Walt Disney Animation Studios Producer Passes Away

Unfortunately, the Walt Disney family lost a beloved member of its animation department. Randy Fullmer was a long-time admired and successful Walt Disney Animation Studios Producer and Effects Animator. Throughout his career, Randy Fullmer made significant contributions to the animation industry, helping to bring memorable characters and stories to life. His work played a crucial role in shaping the success and impact of Walt Disney Animation Studios. He was 73.

Credit: Stephen Anderson/ Twitter

Throughout his life, Randall Wyn Fullmer was a film producer known best for his work in animation. Primarily working at Walt Disney Animation Studios, he was involved in various successful and now iconic projects. As a producer, Fullmer collaborated with renowned directors like Ron Clements and John Musker, while contributing to the creation of beloved Disney animated films.

Some of his notable credits include working as an associate producer on The Little Mermaid (1989), as well as producing films like Aladdin (1992) and Mulan (1998). Fullmer also held positions such as a production manager on the critically acclaimed Beauty and the Beast (1991). Randy Fullmer worked on effects animation on Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, and eventually was an artistic coordinator on The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Credit: Disney

Fullmer was a graduate of CalArts, a school known for birthing animation genius, and ran his own business providing educational content for Sesame Street. He started what would be his 18-year-long career with Walt Disney Animation Studios working on Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1987.

One of Randy Fullmer’s biggest successes was saving Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove. Disney animation honored his legacy with this tweet today,

In commemoration of Randy Fullmer’s life of many talents and interests, we share this iconic moment from The Emperor’s New Groove. Randy was producer for The Emperor’s New Groove and Chicken Little, and played a key role in guiding the studio through significant technological shifts in the ’90s. He bridged the artistic and technical departments in multiple films, including The Lion King, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.

In commemoration of Randy Fullmer's life of many talents and interests, we share this iconic moment from The Emperor's New Groove.

Randy was producer for The Emperor's New Groove and Chicken Little, and played a key role in guiding the studio through significant technological… pic.twitter.com/vqdLABeMsy

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) July 12, 2023

Fullmer retired from animation after Chicken Little and produced a documentary, Restrung, about his new passion – making beautiful bass guitars and satisfying his artistic creativity in a new medium.

Fans remember him fondly as a truly good person, who will be missed.