Peter Schneider is an American film executive, film producer and theatrical producer. He is best known for being, from 1985 to 1999, the president of Disney's feature animation department, which became known as
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fr ...
in 1986, and was responsible for helping to turn the feature animation department around and creating some of the most critically acclaimed and highest grossing animated features that Disney released in a period that became known as the "
Disney Renaissance
The Disney Renaissance was the period from 1989 to 1999 during which Walt Disney Feature Animation returned to producing critically and commercially successful animated films that were mostly musical adaptations of well-known stories, much ...
".
He was promoted to studio chief in 1999. In 2001, Schneider left Disney to form his own theater production company. His first major production, developed in association with
Michael Reno, was ''
Sister Act
''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. I ...
'' which opened at the London Palladium in 2009. Peter graduated from Purdue University in 1972 with a theater degree.
Along with producer
Don Hahn, Schneider produced a documentary entitled ''
Waking Sleeping Beauty
''Waking Sleeping Beauty'' is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Disney film producer Don Hahn and produced by Hahn and former Disney executive Peter Schneider. The film documents the history of Walt Disney Feature Animation from 1984 ...
'' in 2009, which focused on the revival of Disney animation during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Schneider is also a world champion
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
player, having won the
World Transnational Open Teams Championship The World Transnational Open Teams Championship is a major side event conducted by the World Bridge Federation during the semifinal and final stages of its world championships for national teams at contract bridge—the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, a ...
in 2005. He possesses the
World Bridge Federation (WBF) title of World Life Master (WLM).
Peter Schneider, WBF Code USAQ696225
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References
External links
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20th-century births
Living people
Walt Disney Animation Studios people
American chief executives
American chief executives in the media industry
American film studio executives
American contract bridge players
Chairmen of The Walt Disney Company
Disney executives
Place of birth missing (living people)
Year of birth missing (living people)
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