Iwao Takamoto

Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)

Dream of Being an Artist Loss When Leaving for Manzanar Camouflage Net Weaving in Manzanar Developing Art Skills in Camp Return to Los Angeles First Portfolio & Disney Interview Interactions with Walt Disney Moving to Hanna-Barbera after 15 Years at Disney Disney vs. Hanna-Barbera Development of Scooby Doo TV show Designing Scooby Doo’s Character

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Iwao Takamoto (April 29, 1925 – January 8, 2007) was a legendary animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera, most famously designing Scooby Doo in the late sixties. Incarcerated at Manzanar after graduating high school, Iwao leveraged his art skills into a job at Disney upon returning to Los Angeles, working on classic animated films like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. He would go on to mentor other Japanese American animators such as Willie Ito, who worked with him on Lady and the Tramp. After leaving Disney for Hanna-Barbera in 1962, Iwao continued animating, as well as producing and directing films like Charlotte's Web (1973) until his retirement. (June 2021)

artists camps manzanar World War II camouflage nets world war II art Los Angeles post-war animator disney Walt Disney Hanna-Barbera Scooby Doo