Joe Ranft

Joe Ranft, born Joseph Henry Ranft on March 13, 1960 in Pasadena, California, grew up in Whittier where his fascination with magic, storytelling, and comedy took root. By age fifteen he was already a member of the Magic Castle Junior Group, a hobby that nurtured his inventive spirit. After graduating from Monte Vista High School in 1978, he pursued character animation at the California Institute of the Arts, studying alongside future legends like John Lasseter and Brad Bird. His student film Good Humor caught the eye of Disney executives, earning him an apprenticeship that launched a remarkable career. In the early 1980s Ranft joined Walt Disney Feature Animation as a writer and storyboard artist, absorbing fundamental principles from mentor Eric Larson and sharpening his comedic timing with the improv troupe The Groundlings.