Kelly Asbury
Kelly Adam Asbury (January 15, 1960 – June 26, 2020) was an American animated film director, screenwriter, voice actor, published children's book author/illustrator, and non-fiction author. He was best known for directing animated films, including Shrek 2 and Gnomeo & Juliet.
Kelly Asbury | |
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![]() Asbury in 2016 | |
Born | Kelly Adam Asbury January 15, 1960 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
Died | June 26, 2020 60) Encino, California, U.S. | (aged
Alma mater | Lamar University California Institute of the Arts |
Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, voice actor, artist, author, illustrator |
Years active | 1982–2019 |
Employer | Walt Disney Animation Studios (1983–1995, 2009-2013) DreamWorks Animation (1995-2009) |
Notable work | Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Shrek 2 Gnomeo & Juliet Smurfs: The Lost Village UglyDolls |
Spouse(s) | Loretta Weeks (m. 1990; div. 2006) Jacquie Boggs (m. 2011) |
Early life
Asbury was born in Beaumont, Texas, the son of Josephine Margare (Lebeouf) and Donald Leslie Asbury.[1] He attended Lamar University for two years before transferring to the renowned California Institute of the Arts in 1980, where he studied animation and filmmaking.[2]
Career
Asbury got his start at Walt Disney Feature Animation from 1983 to 1995, and contributed storyboards for several animated films including The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, as well as Pixar's first feature film, Toy Story.[3] In 1993, he was the assistant art director on Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.[4]
In 1995, he began working for DreamWorks Animation, and directed two Academy Award-nominated feature films, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) and Shrek 2 (2004). In addition to directing, Asbury provided some of the extra voices in Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third.
Kelly Asbury directed and co-wrote the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), for which he also provided the voices of the tiny Red Goon Gnomes. He was nominated for two Annie Awards for directing and co-writing that film.[5]
In 2003, he wrote a non-fiction book titled Dummy Days, which is a biography of five 20th century ventriloquists. He was the author and illustrator of twelve published children's books,[6] including Rusty's Red Vacation, Bonnie's Blue House and Yolanda's Yellow School.[7]
In mid-2011 to mid-2012, Asbury briefly returned to Disney to contribute storyboards to Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen. He recently directed Smurfs: The Lost Village for Sony Pictures Animation and UglyDolls for STX Entertainment.
Personal life
On, June 26, 2020, Asbury died of abdominal cancer in his Encino home at age 60.[8][9]
Filmography
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2019 | The Addams Family | Additional Story Artist |
UglyDolls | Director,[10] voice of Gibberish Cat, Oliver, Chef, and Buttons | |
2017 | Smurfs: The Lost Village | Director,[11][12] voice of Nosey Smurf |
2013 | Frozen | Additional story artist |
2012 | Wreck-It Ralph | Story artist |
2011 | Gnomeo & Juliet | Director Story and Screenplay voice of Red Goon Gnomes |
2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Additional story artist |
Kung Fu Panda | ||
2007 | Shrek the Third | Voice of Master of Ceremonies and Fiddlesworth |
2004 | Shrek 2 | Director, additional voices, (ADR group) |
2002 | Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron | Co-director |
2001 | Shrek | Story artist |
2000 | Chicken Run | Additional story |
1998 | The Prince of Egypt | Artistic supervisor: story |
1996 | James and the Giant Peach | |
1995 | Toy Story | Story artist |
1993 | The Nightmare Before Christmas | Assistant art director |
1991 | Beauty and the Beast | Story & visual development artist |
1990 | Roller Coaster Rabbit | Art director |
The Rescuers Down Under | Character designer, storyboard artist, visual development | |
1989 | The Little Mermaid | Visual development artist |
1987 | Sport Goofy in Soccermania | Layout artist |
1985 | The Black Cauldron | Inbetween artist |
References
- https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6QT-271
- "Kelly Asbury". Museum of the Gulf Coast. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- "Kelly Asbury Biography". Showtimes.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- "The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- E1 strikes UK, Canada deal for Gnomeo And Juliet | News | screendaily.com
- Kelly Asbury Interview Archived 2011-05-15 at the Wayback Machine UGO Entertainment
- "Rusty's Red Vacation". Barnes and Noble. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
- Amidi, Amid (June 26, 2020). "RIP, Kelly Asbury, Director Of 'Shrek 2' and 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Kelly Asbury, Director of 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron' and 'Shrek 2,' Dies at 60". Variety. June 26, 2020.
- Gregg Kilday (July 10, 2018). "Kelly Clarkson Joins 'UglyDolls' Voice Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
- Kit, Borys (March 12, 2014). "Sony Animation Sets Slate: 'Smurfs', 'Transylvania 2,' More (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
- Lowe, Kinsey (June 14, 2015). "'Get Smurfy' Unveiled: Demi Lovato Joins As Smurfette, Rainn Wilson As Gargamel". Deadline. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kelly Asbury. |
- Animated Views: Gnomeo & Juliet’s director Kelly Asbury Opens His Secret Garden!
- Kelly Asbury on IMDb