John Lasseter

John Lasseter is an American animator, director, and producer whose career is closely connected to the development of computer animated feature films. Born January 12, 1957, in Hollywood, California, he studied character animation at the California Institute of the Arts. At CalArts, he made the student films Lady and the Lamp and Nitemare. After graduating, he joined Walt Disney Productions, where he worked as an animator. Disney dismissed him in 1983 after he promoted computer assisted animation ideas that the studio declined to develop. In 1984, he joined Lucasfilm's Computer Graphics Group, working alongside Ed Catmull on digital animation research and production. When Steve Jobs purchased Lucasfilm's graphics division in 1986, it became Pixar, and Lasseter became its leading animation director. His 1986 short Luxo Jr. used two articulated desk lamps as characters and earned an Academy Award nomination. The film introduced the hopping Luxo lamp, which later became Pixar's corporate symbol. Lasseter subsequently directed Pixar shorts including Red's Dream, Tin Toy, Knick Knack, and the 1989 Sesame Street sequence for the song "The Alligator King." Tin Toy won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1989, a first for a computer animated film. He also animated the Stained Glass Knight. Lasseter directed Toy Story, released in 1995, which Pixar made with Walt Disney Pictures as the first feature film created entirely with computer animation. Starring Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, it follows toys whose owner receives a new action figure. The film became a critical and commercial success and received a Special Achievement Academy Award for Lasseter. He later directed A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, and Cars. Toy Story 2, released in 1999, was initially planned as a direct to video sequel before Disney approved theatrical release. Lasseter received Academy Award nominations for writing Toy Story and for the original song "Our Town" from Cars. In 2006, Disney acquired Pixar, and Lasseter became chief creative officer of both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, while also serving as principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering. During that period, Disney Animation released films including Tangled, Wreck It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Moana. In June 2018, Lasseter left Disney after announcing he would take a leave of absence amid allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior; he later resigned. In 2019, Skydance Media hired him to lead Skydance Animation. His producing credits there include released films Luck and Spellbound.