Disney Animation Legend Jane Baer Has Passed Away at 91
The world of animation has lost a legend, as Jane Baer has passed away at the age of 91.
Born October 30, 1934, in Winnipeg, Canada, Jane Maureen Shattuck began her animation career in the 1950s when she joined Walt Disney Productions.
Photo: Deadline
Working alongside Disney Legend Marc Davis, Baer was credited as a clean-up artist on Sleeping Beauty (1959).
Return to Disney
After leaving Disney for several years, she returned to the company in 1975 and contributed to some of the studio’s most beloved films, including The Rescuers, Pete’s Dragon, and The Fox and the Hound, the latter of which she was credited as an animator.
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Her additional Disney work included serving on the creative animation talent team for Mickey’s Christmas Carol and working as an assistant animator on The Black Cauldron.
During this time, she married fellow Disney animator Dale Baer.
Photo: Hunter Landau on Facebook
Perhaps most notably, Baer served as coordinating animator and animation supervisor on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988).
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During production, she redesigned and supervised animation for Benny the Cab, helping transform the character into one of the film’s most recognizable and beloved figures.
The Baer Animation Company
Shortly after, Baer left Walt Disney Animation to co-found The Baer Animation Company. The studio went on to contribute to films including Last Action Hero (1993), Tom and Jerry: The Movie, and Rover Dangerfield.
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The Baer Animation Company also provided additional animation for Disney projects, including The Little Mermaid (1989), The Prince and the Pauper (1990), and Beauty and the Beast (1991).
Beyond her work on screen, Baer was a founding member of Women in Animation and belonged to numerous prestigious organizations, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Animation Guild, and Women in Film.
Photo: Disney wiki
Jane Baer is survived by her son, Michael, and his partner, Beth.
