Coats, Claude (1913-1992)
- Claude was the
epitome of one group of Disney artists, those
who made an early transition from animation to
theme park design. After painting backgrounds
for two decades with his paintings showing up in
such animated films as "Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia," "Cinderella," and "Peter
Pan," Claude was then asked by Walt to move to
WED where he made major contributions to the
designs of such attractions as the Haunted
Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the
Submarine Voyage. He was living proof of
Walt's uncanny ability to find talents in his artists
which they often did not realize they had.
