The Animated Man
by Michael Barrier
Mentioned once across 1 show · first heard Jun 2026 on Acquired.
The general take
Ben Gilbert highlights how The Animated Man (via Walt Disney's story) represents a transformative moment in animation history, where Disney elevated cartoons from rough, disjointed entertainment into something with rounded, humanized characters and more intentional design. The book apparently showcases Disney's insistence on quality and innovation that fundamentally changed the medium.
About
Walt Disney (1901-1966) was one of the most significant creative forces of the twentieth century, a man who made a lasting impact on the art of the animated film, the history of American business, and the evolution of twentieth-century American culture. He was both a creative visionary and a dynamic entrepreneur, roles whose demands he often could not reconcile. In his compelling new biography, noted animation historian Michael Barrier avoids the well-traveled paths of previous biographers, who have tended to portray a blemish-free Disney or to indulge in lurid speculation. Instead, he takes the full measure of the man in his many aspects. A consummate storyteller, Barrier describes how Disney transformed himself from Midwestern farm boy to scrambling young businessman to pioneering artist and, finally, to entrepreneur on a grand scale.
Who said what
Ben Gilbert👍 Recommends
…discussing animation quality improvements under disney
“There's a great quote in the book, Walt Disney, an American original by Bob Thomas, that says, Before Disney, cartoons were slapdash. Two-dimensional characters in bizarre movement before elemental backgrounds. Disney insisted on rounded, humanized figures.”
Acquired — The Walt Disney Companyat 32:30
Listener reviews
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