Imagineer and writer Al Bertino, who helped design such Disneyland attractions as Mr. Toads Wild Ride, the Haunted Mansion, America Sings and the Country Bear Jamboree, was born July 15, 1912 in California. The Country Bear Jamboree stage show featured an Audio-Animatronic bear named Big Al that Bertino said was his self portrait. Bertino joined Disney studios in 1939. He helped create Fantasia and Pinocchio and such characters as Bambi, Goofy, Donald Duck and the chipmunks Chip and Dale. According to his obituary in the Los Angeles Times, one of Bertinos favorite stories involved working on a Christmas segment involving the birth of Jesus. Walt wanted to make sure it was in good taste, so he said, Get someone from St. Josephs Hospital across the street, a nun, and see if she likes it, Bertino would often relate. So I got the Mother Superior and went through it for her. She said, Oh, this is so wonderful, where do you people get your ideas? Wanting to please her, Bertino said, I rolled my eyes upward and said, Well, when we get stuck we get some help from the man upstairs, and she said, Oh, yes, that Mr. Disney is so clever. Bertino was considered one of the Disney old timers who perfected what came to be called Imagineering, a combination of creative imagination and innovative engineering. Bertino also wrote many of the shows presented on the hour-long Sunday television series Walt Disneys Wonderful World of Color.First joining Disney in 1935, he worked on Pinocchio and Fantasia, before writing for Disneys television series. He died Aug. 18, 1996 at age 84.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 04:07:00 +0000
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