Richard Williams- The Thief Who Never Gave Up Pt 2

A documentary from 1980 (ish) about the great animator Richard Williams (The Thief and the Cobbler, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), who found great success doing animated commercials but whose greatest goal was to learn from the great animators of the past, like Ken Harris, Art Babbit, Grim Natwick and Milt Kahl, and pass their knowledge on to his own studio and the animators of tomorrow. Richard was successful in doing this and many animators who worked under the mad, perfectionist animator went on to found their own studios, and to work on the great Disney films of the late 1980s and 1990s.
By all accounts a brilliant, driven perfectionist genius and madman - always inspiring, if difficult to work with - Richard never quite finished his film The Thief and the Cobbler (viewable on KZbin in a Recobbled Cut), as it was eventually financed by Warner Brothers, who went cold on the idea and took the film away from him.
However, even in its unfinished state, the film is inspiring, and so are the Williams Studio's amazing commercials, and of course the feature film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
These days Richard is known for having written perhaps the best book ever written on animation- The Animator's Survival Kit. Every animation student should have one, and probably does. There is also a 16 DVD set of the same title where Richard explains his techniques, which is even better, but far more expensive.

[@NunofYerbizness]

8:58 "Zigzag is an absolute bastard." I still love those five words; They make for a perfect YTP Title.

[@vibhupande]

1974 - a 67 year old Art Babbitt and 76 year old Ken Harris bouncing their hips at Richard Williams' studio, to bring pink panther to life. what a moment!

[@ThisCakeIsAPie]

I loved his impersonation of Vincent Price

[@emcvideoproductions500]

I love that he partnered with the legendary Ken Harris and magnificent Art Babbit.

[@thirdmantube]

that card trick part is totally prodigious

[@somedude5644]

"Maybe two asses. I'm not sure." Oh, man. Richard Williams is a comedian.

[@softlusion]

Excelente video

[@Caqui]

The animation that starts at 1:00 is from The Charge of the Light Brigade.

[@vidguy2004]

He will be forever in my heart The Greatest Animator of All Time! Miss you Richard always...

[@TatsuraJ]

He sounded like Droopy when he did his impersonation XD

[@emcvideoproductions500]

Well keep in mind, Williams did voice Droopy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

[@TatsuraJ]

Eli Copperman Really?? Awesome!

[@zacwollervoiceninja5136]

At 8:38, “I have power over people, though they may appear complex. (Jewels glow on Zigzag’s hands) For me, they fall, like playing cards. And I... control the decks!”

[@robbiefarabee6954]

I wonder who is the two people that Richard Williams hate.

[@steamboatwill3.367]

The brothers Idries and Omar Shah i belive.

[@tobbs5410]

'Zigzag is an absolute bastard.' Richard Williams, The Thief Who Never Gave Up (1980)

[@WillCWilson]

0:00 I hope somebody is able to find this commercial in full.

[@derpydogz0259]

Can I find anymore videos on ken Harris ???

[@TheKevinKruger]

What was the singing part at the beginning called?

[@steamboatwill3.367]

a commercial for guinness.

[@steamboatwill3.367]

a variation of "halejulah"