Don Griffith was a key layout man and background artist at the Disney Studio from Snow White to The Black Cauldron.
Don Alton Griffith was born in Helena, Montana on February 3, 1918, and moved to Hollywood with his family when he was about six. A natural artist, he never studied his craft outside of high school, but knew he wanted to work in animation. Don interviewed with Disney in the 1930s for a job as a delivery boy and joined the Studio on January 11, 1937. He was soon promoted to layout and backgrounds and worked on the tail end of Snow White.
The Griffiths were married in 1940 and moved to Burbank in 1950. During his career at Disney, Don Griffith seems to have worked on every animated feature until The Black Cauldron, as well as on backgrounds for quite a few Donald Duck shorts.
He decided to retire on September 28, 1984, and passed away on February 9, 1987. […]
