Obituaries : Larry Clemmons; One of Disney’s First Writers for Animated Films
Larry Clemmons, who provided dialogue and story lines for many of Walt Disney’s greatest animated film successes and then wrote Disney’s introductory dialogue for the long-running Disney television anthology, died Friday at his home in Friday Harbor, Wash., where he had retired.
Clemmons, 82, once wrote for Bing Crosby’s radio program. His first featured Disney credit came with “The Reluctant Dragon,” released in 1941. His other major films included “The Jungle Book,” “The Aristocats,” “Robin Hood,” “The Rescuers” and “The Fox and the Hound.”
Ollie Johnston, one of Disney’s original animators--who were eventually dubbed “The Nine Old Men”--remembered Clemmons “as an extremely funny man. In his dialogue writing and in his story material he’d have us all rolling on the floor. . . .”
Clemmons, who retired in 1978, is survived by his wife, Cassie, a daughter, six grandchildren and a brother.
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
