Photo: Boungawa / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Richard Williams was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on March 19, 1933. Public records list Richard Williams as a film producer, film director and animator. Death is recorded on August 16, 2019, at the age of 86. Education on record includes OCAD University. Recorded honors include Special Achievement Academy Award (1989), Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film (1973), Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (1989) and 2 more.
My Take
Richard Williams is, to me, the patron saint of animation obsession. Three Academy Awards and the towering work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit would be legacy enough, but it's The Thief and the Cobbler—the unfinished masterpiece he chased for decades—that defines him in my mind. He was a craftsman so devoted to perfection that it cost him commercially, yet that same relentlessness made him the teacher every serious animator studies. I admire artists who refuse to compromise even when the world won't wait for them. His linework carried a soul most modern work lacks, and his influence outlives him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Richard Williams
- Name (Japanese)
- リチャード・ウィリアムス (アニメーター)
- Reading
- りちゃーど・うぃりあむす (あにめーたー)
- Born
- March 19, 1933 – August 16, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Rooster
- Origin
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Occupation
- film producer / film director / animator / screenwriter / visual artist
2. Background
- University
- OCAD University
Awards & achievements
- 1989 Special Achievement Academy Award
- 1973 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
- 1989 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
- 1959 BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film
- 1984 Winsor McCay Award
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard%20Williams%20(animator)
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1999598
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Richard Williams born?
Born March 19, 1933.
When did Richard Williams die?
Died August 16, 2019, aged 86.
Where was Richard Williams from?
Richard Williams was from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
What did Richard Williams do?
Richard Williams worked as film producer, film director, animator, screenwriter, visual artist.
Film producer — see all → · Film director — see all → · More people from Canada →