Back in the 1960s our morning was interrupted by a special meeting. It was held in a small conference room just off A-Wing in Disney’s animation building. I honestly don’t recall everyone in the meeting. But I do know that production boss Ken Peterson and Andy Engman were present.
Why this special meeting? Well, Disney’s Animation Department was still recovering from the “failure” of Sleeping Beauty at the box office. Disney Studios, and Walt Disney in particular, began to explore the idea of producing less-expensive films. Hardly a new idea, Hollywood studios had their A-list productions, along with other shows that became known as “B” movies. These were films produced at a lower cost and provided a training ground for up-and-coming actors and directors. Live action produced “B” movies, why not animation?
[...]
