John P. Miller

John Parr "Jack" Miller was an American character designer, animator, and illustrator, who worked for Disney from 1934 until 1942 where he contributed to features, like Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Saludos Amigos.
Hailing from New York, Miller lived with his mother and father and never finished high school. At fourteen, his mother died and his found a new wife who bore him another son, George. Following a two-year stint at the Grand Central Art School in New York, Miller moved out to Hollywood with his stepmother and brother after his father died during the Great Depression.
With encouragement from his stepmother, Miller showed his portfolio to Walt Disney who hired him in 1934. Starting out in the studio's Story department and as a background artist for several Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck shorts, he soon became a part of Joe Grant's Character Model department, which would include James Bodrero, Martin Provensen, Dick Huemer, Campbell Grant, and Elmer Plummer. They helped develop famous characters, such as Dopey, Dumbo, and Geppetto as well as their respective environments. His work impressed Walt enough that he was invited to be part of his 1941 Goodwill Tour of South America, which included Bodrero, Mary Blair, Norman Ferguson, Frank Thomas, Herbert Ryman, and others. The trip would inspire work at would become the fruition of Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. By the time Miller enlisted in the navy, where he made training films during World War II, he had become dissatisfied with the company. After the war, he opted to not return.
He and some other Disney veterans, such as Gustaf Tenggren were later recruited by Georges Duplaix to be a part of what would become Little Golden Books as illustrators in an effort enliven the market for children's books and move beyond the "Dick and Jane" style that had been used for years. It there that he became friends with Richard and Patricia M. Scarry. He would spend over decades illustrating for authors, such as Margaret Wise Brown (The Wonderful House, Margaret Wise Brown's Wonderful Story Book), Katherine Howard (Do You Know Colors?, Little Bunny Follows His Nose), Patricia Scarry (The Sweet Smell of Christmas). Other books he contributed to included The Little Red Hen, Lucky Mrs. Ticklefeather, I Am a Mouse, Little Turtle's Big Adventure, Follow Me, and Jingle Bells: A New Story by Kathleen N. Daly.
Miller continued to work as a freelance artist in his later years. He passed away on October 29, 2004 at his home in Manhasset, New York. He was survived by his half-brother, George E. Miller, who donated over 250 artworks of his to the Carle Museum in Amhurst. Many more had been exhibited at libraries and other museums.
==Filmography==
Year	Film 	Position
1937	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	Character designer: Dopey - uncredited
1940	Pinocchio 	Character designer: Geppetto
1940	Fantasia 	Character designer: "The Pastoral Symphony"
1940	Fire Chief 	Background artist - uncredited
1941	Dumbo 	Character designer: Dumbo
1941	The Reluctant Dragon 	Story: "Baby Weems"
1942	Saludos Amigos 	Art supervision
1942	South of the Border with Disney	Himself
1942	All Together 	Character designer - uncredited
2008	Walt & El Grupo 	Archive footage
==Gallery==
===Artwork===
John miller Song of the south artwork.jpg|A model sheet by John P. Miller and Campbell Grant for the Uncle Remus film that would eventually Song of the South.
John miller Baby Weems artwork 1.jpg
John miller Baby Weems artwork 2.jpg
John miller Fantasia artwork 1.jpg
John miller Fantasia artwork 2.jpg
John miller Fantasia artwork 3.jpg
John miller Saludos Amigos artwork 1.jpg
John miller Saludos Amigos artwork 2.jpg
===Miscellaneous===
Jack Parr Miller and James Bodrero.jpg|Miller (left) with James Bodrero
John P. Miller and James Bodrero.jpg|Miller and Bodrero, in 1941, examining a ceramic figure on the South American tour.
El Grupo photo from newspaper.jpg|L-R John P. Miller, Webb Smith, Mary Blair, and Herbert Ryman.
==Trivia==
*Miller had been an artist during stages of Song of the South before production was halted. He left the company before it was revived in the mid-1940s.
==External links==
*
*Deja View: John P. Miller
*Carle Museum J.P. Miller
*J.P. Miller Mid-Century Illustrator
*Remembering J.P. Miller
Category:Males
Category:1910s births
Category:2000s deaths
Category:Deceased
Category:People from New York
Category:American people
Category:Artists
Category:Animators
Category:Character Designers
Category:Background artists
Category:Illustrators
Category:Writers
Category:Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Category:Pinocchio
Category:Fantasia
Category:Dumbo
Category:The Reluctant Dragon
Category:Song of the South
Category:Saludos Amigos
Category:Mickey Mouse
Category:Donald Duck
Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios
Category:Golden Books