Lancing Ballard "Lance" Nolley was an American animator, writer, cartoonist, and layout artist, who worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios during the late 1930s to early 1960s for shorts and feature films, such as Make Mine Music, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, and Peter Pan.
Nolley was born in Texas and grew up near Dallas. Developing an interest in cartooning from his father, he attended the Chicago Art Institute after high school and began contributing artwork to newspapers, like The Associated Press and the Herald Tribune. During the Great Depression, upon returning to Dallas, Nolley received an offer from the Disney Studios which he accepted in 1937, just after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He briefly enlisted in the army during World War II which kept him from working full-time until after the war.
During his tenure, Nolley contributed layout and concept art for shorts related Goofy and Donald Duck cartoon as well as animated features. However, by the late 1950s, Nolley decided to change directions with his career and left the company for Hanna-Barbera. There, he contributed artwork and story ideas to many shows, such as The Flintstones, The Huckleberry Hound Show, and The Yogi Bear Show. He would always say that despite the difference in quality and atmosphere compared to Disney, Nolley regarded Joe Barbera as a professional would demanded as much perfection. He continued to work in animation until 1977.
Nolley died on February 28, 1991 in Woodland Hills, California.
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