Ralph Waldo Wright was a Disney animator and story/storyboard writer who is best known for providing the gloomy, sullen voice of Eeyore from the popular Winnie-the-Pooh franchise. Wright came to the studio in the 1940s and became well known throughout the ensuing decades for his endearingly gloomy and sullen personality traits as well as his bass voice. He turned out to be a natural model for Eeyore when the studio began development on Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. He, along with his fellow Disney contemporaries, was a pioneer in the use of "gags" within cartoons, often acted out in front of the "story board," a bulletin board pinned with sequential sketches of the cartoon's scenes. This technique still in use today in most major animation studios. He spent the last 30 years of his life in San Luis Obispo County in Los Osos. He died at his home in Los Osos, CA from a heart attack.



Award for Animated Short Film


Born
May 17, 1908
Grants Pass, Oregon, U.S.

Died
December 30, 1983 (aged 75)
Los Osos, California, U.S.

Occupation
Writer, Actor, Director, Animation Pioneer

Years active
1931¨C1983

Spouse(s)
Irmgard Julia Wright (married 1956¨C1983 (His Death))


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Film History:

Writer/storyboard team[edit]
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) (story)
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! (1974)
The Wonderful World of Disney (1972) TV Episode The City Fox (contributing writer)
Rogue's Rock (1974) TV Series (writer)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) (animation story)
The Aristocats (1970)
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968) (story)
The Jungle Book (1967)
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966)
The Wonderful World of Disney (3 episodes, 1957-1964)
All About Magic (1957) TV Episode (writer)
Yellowstone Cubs (1963)
Gay Purr-ee (1962)
Aquamania (1961) (story)
Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961)
Snuffy's Turf Luck (story) (Snuffy Smith, King Features) (1960)
I Yam Wot I Yamnesia (story) (Popeye, King Features) (1960)
Forever Ambergris (story) (Popeye, King Features) (1960)
Double Cross Country Feet Race (Story) (Popeye, King Features) (1960)
Around The World In Eighty Ways (Story) (Popeye, King Features) (1960)
Sleeping Beauty (1959) (additional story)
Perri (1957)
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Siam (1954)
Don's Fountain of Youth (1953) (story)
Peter Pan (1953)
Trick or Treat (1952) (story)
R'coon Dawg (1951) (story)
Plutopia (1951) (story)
Dude Duck (1951) (story)
Lambert the Sheepish Lion (1951) (story)
Crazy with the Heat (1947) (story)
Song of the South (1946) (cartoon story)
Donald's Crime (1945) (story)
The Eyes Have It (1945) (story)
The Three Caballeros (1944)
Saludos Amigos (1942)
How to Ride a Horse (1941)

Actor[edit]
Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (1983) (voice) .... Eeyore
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) (voice) .... Eeyore
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968) (voice) .... Eeyore
The Jungle Book (1967) (voice) .... Gloomy Elephant
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966) (voice) .... Eeyore

Director[edit]
Perri (1957)
Siam (1954)

Miscellaneous crew[edit]
Bambi (1942) (story developer)
The Art of Self Defense (1941) (animator)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) (performer: "Hip Hip Pooh-ray!")