Don DaGradi (March 1, 1911 – August 4, 1991) was an American writer for

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

who started out as a layout artist on 1940s cartoons including "

Der Fuehrer's Face ''Der Fuehrer's Face'' (originally titled ''Donald Duck in Nutziland'' or ''A Nightmare in Nutziland'') is an American animated anti-Nazi propaganda short film produced by Walt Disney Productions, created in 1942 and released on January 1, 1943 ...

" in 1943. He eventually moved into animated features with the film ''

Lady and the Tramp ''Lady and the Tramp'' is a 1955 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Film Distribution. Based on Ward Greene's 1945 ''Cosmopolitan (magazine) ...

'' in 1955. He also worked as a color and styling or sequence consultant on many other motion pictures for Disney. His greatest achievement was for his visual screenplay for ''

Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to: * Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers * Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny ** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...

'' in 1964 for which he shared an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay with

Bill Walsh William Ernest Walsh (November 30, 1931 – July 30, 2007) was an American professional and college football coach. He served as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and the Stanford Cardinal, during which time he popularized the West Coast off ...

. Don DaGradi died August 4, 1991, in Friday Harbor, Washington. He was named a

Disney Legend Disney Legends is a Hall of Fame award that is awarded by The Walt Disney Company to individuals who " avemade a significant impact on the Disney legacy." The honor was established in 1987, and was traditionally awarded annually during a speci ...

posthumously, only months after his death. DaGradi lived in Friday Harbor, WA with his wife Betty and two children. In the 2013 film ''

Saving Mr. Banks ''Saving Mr. Banks'' is a 2013 biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Centered on the development of the 1964 film ''Mary Poppins'', the film stars Emma Thompson as book author P. L. Tr ...

'', DaGradi is portrayed by actor

Bradley Whitford Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television political drama ''The West Wing'' (1999–2006), for which he ...

Filmography

*''

Dumbo ''Dumbo'' is a 1941 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical Fantasy film, fantasy Comedy drama, comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film i ...

'' (1941) - production designer *''

The Olympic Champ ''The Olympic Champ'' is a 1942 Goofy cartoon made by Walt Disney Animation Studios which explains the events in track and field at the Olympic Games. Summary The short starts off with Goofy doing the Olympic flame#Torches, Olympic torch relay ...

'' (1942) (short) - layout artist *''

How to Fish ''How to Fish'' is an animated short produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on December 4, 1942. It stars Goofy and was directed by Jack Kinney John Ryan Kinney (March 29, 1909 – February 9, 1992)Lenburg (2006), pp. 180 was a ...

'' (1942) (short) - layout artist *''

'' (1942) (short) - layout artist *'' Victory Vehicles'' (1943) (short) - layout artist *''

Victory Through Air Power ''Victory Through Air Power'' is a 1942 non-fiction book by Alexander P. de Seversky. It was made into a 1943 Walt Disney animated feature film of the same name. Theories De Seversky began his military life at a young age. After serving in t ...

'' (1943) (documentary) - art direction *''

How to Be a Sailor ''Goofy'' is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1939 with ''Goofy and Wilbur'' and ended in 1953 with '' How to Sleep''. An additional short, ''How to Hook Up Your Home The ...

'' (1944) (short) - layout artist *''

The Three Caballeros ''The Three Caballeros'' is a 1944 American live-action and animated musical propaganda anthology film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the ...

'' (1944) - layout artist *'' Duck Pimples'' (1945) (short) - layout artist *''

Hockey Homicide ''Hockey Homicide'' is a cartoon made by Walt Disney Productions in 1945, featuring Goofy. Plot Narrator Doodles Weaver explains the rules of ice hockey in satirical format. The narration's emphasis on good sportsmanship is countered by the vi ...

'' (1945) (short) - layout artist *''

Make Mine Music ''Make Mine Music'' is a 1946 American animated Musical film, musical anthology film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures on April 20, 1946. During World War II, much of Walt Disney's staff was drafted into the United Stat ...

'' (1946) - layout artist *'' Fun & Fancy Free'' (1947) - layout artist *'' The Legend of Johnny Appleseed'' (1948) (short) - layout artist *''

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad ''The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad'' is a 1949 American animated anthology film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. It consists of two segments: the first based on Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's novel ...

'' (1949) - color and styling *''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'' (1950) - color and styling *''The Brave Engineer'' (1950) (short) - layout artist *''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'' (1951) - color and styling *''

Susie the Little Blue Coupe ''Susie the Little Blue Coupe'' is an animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and originally released by RKO Radio Pictures on June 6, 1952. The eight-minute film was directed by Clyde Geronimi and based on an original short-stor ...

'' (1952) (short) - story *''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

'' (1953) - color and styling *''A Story of Dogs'' (1954) - special art work *''

'' (1955) - story *''Adventures in Fantasy'' (1957) (TV) - layout artist *''Four Fabulous Characters'' (1957) (TV) - layout artist *''

Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...

'' (1959) - writer *''

Darby O'Gill and the Little People ''Darby O'Gill and the Little People'' is a 1959 American fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Productions, adapted from the ''Darby O'Gill'' stories of Herminie Templeton Kavanagh. Directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Lawrenc ...

'' (1959) - special art styling *''

Pollyanna ''Pollyanna'' is a 1913 novel by American author Eleanor H. Porter, considered a classic of children's literature. The book's success led to Porter soon writing a sequel, ''Pollyanna Grows Up'' (1915). Eleven more ''Pollyanna'' sequels, known a ...

'' (1960) - sequence consultant *'' Kidnapped'' (1960) - story sketches *'' The Parent Trap'' (1961) - sequence consultant *'' The Absent Minded Professor'' (1961) - sequence consultant *''

Son of Flubber ''Son of Flubber'' is a 1963 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is the sequel to ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961) and the first sequel to a Disney film. Fred MacMu ...

'' (1963) - writer *''

'' (1964) - writer *''

Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. ''Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N.'' is a 1966 American comedy film released by Walt Disney Productions,Zibart, Eve: "Today in History Disney", Emmis Books, 2006, and starring Dick Van Dyke as a U.S. Navy pilot who becomes a castaway on a tropical isl ...

'' (1966) - writer *''

Blackbeard's Ghost ''Blackbeard's Ghost'' is a 1968 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones, and Suzanne Pleshette. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions and Bill Walsh. It is based upon the 1965 ...

'' (1968) - writer *''

The Love Bug ''The Love Bug'' (also known as Herbie the Love Bug) is a 1968 American sports film, sports adventure film, adventure comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson (director), Robert Stevenson from a screenplay by Bill Walsh (producer), Bill Walsh a ...

'' (1968) - writer *''

Scandalous John ''Scandalous John'' is a 1971 American Western comedy-drama film directed by Robert Butler and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It stars Brian Keith and Alfonso Arau. The music was scored by Rod McKuen. Plot John McCanless is a rip-snorting, ...

'' (1971) - writer *''

Bedknobs and Broomsticks ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' is a 1971 American live-action/animated hybrid musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson from a screenplay by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi and with songs written by the Sherman Brothers. It was produced by ...

'' (1971) - writer

References

External links

Disney Legends
* {{DEFAULTSORT:DaGradi 1911 births 1991 deaths American male screenwriters American film producers Animation screenwriters Disney Legends Walt Disney Animation Studios people Film directors from California People from San Juan County, Washington Film directors from Washington (state) Screenwriters from California 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American writers 20th-century American screenwriters