second, equally successful career writing and illustrating his own children's books, like 'The Caboose Who Got Loose' and 'Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent.' His legacy is a dual one: a defining hand in the Disney renaissance and a beloved, prolific author of whimsical, gently moral tales.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2002Died at 87
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Was the sole storyman for the Disney animated film 'The Sword in the Stone' (1963).
- Wrote and illustrated over 35 children's books, many of which became classroom staples.
- Served as a key sketch artist and storyman on 'Dumbo,' 'Cinderella,' 'Alice in Wonderland,' and 'Peter Pan.'
- His 1989 autobiography, 'Bill Peet: An Autobiography,' was awarded a Caldecott Honor.
Did You Know?
He was Walt Disney's primary story sketch artist for nearly two decades, presenting directly to him.
He provided the voice for the rough-and-tumble dog Rufus in Disney's 'The Rescuers' (1977).
Many of his children's books feature trains and animals, reflecting his childhood interests.
His departure from Disney was prompted after a major argument with Walt over the script for 'The Jungle Book.'
“I just had to draw. I couldn't stop.”
