JAYFORCE

An intimate journey through the celebrated life and career of the ‘Forrest Gump’ of the animation industry: Disney legend Floyd Norman. Hired as the first African-American at Disney in 1956, Floyd worked on such classics as SLEEPING BEAUTY and 101 DALMATIANS before being handpicked by Walt Disney to join the story team on THE JUNGLE BOOK. After Walt Disney’s death in 1966, Norman left Disney to found Vignette Films, where he developed the original FAT ALBERT TV special and produced segments for SESAME STREET. He would later work at Hanna-Barbera on many classic cartoons, including SCOOBY DOO. After Hanna-Barbera, Floyd’s talents took him to Pixar to work on TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS INC. On Mr. Norman’s 65th birthday in 2000, Disney HR forced Floyd to retire. Refusing to leave his “home,” Floyd has “hijacked” a cubicle at Disney Publishing, unpaid, for the past 16 years, picking up freelance work when he can. At 81 he continues to have an impact as both an artist and a mentor. Mr. Norman plans to “die at the drawing board.”
– FilmBuff Movies

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