Disney’s ‘Dumbo’ and ‘Fantasia’ Animator, Milton Quon, Dies at 105

Veteran Disney animator Milton Quon dies at 105 in the comfort of his home in Torrance, California. According to TheWrap, Quon died from natural causes on June 18, Tuesday.  As one of the surviving members of Walt Disney Studios’ “Golden Age” animation team, Milton Quon has served and worked until his last breath. Quon’s first works are ‘Fantasia,’ originally released in 1940 and ‘Dumbo’ released in 1941 and was recently adapted to a live-action movie this year. 

Milton Quon Through The Years

After graduating in Chouinard school of art in Los Angeles, Quon entered Walt Disney Studios in 1939. At the time, he was the third Chinese staff member that the studios hired. Young Quon had an opportunity to work on two iconic scenes in ‘Fantasia—the “Waltz of the Flower” and the “Arabian Dance”. After this, Quon then had the chance to work the assistant animator on ‘Dumbo’ 

During World War II, Quon served as head of the team of artists who worked on the illustrations for repair manuals at Douglas Aircraft Company. When he came back to Disney after the war, Quon led the publicity department and worked for the promo materials of the films “Make Mine Music” and “Song of the South.”

Through the years, Quon worked with several companies like the BBD&O, an advertising company, and at Sealright Co. as a senior design artist from 1964 to his retirement in 1980. While working at Sealright, he also taught from 1974 to 1989 at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College for courses like drawing, painting, and advertising. 

But Quon did not stop there. After retirement, he started appearing in films as an actor. Quon’s first film was the 1994 movie, Speed, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. He continued to appear in movies like ‘Chill Factor,’ ‘Sweet Jane,’ ‘The Cat Killers’ and the TV series ‘NYPD Blue.’ 

The Honors Of Milton Quon 

Quon’s amazing works in the field of arts garnered him several awards like the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California in 2013. He also earned the Historymakers Award for “Excellence in the Arts” in 2017. 

In 2005, The Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles presented his works in their retrospective exhibit. Quon was among the five Chinese Americans featured in ‘Round the Clock: Chinese American Artists Working in Los Angeles” in 2012. According to his son, Mike, the secret for his dad’s long life was “a good wife and Chinese food.” He also believed that his dad has lived his full artist life over the years. 

Milton Quon is survived by his wife Peggy, children Sherill, Mike, Jeff, and Tim, and four grandchildren.