Ronald Francis Clements (born April 25, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director
John Musker
John Edward Musker (born November 8, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director Ron Clements and is best known for writing and directing the Walt Disney Animation Studi ...
and is best known for writing and directing the
Disney films ''
The Great Mouse Detective'' (1986), ''
The Little Mermaid'' (1989), ''
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...
'' (1992), ''
Hercules'' (1997), ''
Treasure Planet'' (2002), ''
The Princess and the Frog'' (2009), and ''
Moana'' (2016).
Life and career
Clements was born and raised in
Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Gertrude (''née'' Gereau) and Joseph Clements.
He graduated from
Bishop Heelan Catholic High School
Bishop Heelan is a private, Catholic high school in Sioux City, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City.
The school mascot is Crusaders, and their colors are navy and old gold.
Athletics
The Crusaders compete in the Mi ...
. One of his first jobs in the arts was working with the
Sioux City Symphony Orchestra The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Sioux City, Iowa. Its home is the Orpheum Theater.
History
The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and The Sioux City Municipal Band were each formed in the early 1930s under the guida ...
at the
Orpheum Theatre.
Clements began his career as an animator for
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
. After a few months there, he was accepted into Disney's Talent Development Program, an animator training ground and workshop. After that, he served a two-year apprenticeship with famed animator
Frank Thomas, a supervising animator of Disney films such as ''
Peter Pan'' (1953), ''
Lady and the Tramp'' (1955), and ''
The Aristocats'' (1970). Clements made his feature debut as a character animator on ''
The Rescuers'' and ''
Pete's Dragon ''Pete's Dragon'' is the title of two Disney live-action films:
* ''Pete's Dragon'' (1977 film)
* ''Pete's Dragon'' (2016 film)
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