The amazing disappearing Don Williams

[TServo2049]

Hello,

Going over the various sources of information on Don Williams (IMDB, Alberto Becattini's site, etc.), it seems that there's a ten-year gap between Don Williams' last WB credit ("Bye Bye Bluebeard", 1949), and his next onscreen credit (the H-B Augie Doggie cartoon "Pop's Nature Pup", 1959).

Alberto Becattini's site lists in his entry, under Lantz, "Chilly Willy 55." I've never heard of Williams working at Lantz in the 50s, and he certainly wasn't credited.

The only clue I have is from a comment on Mark Mayerson's blog by Darrin Walter, Don Williams' grandson. As he says, "according to my mother, his drinking got him black-balled from the industry so he went to New York and produced TV".

Sounds like a logical explanation for Williams' disappearance from animation credits for a decade. But does anybody know any further details about this? Does Darrin post here? And what of that Chilly Willy listing on Alberto Becattini's site? An error?

I asked Jerry Beck, he has no idea. Does anybody else here?

[Matt the Y]

The only clue I have is from a comment on Mark Mayerson's blog by Darrin Walter, Don Williams' grandson. As he says, "according to my mother, his drinking got him black-balled from the industry so he went to New York and produced TV".

Sounds like a logical explanation for Williams' disappearance from animation credits for a decade. But does anybody know any further details about this? Does Darrin post here? And what of that Chilly Willy listing on Alberto Becattini's site? An error?


Don Williams did not animate at Lantz during the 1950's, on Chilly Willy or otherwise. Becattini is probably confusing Don WILLIAMS with Don PATTERSON who was indeed an animator at Lantz during this time (including on Tex Avery's Chilly Willy shorts) and, lending further support of this theory, Graham Webb mistakingly credits Don Williams as an animator on Tex Avery's "Legend of Rock-a-Bye Point" in his "Animated Film Encyclopedia" book (instead of Don Patterson who IS credited on this film as animator instead of Williams); it's possible Becattini may have read Webb's book leading to his mistaken conclusion that Williams may have worked on this Lantz short.