15 of the Most Popular Animators of All Time

The world’s most popular animators have always been at the forefront of movie and entertainment greatness. From Walt Disney to Pixar, these talented creators have consistently pushed the boundaries of storytelling and animation, making us fall in love with their characters and stories.

No matter what type of animation you prefer, there is something special about each one that captures our hearts. From the early days of pencil and paper, to the advance computer-generated animations of today — there is something for everyone.

And in this article, we are going to highlight some of the best names to ever animate.

15 Animators that Bring Cartoons and Animation to Life

Whether it’s the bright colors and whimsical worlds created by Hayao Miyazaki or the darkly humorous characters of Tim Burton, all of these animated films bring a certain kind of charm that can only be found through this form of art. Keep reading on for the full list.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane is an American animator, voice actor, writer, producer and director. His most high-profile work includes the creation of the popular animated sitcom Family Guy in 1999. He also created the spinoff series The Cleveland Show and American Dad.

In addition to his television ventures, he has directed two feature films: Ted (2012) and A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014). For his contributions to animation, MacFarlane received multiple Emmy Awards.

NameSeth MacFarlane
Date of BirthOctober 26, 1973
Notable WorksFamily Guy, American Dad!, The Cleveland Show, Ted, Ted 2

Walt Disney

Walt Disney was an American animator, entrepreneur and film producer who revolutionized the film industry with his iconic cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. He was a pioneer in developing new techniques for hand-drawn animation as well as stop-motion techniques.

He founded the Walt Disney Company, which produces films, media and entertainment products including theme parks, resorts and television networks. In addition to his work in animation, Disney was also a passionate advocate for conservation and philanthropy.

NameWalt Disney
Date of BirthDecember 5, 1901
Notable WorksSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King

Tim Burton

Tim Burton is an American director, producer and animator who is renowned for his darkly themed fantasy films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). His unique visual style has been praised by critics around the world.

Besides feature length films, he has also worked in stop motion animation with projects like Corpse Bride (2005) and Frankenweenie (2012).

NameTim Burton
Date of BirthAugust 25, 1958
Notable WorksBeetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman Returns, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenweenie

Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, was an American author, political cartoonist and animator best known for his children’s books such as The Cat In The Hat and Green Eggs and Ham.

His first animated film, Horton Hears a Who!, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject in 1970. He was also nominated four times at the Oscars for other works such as Gerald McBoing-Boing (1951) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966).

NameDr. Seuss
Date of BirthMarch 2, 1904
Notable WorksHow the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who!, The Lorax

Matt Stone

Matt Stone is an American animator, director, writer and producer best known for co-creating the animated sitcom South Park with Trey Parker in 1997.

In addition to their television work, they have also directed several feature films including Team America: World Police (2004) and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999). The latter went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

NameMatt Stone
Date of BirthMay 26, 1971
Notable WorksSouth Park, The Book of Mormon

Trey Parker

Trey Parker is an American animator, voice actor and writer who first gained recognition as the co-creator of South Park alongside Matt Stone. He has also acted in various projects including Orgazmo (1998) and BASEketball (1998).

In addition to his film work, he has written the music for several musicals including The Book of Mormon (2011).

NameTrey Parker
Date of BirthOctober 19, 1969
Notable WorksSouth Park, The Book of Mormon

Matt Groening

Matt Groening is an American cartoonist, animator and television producer best known for creating the animated sitcom The Simpsons in 1989. He is also the creator of Futurama, as well as two comic strips: Life in Hell and Binky’s Buddies & Boo.

In addition to his work in animation, Groening has authored several books on popular culture and satire. For his contributions to animation, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

NameMatt Groening
Date of BirthFebruary 15, 1954
Notable WorksThe Simpsons, Futurama, Disenchantment

Mike Judge

Mike Judge is an American animator, voice actor, director and writer who first gained recognition with the creation of Beavis and Butt-Head (1993). He also created the popular adult animated sitcom King of the Hill in 1997.

In addition to television, he has written and directed several feature films including Idiocracy (2006), Extract (2009) and Silicon Valley (2014).

NameMike Judge
Date of BirthOctober 17, 1962
Notable WorksBeavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill, Office Space

John Lasseter

John Lasseter is an American animator, director, screenwriter and producer who worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios before leaving to co-found Pixar Animation Studios with Edwin Catmull.

He produced a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful computer-animated films such as Toy Story (1995), A Bug’s Life (1998) and Finding Nemo (2003). Lasseter received two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature Film for both Toy Story 3 (2010) and Coco (2017).

NameJohn Lasseter
Date of BirthJanuary 12, 1957
Notable WorksToy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Cars, Cars 2

Max Fleischer

Max Fleischer was an American animator, director and inventor who developed a rotoscope machine that allowed animation to be done with more realistic movement. He also created the iconic cartoon character Betty Boop as well as Popeye the Sailor Man.

His prolific career spanned four decades during which he directed over 500 animated shorts.

NameMax Fleischer
Date of BirthJuly 19, 1883
Notable WorksBetty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, Superman

Chuck Jones

Chuck Jones was an American animator, voice actor, screenwriter and filmmaker best known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons helming such beloved characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the Road Runner.

In addition to his television work, he directed several feature films including How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and The Phantom Tollbooth (1970).

NameChuck Jones
Date of BirthSeptember 21, 1912
Notable WorksLooney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Tom and Jerry

Jeffrey Katzenberg

Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer, executive and co-founder of DreamWorks Animation. He has produced films such as The Prince of Egypt (1998), Shrek (2001) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010).

Besides animation, he has also produced several live action films including War Horse (2011) and The Help (2011).

NameJeffrey Katzenberg
Date of BirthDecember 21, 1950
Notable WorksThe Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Shrek

Brad Bird

Brad Bird is an American animator, director, screenwriter and producer best known for writing the screenplay for The Incredibles (2004) and directing Ratatouille (2007), which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

He has also directed several live action films such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011).

NameBrad Bird
Date of BirthSeptember 24, 1957
Notable WorksThe Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille

Genndy Tartakovsky

Genndy Tartakovsky is a Russian-American animator, director and storyboard artist best known for creating the Cartoon Network series Dexter’s Laboratory. He also created Samurai Jack and for his work on those shows he won five Primetime Emmy Awards.

In 2012, he directed the feature film Hotel Transylvania which became the highest grossing animated film of that year.

NameGenndy Tartakovsky
Date of BirthJanuary 17, 1970
Notable WorksDexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Hotel Transylvania

Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, screenwriter, illustrator and manga artist who co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 with Isao Takahata. He has directed several critically acclaimed and commercially successful feature films including My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001).

Miyazaki received an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film for his work on Spirited Away.

NameHayao Miyazaki
Date of BirthJanuary 5, 1941
Notable WorksSpirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle

Famous Animators that Bring Notable Cartoons to Life

Animators are the unsung heroes of movies and entertainment. Without their creative genius, none of our favorite characters would be so beloved. From Walt Disney to Hayao Miyazaki, these geniuses have earned their place in history by bringing life to the stories they tell.

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