Ollie Johnston: A Celebration of Life - 8/19/2008 at the El Capitan Theatre
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�It is a celebration.� With these words, host Leonard Maltin opened a Memorial Tribute to the life of Ollie Johnston. Despite the fact that all were sad that he was gone, Maltin assured the full house of friends and admirers that by the end of the evening all would agree that it was a life well lived.

Evidence of Ollie Johnston�s long and full life was on display as the crowd entered the historic El Capitan Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. A triple portrait of Ollie filled the screen. As friends greeted friends and colleagues of many years connected, images of Ollie�s art replaced the portraits. There were masterful pencil sketches of beloved Disney characters. There were watercolor and pastel scenes. And there were still lifes and portraits. Interspersed were homely drawings and cards depicting family members.

Ollie�s recorded voice could be heard, discussing a variety of the Disney characters he had worked to create: Pinocchio, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland, the Three Good Fairies from Sleeping Beauty, and some charming Dalmatians. He recalled a memorable question and answer. �How can you sit and make these same little drawings eight hours a day?� the interviewer asked. Ollie chuckled, �I said, there�s not two alike!�

He went on to discuss the use of live action character reference models. The screen was filled with images of real dogs, and deer that provided inspiration for Bambi. In a film clip, Ollie noted that he was particularly fond of Trusty, from Lady and the Tramp. Of the wicked stepsisters in Cinderella, he speculated that some scenes may have been too broad.

As the montage came to an end, he summed up with these words: �These are a few things I�m very proud of. I�m just glad I was a part of it.�

After Leonard Maltin welcomed the crowd, he went on to note that Ollie Johnston�s life had been rich in accomplishment, of family, of hobbies, and of his well known work in Disney animation. It would be, Maltin said with a twinkle, not a short evening.

He continued, �You�re here because you care about Ollie and what he meant.� Maltin evoked George Bailey, the protagonist of the film classic It�s a Wonderful Life. The central question of the film is if a single life really mattered. Ollie, Maltin was sure, never had to wrestle with this doubt, because so many had let him know how they felt about his life and work. �He really did have a wonderful life,� he concluded.

Maltin then pointed out that the montage of art that had opened the evening included many pieces that were unknown, having never before been shared with the public. He thanked the Johnston family for sharing these private works. �You will hear the word �family� a lot here tonight,� Maltin said. And, he continued, that did not stop at Ollie Johnston�s own family, but embraced his Disney family as well. Maltin then introduced some of that extended family, seated in the crowd. There was Walt�s first star, Virginia Davis McGee, as well as voice legend June Foray, Dickie Jones (the voice of Pinocchio), Kathryn Beaumont (the voice of both Alice and Wendy), Tinker Bell model Margaret Kerry, and Academy Award winning songwriter Richard Sherman.

As the applause died down, Maltin stated that there was no better way to start the evening than with actual sequences showcasing Ollie�s amazing animation. The theater darkened, and the screen was alive with images of Snow White, dancing with the dwarfs. Ollie�s voice could be heard saying, �I lived every scene I worked on in that picture.�