Remembering Jane Baer: Celebrated Disney Animator and Indie Studio Leader Who Brought Toontown to Life in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ at 91
Jane Baer, a trailblazing animator known for her work at Disney on iconic films such as Sleeping Beauty and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, passed away in her sleep on Monday at her home in Van Nuys, California. She was 91 years old. The news was confirmed by her longtime friend Mindy Johnson.
Baer’s illustrious career spanned several decades, during which she transitioned from collaborating with Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men” to contributing to the original Smurfs TV series. She later founded Baer Animation with her then-husband, Dale Baer, which became one of Hollywood’s most successful independent animation studios. Notably, they created the Toontown sequences for the acclaimed 1998 animation/live-action hybrid film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, directed by Robert Zemeckis. Baer also served as the supervising character animator for the film’s Bennie the Cab.
Baer Animation distinguished itself as one of the few fully independent animation facilities in the U.S., encompassing departments for all aspects of production. The studio garnered multiple Clio Awards for commercials throughout the 1990s and contributed to significant Disney projects, including The Little Mermaid (1989), Fern Gully – The Last Rain Forest (1990), and Rover Dangerfield (1991). After Dale Baer departed in the early 1990s, Jane continued to run the company until her retirement in the early 2000s.
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Born Jane Shattuck on October 30, 1934, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Baer studied at the Art Center in Pasadena before beginning her animation career as an assistant animator on Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (1959). It was during her time there that she met her first husband, animator Iwao Takamoto, who, alongside Dale Baer, would later receive the prestigious Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement in animation.
Beyond Sleeping Beauty, Baer’s extensive credits included work on The Lion King (1994) and The Black Cauldron (1985), as well as animated sequences for films like Last Action Hero (1993) and Fletch Lives (1989). She also produced the 1989 Roger Rabbit short Tummy Trouble and served as a character designer for Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (1982).
Her television contributions spanned various series, including Hot Wheels (1969) and The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, extending to popular shows such as The Smurfs and the 1970 holiday special Santa Claus and the Three Bears. Additionally, she co-wrote and executive produced the 1997 direct-to-video holiday film Annabelle’s Wish.
Baer was a founding member of Women in Animation and served on its Advisory Board. A respected figure in the industry, she was a longtime member of the Motion Picture Academy, the Television Academy, the Animation Guild, and Women in Film. Later in life, Baer participated in numerous panels and festivals, where she shared her professional experiences with aspiring animators. She was also featured in Johnson’s 2017 book Ink & Paint – The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation.
Jane Baer is survived by her son, Michael, his partner, Beth, and her brother and his family. In honor of her legacy, her family has suggested donations be made to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles.
