Types I have known, by John Sparey: Bill K. and Jim M.

Two more from John Sparey's collection of Disney artists from the mid-1950s ...

Bill Keil (left), who had started at Disney in 1940, was about to make the jump to animator when this drawing was done in 1956. He earned credits on "The Truth About Mother Goose", "Goliath II" and the 101 Dalmatians feature.

At the time, I called him the Middle-Aged Kid. Later, with his gray beard, I had to change that to the Tall Gnome."

-- John Sparey on Bill Keil

By the time Dalmatians was released, Keil had moved on to Hanna-Barbera where he was one of the original Yogi Bear and Flintstones animators. By 1975 he was the department supervisor; he retired in 1979 and passed away in 2003.

British-born breakdown artist Jim Minahane (right) is using a film can as a drink tray in the drawing. Minahane came to Disney in 1955 after several years at various UK studios. He was laid off after 101 Dalmatians and appears to have left the business.