Posted on 08/18/2005 7:56:31 AM PDT by lunarbicep
EMERYVILLE, Calif. The man who co-wrote "Toy Story" and "A Bug's Life" has died.
Joe Ranft died in a car accident Tuesday. The California Highway Patrol says two people in the car died when it veered off a highway in Mendocino County and into the water.
Ranft was Pixar Animation Studio's head of story for more than a decade. There he got an Oscar nomination for co-writing "Toy Story."
Before joining Pixar, he worked at Disney. There, he helped write "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King."
Ranft was 45.
Sad. Toy Story is a modern classic.
Sad to hear. Other than what he wrote I know nothing about him. But my kids and I have enjoyed his movies.
These articles can be so cold. There WAS someone else in the car.
DAMN!
http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_2952266
EXCERPT
Ranft was en route to a Mendocino retreat Tuesday with two men from the Watts area of Los Angeles. The program, called Mosaic, pairs successful businessmen with men who are trying to straighten out their lives, said neighbor and friend Pat Ravasio.
"These retreats were very spiritual," said Ravasio, who knew Ranft for 10 years. "These were disadvantaged men he was hoping to help and inspire."
Ranft apparently let one of the men, 32-year-old Elegba Earl of Los Angeles, drive his 2004 Honda Element. They were northbound on Highway 1 at 3 p.m., traveling at about 30 mph, when the right wheels of the vehicle left the roadway along a sweeping left-hand curve, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The driver corrected to the left, but the vehicle crossed the opposite lane and continued off the side of the road and down a hill, tumbling end over end twice before landing in the Novarro River about 130 feet below the road, according to the CHP.
Both Ranft and Earl, who were wearing seat belts, died at the scene. The other passenger, Eric Frierson, 39, was able to escape through the vehicle's moon roof. He was taken to Mendocino Coast Hospital and treated for moderate injuries.
Ranft "was always so concerned about everyone else, he wanted to make sure everyone else was having fun," said neighbor and friend Bret Osborn, who also knew Ranft for 10 years. "He was a big wig at Pixar, but you would never know it by the way he carried himself. He inspired everyone that he touched."
His friends recalled that when he remodeled his home he turned the garage into a pavilion for neighborhood gatherings and an annual block party.
"He was the biggest-hearted, warmest father and nicest friend," Ravasio said. "The loss is just unbearable."
This is sad news to hear. The gang at Pixar seems to be having a tough year, didn't they lose one of their young animators to cancer recently?
From IMDb:
Joe Ranft
Actor - filmography
(2000s) (1990s) (1980s)
The Incredibles (2004) (voice) .... Additional Voices
... aka Hum Hai Laajawab (India: Hindi title)
Extreme Skate Adventure (2003) (VG) (voice)
... aka Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure (USA: complete title)
Finding Nemo (2003) (voice) .... Jacques
Finding Nemo (2003/II) (VG) (voice) .... Jacques the French ??? Fish
Monsters, Inc. (2001) (voice) .... Additional Voice
Monkeybone (2001) (voice) .... Streetsquash Rabbit
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) (V) (voice) .... Wheezy
Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice) .... Wheezy the Penguin
A Bug's Life (1999) (VG) (voice) .... Heimlich
A Bug's Life (1998) (voice) .... Heimlich
Toy Story (1995) (voice) .... Additional Voice
The Brave Little Toaster (1987) (voice) .... Elmo St. Peters
Filmography as: Actor, Miscellaneous Crew, Writer, Himself
Miscellaneous Crew - filmography
(2000s) (1990s) (1980s)
Mike's New Car (2002) (V) (special thanks)
Monsters, Inc. (2001) (additional story material)
Toy Story 2 (1999) (additional story material) (story supervisor)
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1999) (V) (character designer: other characters)
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) (V) (creator of additional original characters)
James and the Giant Peach (1996) (storyboard supervisor)
Toy Story (1995) (story supervisor)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) (storyboard supervisor)
... aka Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (USA: complete title)
Drop Dead Fred (1991) (title designer)
... aka My Special Friend (Philippines: English title)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (storysketch)
The Brave Little Toaster (1987) (directing animator)
Filmography as: Actor, Miscellaneous Crew, Writer, Himself
Writer - filmography
(1990s) (1980s)
Fantasia/2000 (1999) (story)
A Bug's Life (1998) (story)
Toy Story (1995) (story)
The Lion King (1994) (story)
Beauty and the Beast (1991) (story)
... aka Beauty and the Beast: Special Edition (USA: longer version)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
Oliver & Company (1988) (story)
The Brave Little Toaster (1987) (also story)
Filmography as: Actor, Miscellaneous Crew, Writer, Himself
Himself - filmography
Beauty and the Beast: Disney's Animation Magic (2002) (V) .... Himself
Yikes. Highway 1 is unforgiving, mountain on one side, cliffs and the ocean on the other. On family trips, we'd see cars at the bottom of cliffs and wonder if folks made it out alive.
No good deed goes unpunished.
"These retreats were very spiritual,"
...
He also did the voice of Heimlich, the caterpillar, in "Bug's Life".
Oh, my. Somebody from Hollywood that actually put his money where his mouth was, and died for it. This is just too tragic for words. Prayers for his family and coworkers.
MmmmHmmmm...
45?
Dang that's young.
That's my age.
Sad news.
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