Kimball, Ward (b. 1914) - Quirky, inventive,
nonconformist, far-out, genius-- these are all adjectives that one could
use to describe Ward
Kimball. As one of Walt's Nine Old Men, Ward
was noted for his creation of the character,
Jiminy Cricket. Two shorts directed by Ward
won Oscars -- "Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom"
and "It's Tough to Be a Bird." His work on a
series of space-related programs for the
Disneyland television series gained worldwide
attention. Ward's interest in model railroading
caught Walt's attention. They enjoyed sharing
notes about their mutual hobby -- a hobby that,
in significant ways was instrumental in the
development of Disneyland.
