Willie Ito Meet & Greet

December 16, 2023 | 1:30PM - 4:00PM

Location: Inamori Pavilion

*Included with admission

Having a career in animation, Willie retired from Disney after 30 years. Starting at Disney, he worked on the iconic spaghetti kissing scene from Lady and the Tramp. After, He moved on to Warner Bros. to Bugs Bunny, Coyote Roadrunner and other classic cartoons. The Beany and Cecil show for Bob Clampett followed and a 14 year stint with Hanna-Barbera Prods. on classics such as Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, The Jetsons and Scooby Doo followed.

Returning to Disney, he was now in the comicstrip, publishing and consumer products. With 800 plus Disney Stores worldwide, Willie was made Director of Character Art International to mentor and train Disney artist in it’s respective countries.

In retirement, his writing partner Shig Yabu and Willie embarked on a publishing venture. Their first self published book HELLO MAGGIE is now in production as an animated cartoon.

Willie will be talking about his childhood growing up as a Japanese American during World War II, and about his long career in animation. Where he worked for all three major animation studios. Willie will also be selling drawings he will autograph of characters he worked on while at Disney, Hanna-Barbera, and Warner Brothers. As well as other items he will also autograph. The money raised from the sales will go toward the fund-raising campaign for the Hello Maggie animated film that is in development.

BIO

Willie Ito, born and raised in an enclave in the middle of San Francisco known as Japanese Town, a nice, neat settlement of immigrant Japanese and a fledging second general known as niseis. Upon the start of WWII, all Japanese citizens living on the West Coast from Seattle to San Diego were ordered to be sent to internment camps. Willie spent three years interned at Topaz in the middle of the Utah desert. He spent his time drawing cartoons and comics as a past-time. At age five, seeing Snow White on the big screen and in living color, Willie knew then that animation was his destiny.

Upon returning to his home in San Francisco at the war's end, he continued to hone his skills in cartooning and animation. To develop his skills, Willie attended Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and was soon hired at Walt Disney Studios. His first assignment at Disney was the iconic spaghetti kissing scene from Lady and the Tramp. Willie's animation career included Warner Bros., Looney Tunes, Bob Clampett's Beany and Cecil Show. A 14 year stint at Hanna-Barbera Productions, he was involved with Yogi Bear, Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, and a multitude of Hanna-Barbera's iconic characters. Returning to Disney, he worked in comic strips, Publishing, Disney TV Animation and Consumer Products.

After a 30 year career, Willie retired from Disney as Director of Character Art, International overseeing and mentoring Disney artists worldwide. In retirement, he is illustrating and publishing children's books and also producing his first book “Hello Maggie” as an animated cartoon. Keeping busy!!