Don Hall, a 1987 graduate of Glenwood High School. Don has had a wonderful career in character animation. Today, he is a successful animator for Disney Animation Studios. Don is also an Academy Award Winner in Hollywood.
From the age of five, Don had a goal of working for Walt Disney Studios. He loved to draw, enjoyed comic books, and filled his Saturdays with TV, cartoons, and films at Glenwood’s Rex Theatre, built in 1891. At the Rex Theatre, Don was exposed to many Disney films, “Peter Pan” being one of his favorites.
After receiving a degree in fine arts from the University of Iowa, he earned another degree, in character animation at the California Institute of the Arts. At age 25, Don landed at his final destination, Walt Disney Studios, in Los Angeles, California.
Don has worked on six feature films, and directed two acclaimed films for the Disney studio. One of the films, “Big Hero 6” was an international box office hit, for which Don won an Academy Award.
Don's imposing resume includes co-directing both, “Winnie the Pooh” and “Moana”.
Don’s latest film is “Raya and the Last Dragan”, and is receiving rave reviews.
Sources:
“The Des Moines Register”, March 18, 2021
“The Opinion-Tribune”, February 25, 2015
Donated by Carrie Merritt
