How did Burny Mattinson die? Disney’s longest-serving employee and ‘The Lion King’ animator was 87
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: The legendary animator Burny Mattinson has died at age 87. Mattinson’s death was confirmed by The Walt Disney Company, his longtime employer, “Disney Legend Burny Mattinson, who worked as an animator, director, producer, and story artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios during an unprecedented 70-year career, died Monday, February 27, at Canyon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park, California.”
Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee said, "Burny's artistry, generosity, and love of Disney Animation and the generations of storytellers that have come through our doors, for seven decades, has made us better—better artists, better technologists, and better collaborators.” Before adding, "All of us who have had the honor to know him and learn from him will ensure his legacy carries on." Mattinson was going to be awarded Disney’s first-ever ‘70th-anniversary service award’ in June, according to one of its press releases.
READ MORE
'She Hulk: Attorney at Law': Release date, cast, plot and how to watch the Disney+ series
How did Burny Mattinson die?
One of the most prolific figures associated with the animation giant since 1953, Mattinson died "following a short illness." Further details about his death were not immediately available.
'A true icon'
Deeply saddened that Disney Legend Burny Mattinson—our longest serving employee—has passed away. Burny started as a messenger on the lot in 1953 & went on to become a true icon of @DisneyAnimation. We are forever grateful for his contributions & seven decades of service. https://t.co/mUu89g17zW
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 27, 2023
"Deeply saddened that Disney Legend Burny Mattinson—our longest serving employee—has passed away," company CEO Bob Iger tweeted on Monday, February 23, mourning his death. He also wrote on the micro-blogging website, "Burny started as a messenger on the lot in 1953 & went on to become a true icon of @DisneyAnimation. We are forever grateful for his contributions & seven decades of service."
'Started as a mailroom employee'
Around 1959, Mattinson was promoted to an assistant animator profile, and he was part of movies such as ‘One Hundred and One Dalmatians’ (1961), ‘The Sword in the Stone’ (1963), and ‘The Jungle Book’ (1967). He also worked on the story team for ‘Aladdin’ (1992), ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1993), ‘The Lion King’ (1994), ‘Pocahontas’ (1995), ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ (1996), ‘Tarzan’ (1997), and ‘Mulan’ (1998), as per the company, People reports.
Mattinson before his death was serving as a full-time employee as a story consultant and mentor for Disney. He set a new record for the company’s longest-tenured employee record in 2018 as he passed 23,651 days of employment, breaking Imagineer John Hench’s numbers. Mattinson started as a mailroom employee for Disney after graduating high school and started just six months later for 1955’s Lady and the Tramp.