Animator in the context of "Robert McKimson"

A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images intended for satire, caricature, or humor; or a motion picture that relies on a sequence of illustrations for its animation. Someone who creates cartoons in the first sense is called a cartoonist, and in the second sense they are usually called an animator.

The concept originated in the Middle Ages, and first described a preparatory drawing for a piece of art, such as a painting, fresco, tapestry, or stained glass window. In the 19th century, beginning in Punch magazine in 1843, cartoon came to refer – ironically at first – to humorous artworks in magazines and newspapers. Then it also was used for political cartoons and comic strips. When the medium developed, in the early 20th century, it began to refer to animated films that resembled print cartoons.

Live-action animation is a film genre that combines live-action filmmaking with animation.Projects that are both live-action and computer animation tend to have fictional characters or figures represented and characterized by cast members through motion capture and then animated and modeled by animators. Films that are live-action and traditional animation use hand-drawn, computer-generated imagery (CGI), or stop-motion animation.

Charles Hirsch Schneer (May 5, 1920 – January 21, 2009) was an American film producer and writer, best known for the 12 films he produced with stop motion animator and special effects creator Ray Harryhausen from 1955-1981. He is credited with coining the term "Dynamation" to describe the advanced form of stop motion model animation Harryhausen developed, which resulted in superior compositing of animated and live action elements than had previously been possible.

Raymond Frederick Harryhausen (June 29, 1920 – May 7, 2013) was an American-British animator and special effects creator who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of both fields. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he built upon the techniques of his mentor, Willis H. O'Brien, to develop a form of stop motion model animation known as "Dynamation" and advance the field of cinematic special effects. Though not credited as a writer or director on any of the feature films he worked on, the role he played in shaping those he made during his peak years has led to him being regarded as "cinema's sole visual effects auteur," and the creatures and sequences he animated are considered some of the most iconic in the history of cinema.

Inspired by O'Brien's work on The Lost World (1925) and King Kong (1933), Harryhausen spent his adolescence developing his skills with stop motion, leading to him working under O'Brien on Mighty Joe Young (1949) and The Animal World (1956). He took charge of the animation on The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) before teaming up with producer Charles H. Schneer, with whom he would make 12 films over 26 years. These include It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), First Men in the Moon (1964), The Valley of Gwangi (1969), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), and Clash of the Titans (1981), after which he retired from feature filmmaking. He also created the special effects for One Million Years B.C. (1966), produced by Hammer Films.

Richard Huemer (January 2, 1898 – November 30, 1979) was an American animator in the Golden Age of Animation.

David Dodd Hand (January 23, 1900 – October 11, 1986) was an American animator and animation filmmaker known for his work at Walt Disney Productions. He worked on numerous Disney shorts during the 1930s and eventually became supervising director on the animated features Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Bambi.

Wilfred Emmons Jackson (January 24, 1906 – August 7, 1988) was an American animator, musical arranger and director best known for his work with Walt Disney Productions.

Jackson joined Walt Disney Productions in 1928 as a volunteer washing animation cels. He was soon promoted to an animator and was instrumental in developing the Mickey Mousing technique, which synchronized the music and action for Steamboat Willie (1928). He was then made the director for the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies cartoon series, of which he directed the Academy Award-winning short films: The Tortoise and the Hare (1935), The Country Cousin (1936), and The Old Mill (1937). His feature film directorial debut was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

Hamilton Somers Luske (October 16, 1903 – February 19, 1968) was an American animator and film director.