John Parr "Jack" Miller was an American character designer, animator, and illustrator, who worked for Disney from 1934 until 1942 where he contributed to features, like Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Saludos Amigos.
Hailing from New York, Miller lived with his mother and father and never finished high school. At fourteen, his mother died and his found a new wife who bore him another son, George. Following a two-year stint at the Grand Central Art School in New York, Miller moved out to Hollywood with his stepmother and brother after his father died during the Great Depression.
With encouragement from his stepmother, Miller showed his portfolio to Walt Disney who hired him in 1934. Starting out in the studio's Story department and as a background artist for several Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck shorts, he soon became a part of Joe Grant's Character Model department, which would include James Bodrero, Martin Provensen, Dick Huemer, Campbell Grant, and Elmer Plummer. They helped develop famous characters, such as Dopey, Dumbo, and Geppetto as well as their respective environments. His work impressed Walt enough that he was invited to be part of his 1941 Goodwill Tour of South America, which included Bodrero, Mary Blair, Norman Ferguson, Frank Thomas, Herbert Ryman, and others. The trip would inspire work at would become the fruition of Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. By the time Miller enlisted in the navy, where he made training films during World War II, he had become dissatisfied with the company. After the war, he opted to not return.
He and some other Disney veterans, such as Gustaf Tenggren were later recruited by Georges Duplaix to be a part of what would become Little Golden Books as illustrators in an effort enliven the market for children's books and move beyond the "Dick and Jane" style that had been used for years. It there that he became friends with Richard and Patricia M. Scarry. He would spend over decades illustrating for authors, such as Margaret Wise Brown (The Wonderful House, Margaret Wise Brown's Wonderful Story Book), Katherine Howard (Do You Know Colors?, Little Bunny Follows His Nose), Patricia Scarry (The Sweet Smell of Christmas). Other books he contributed to included The Little Red Hen, Lucky Mrs. Ticklefeather, I Am a Mouse, Little Turtle's Big Adventure, Follow Me, and Jingle Bells: A New Story by Kathleen N. Daly.
Miller continued to work as a freelance artist in his later years. He passed away on October 29, 2004 at his home in Manhasset, New York. He was survived by his half-brother, George E. Miller, who donated over 250 artworks of his to the Carle Museum in Amhurst. Many more had been exhibited at libraries and other museums.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Character designer: Dopey - uncredited |
| 1940 | Pinocchio | Character designer: Geppetto |
| 1940 | Fantasia | Character designer: "The Pastoral Symphony" |
| 1940 | Fire Chief | Background artist - uncredited |
| 1941 | Dumbo | Character designer: Dumbo |
| 1941 | The Reluctant Dragon | Story: "Baby Weems" |
| 1942 | Saludos Amigos | Art supervision |
| 1942 | South of the Border with Disney | Himself |
| 1942 | All Together | Character designer - uncredited |
| 2008 | Walt & El Grupo | Archive footage |
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Miscellaneous[]
Trivia[]
- Miller had been an artist during stages of Song of the South before production was halted. He left the company before it was revived in the mid-1940s.
External links[]
John P. Miller on IMDb- Deja View: John P. Miller
- Carle Museum J.P. Miller
- J.P. Miller Mid-Century Illustrator
- Remembering J.P. Miller
