Chris K. Ishii papers
name: label: Creator
content: Ishii, Chris K., 1919-2001
topic: label: Occupation
content: Animators
label: Occupation
content: Illustrators -- United States
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- United States
label: Topic
content: World War, 1939-1945
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated 2001 by Chris K. Ishii and his daughter, Naka Ishii. Additions are expected.
creator: label: Creator
content: Ishii, Chris K., 1919-2001
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Los Angeles, California, and New York painter, animator, and  illustrator Chris Ishii (1919-2001) attended the Chouinard School of Art (now Cal Arts) in Los Angeles and upon graduation worked for Walt Disney Studios. Prior to World War II he furnished art and designs for FantasiaThe Reluctant Dragon and Dumbo.

Ishii was interned at Granada (Colorado) Concentration Camp and in 1943 joined the U.S. Army Intelligence Service (1943-1946). During the war he illustrated propaganda leaflets for the Burma, China, and India theatre.  After leaving California for New York worked for United Productions of America (UPA) before becoming an independent animator. In 1951 he traveled to Paris on the GI Bill to study at the Académie Julian with Fernand Léger. He designed and directed countless commercials, and industrial, educational, live-action, and feature films. 

Ishii also worked on James Thurber's A Unicorn in the Garden, Ludwig Bemelman's Madeline and Academy Award winning Gerald McBoing Boing, and on several Mr. Magoo short subjects. One of his animations, the Snow White sequence, appeared in Woody Allen's Annie Hall. 

Ishii died in Westchester County, New York, on November 6, 2001.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 23 Items
unitdate: label: Date
content: [ca. 1940] - 1999
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.ishichri
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
otherfindaid: label: Other Finding Aids
content: Folder inventory available at Archives of American Art's D.C. office.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Newpaper articles (1944-1997), original drawings of illustrations for "Gourmet" magazine, photocopies of propaganda leaflets distributed by U.S. Intelligence in the Burma, China, India theatre during World War II, photographs of Ishii at work in his studio, and slides.