Jack Bradbury, 89; Disney Animator, Comic Book Artist

Jack Bradbury, an animator and comic book artist best known for his work with Walt Disney’s characters in both media, has died. He was 89.

A native of Seattle, Bradbury died of kidney failure May 15 at a nursing home in Sylmar.

In a career spanning five decades, he started at Disney in the mid-1930s and worked his way up to a full animator position. He worked on such famous shorts as “Ferdinand the Bull” and on memorable features such as “Fantasia,” “Bambi” and “Pinocchio.”

Bradbury moved to Warner Bros. in 1942 and contributed animation for Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat and other characters. During that time, he also became interested in drawing comic books.

Members of his family said he gave up animation just after World War II and turned full time to comics, working under the “Ha Ha,” “Giggle” and “Coo Coo” titles.

Among his stable of characters were Tuffy the Cat, Bagshaw Bear and Humphrey Hummingbird.

About 1947, Western Publishing hired him to do artwork for Disney comic books -- a relationship that continued until failing eyesight forced him to retire in 1978.

Though his primary concern was Disney characters, he also did some stories with Warner Bros. characters and those created by Walter Lanz. Much of Bradbury’s work at Western Publishing appeared in Little Golden Books.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jim, of Santa Clarita; sons Jack, Michael and Joel; stepsons Robert and Tim Karp; and nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren.