Ron Clements


Animator, Director, Screenwriter

About

Also Known As
Ronald Francis Clements, Ronald Clements
Birth Place
Sioux City, Iowa, USA
Born
April 25, 1953

Biography

Ron Clements was an Oscar-nominated writer and director of such acclaimed animated films as "The Little Mermaid" (1989), "Aladdin" (1992), and 2009's "The Princess and the Frog." Having worked for Disney throughout the majority of his career, Clements began his training as an animator in the company's prestigious Talent Development Program. It was during this period that he learned the f...

Family & Companions

Tami Clements
Wife
Married on February 25, 1989.

Biography

Ron Clements was an Oscar-nominated writer and director of such acclaimed animated films as "The Little Mermaid" (1989), "Aladdin" (1992), and 2009's "The Princess and the Frog." Having worked for Disney throughout the majority of his career, Clements began his training as an animator in the company's prestigious Talent Development Program. It was during this period that he learned the fundamentals of 2-D animation, which he later applied as an animator on "The Rescuers" and "Pete's Dragon," both of which were released in 1977. Despite having a successful career as an animator, Clements' chief ambition was always to direct, and in 1986 he co-directed his first feature "The Great Mouse Detective," along with David Michener, Burny Mattinson, and John Musker (the last of whom would become a lifetime collaborator). Clements and Musker wrote and directed several more features throughout their career, including the timeless animated classics "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." Clements and Musker's career hit a bit of a snag in the early 2000s, as the industry's preference for animated movies turned to computer generated images, but in 2009, with the immense success of his and Musker's 2-D animated feature, "The Princess and the Frog," Clements proved that after 30 years in the business, he was just getting started.

Ron Clements was born in the sleepy Midwestern town of Sioux City, Iowa in 1953. Growing up in the '50s and '60s, Clements fell in love with the studio's string of iconic features released during that era, which included such classics as "Peter Pan" (1953), "Lady and the Tramp" (1955), and "Sleeping Beauty" (1959). By the time he graduated high school, Clements knew what he wanted to do with his life - make animated movies. With that goal in mind, he packed his bags and moved to California where he was quickly hired as an animator by Hanna-Barbera. In his few months with the studio, Clements had built up enough of a knowledge on the craft that when he applied to Disney's prestigious Talent Development Program, he was immediately accepted. The program was an apprenticeship of sorts, teaming newbie animators with veterans. During his time in the two-year program, Clements was fortunate enough to learn the craft from Frank Thomas, the legendary animator who just so happened to work on "Lady and the Tramp" and "Peter Pan" - two of the films Clements fell in love with as a young boy. By the late 1970s, Clements was working as an animator on the Disney features "The Rescuers" and "Pete's Dragon," but what he really wanted to do was direct. He received his opportunity in 1986 when he, along with several up-and-coming animators, including John Musker, directed the animated feature, "The Great Mouse Detective." The film was a critical hit and moderate success at the box office, thus instilling in Clements the confidence he needed to continue directing features. His next two films, "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin," both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with Musker, became two of the most celebrated animated features in the history of Disney Studios. By the early '90s, Clements was at the top of his game. Despite critical praise, however, his two films, "Hercules" (1997) and "Treasure Planet" (2002), were not very successful at the box office. With his career in a slump, Clements received a bit of good luck in the late 2000s after the public started longing for the 2-D animated movies of old. He and Musker satisfied the public's appetite for that classic style of animation with "The Princess and the Frog." Released in 2009, the film was a smash hit, and was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Animated Feature. With his career once again on the rise, Clements teamed up with Musker once again to co-write and direct "Moana." Set in Polynesia, the film is slated for a 2016 release.

Life Events

1977

Feature debut as a character animator, "The Rescuers"

1981

Credited as animation supervisor on "The Fox and the Hound"

1985

Credited as story contributor on "The Black Cauldron"

1986

Made directorial debut with "The Great Mouse Detective"

1989

Co-wrote and co-directed, "The Little Mermaid," with partner John Musker

1992

Co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced, "Aladdin"

1997

Co-produced, co-directed and co-wrote, "Hercules"

2002

Again teamed with Musker for the sci-fi film, Treasure Planet"; nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

2009

With Musker directed Disney's animated feature, "The Princess and the Frog"; film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature

Family

Joseph Clements
Father
Gertrude Clements
Mother
Marc Clements
Son

Companions

Tami Clements
Wife
Married on February 25, 1989.

Bibliography