John Lounsbery was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and spent his formative years in Colorado, where he developed a strong foundation for his future artistic endeavors. He attended East Denver High School and further honed his skills at the Art Institute of Denver. The turning point in his career came when an instructor at the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles recommended him for an interview with Walt Disney. On July 2, 1935, Lounsbery joined the Disney team, commencing his tenure as an assistant animator on the iconic film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Throughout the 1940s, he worked on numerous short features, simultaneously contributing to the animating team on nearly all of Disney's most renowned feature-length animated films. The 1970s marked a significant milestone in his career, as he was promoted to director and directed Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! and co-directed The Rescuers.
John Lounsbery's life came to a tragic end on February 13, 1976, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 64, due to complications from heart failure during cardiac surgery. At the time of his passing, he was actively working on The Rescuers and continued to direct at the Walt Disney Studios. In recognition of his immense contributions to the Disney legacy, he was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 1989.
