Quick Facts
Biography
Dick Kelsey, by given name of Richmond Kelsey (May 3, 1905, California – May 3, 1987, Ventura, California), was an important early animation art director and pioneer theme park designer and illustrator of children's books. His career spanned several of the most beloved Disney films in the 1940s-1950s, after which he assisted in the design of Disneyland in 1955. Translating the screen arts to real buildings, Kelsey was hired by the Marco Engineering firm of Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood to be a lead art director to design Magic Mountain theme park at Golden, Colorado in 1957. Later Kelsey became mentor to another prominent Disney artisan, Ron Dias, among whose films include Sleeping Beauty. In time, Kelsey returned to Disney work, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks and illustrating children's books of Disney films.
Filmography
Art department
- So Dear To My Heart (1948)
Art director
- Bambi (1942)
- Dumbo (1941)
- Fantasia ("Rite of Spring" segment) (1940)
- Pinocchio (1940) (animator of Pleasure Island)
Miscellaneous crew
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
- Melody Time (1948)
Writer
- Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- Make Mine Music (1946)
Architecture
Art director
- Magic Mountain (1957)
Assistant designer
- Disneyland (1955)