Eric Goldberg

Artist – Eric Goldberg

Eric Goldberg joined Disney Studios in 1990 as the supervising animator responsible for the movements, personality, and soul of the Genie in Aladdin.  Goldberg’s strong background in animation next earned him his directorial debut on Pocahontas, which he followed up as the supervising animator on Phil, the salty satyr, and trainer of heroes in Hercules.  Goldberg also directed the “Carnival of the Animals” and “Rhapsody in Blue” segments of Fantasia 2000, the continuation of Walt Disney’s 1940 masterpiece.  

More recently, Goldberg returned to Disney, directing four minutes of animation for the Epcot attraction “Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.”  He was the supervising animator for Louis the alligator in “The Princess and the Frog,” released in 2009.

Goldberg not only served as the Director of Animation for Warner Bros.’ 2003 live-action and animation hybrid feature “Looney Tunes: Back in Action,” but he also provided the voices of the cartoon characters Marvin Martian, Tweety, and Speedy Gonzalez.  Working with Bob Kurtz of Kurtz + Friends, he animated the title sequence of MGM’s 2006 remake of “The Pink Panther”.  He also provides the voice in “Iron Man 2: The Video Game” of the A.I.M. Soldiers.   His relationship with Chuck Jones began in the early 1990s and continued until Jones’ passing in February 2002.  

Goldberg has enjoyed a successful career in the United States and Great Britain as an animator and animation director.  From 1983 until 1990 he was a founding partner of the London-based commercial animation house, Pizazz Pictures, which received numerous awards for its hilarious and irreverent work.

Born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Goldberg was already drawing Woody Woodpecker at the age of 4 (under the guidance of his brother), and soon after, he began making his own “flip books.”  Super-8 films were the next step in his art education, and by the age of 13, he was drawing and photographing his own animated films, one frame at a time.  Dumbo, the first Disney movie Goldberg ever saw made a strong impression with its humor, emotion, and experimental graphic animation, and unlikely hero and contributed to his growing interest in the medium.

While still in college, acclaimed animation director Richard Williams was sufficiently impressed with Goldberg’s work to offer him an assignment on the feature Raggedy Ann and Andy.  The assignment led to a four-year association with Williams, whom Goldberg credits with teaching him the craft of animation.   During his time in Great Britain, Goldberg had the opportunity to work with the great Art Babbitt and Warner Bros. veteran Ken Harris.  Around this time, he met his future wife, Susan, a background painter and animator.  

Eric and Susan have enjoyed working together as director and art director respectively, on “Carnival of the Animals” which is animated in a unique watercolor style.  They have also written and illustrated three books together: Genie’s ABC, Pocahontas: A Book of Opposites, and Disney’s Mix and Match Villains Book.  The Goldbergs and their two daughters, Jenny and Rachel, live in southern California.  

Be sure to check out other Eric Goldberg Art for sale to brighten your walls and bring smiles!