Don Bluth

**Donald Virgil Bluth**, best known as **Don Bluth**, is a renowned American filmmaker, animator, video game designer, and author. Born on September 13, 1937, in El Paso, Texas, Don Bluth began his career in 1955, joining Walt Disney Productions. During his time at Disney, he contributed to a number of films and was notably involved in the production of _The Secret of NIMH_, _An American Tail_, _The Land Before Time_, _All Dogs Go to Heaven_, _Anastasia_, and _Titan A.E._. Bluth was also instrumental in the development of the LaserDisc games _Dragon's Lair_ and _Space Ace_. His fierce competition with former employer Walt Disney Productions significantly influenced the years leading up to what is now called the Disney Renaissance. From his childhood in Texas, where he would often ride his horse to the movie theater to watch Disney films, to returning full-time to Disney as an animation trainee and eventually establishing his own animation studio, Don Bluth Productions in 1979, Bluth has had a profound and lasting impact on the animation industry. In the 90s, Bluth began hosting youth theater productions from his home and later formed a troupe aptly named, Don Bluth Front Row Theatre. In the 2000s Bluth worked on multiple video game projects and continued his journey in animation and storytelling. Today, he continues his efforts to bring a renaissance of hand-drawn animation and inspire a new generation of artists and storytellers.