Elizabeth Case Zwicker, born in 1930, was the daughter of Nelson Case, a famous radio announcer in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1956, she was hired for Disney’s 1959 feature Sleeping Beauty as an in-be-tweener and breakdown artist, mainly working on the birds, but also other characters such as Prince Phillip’s horse.
About her experience working for the Walt Disney Animation Studio, she wrote:
“In 1956 I had just divorced and had to go to work. I was living in Glendora, California. One Sunday I opened the Los Angeles Times, to the help wanted. It was divided back then into men and women. I was reading men’s jobs and women’s jobs. Nobody ever said I couldn’t. I never had any boundaries. I did a lot of things that other people didn’t because I didn’t know better.
I found an ad that said “Fine artist wanted” for Disney studios. I called and made an appointment to show my portfolio. I didn’t even know what a portfolio was and had to go buy one. I put in a lot of stuff from art school and also some “cute” drawings. I added what I consider now as very amateur work, as well as some copies of work that was in the college museum.
I took it to Burbank and in the interview they asked me, “Do you have another source of income? We don’t pay very much.” It was $32 or $35 a week, and I assured them that I had child support. Everybody was very honest. They telegraphed me over the weekend that I was hired.
I found out later that it was an experiment. They were looking for fine artists and they still do. They want people who can draw; not people who cartoon. You have to know how to interpret human movement. If you are drawing a teapot, that nose has to twitch. The ears have to go back and forth like flaps.
I did birds in “Sleeping Beauty.” I studied how birds fly in the research library. I developed a bird consciousness. Then I did the jester with striped sleeves, the stripes are very difficult. The day the movie was finished, we were all laid off. I was the last one laid off (my last name at that time started with a “Z”). They offered me work in layout. I was crushed. I couldn’t imagine life without animation. I didn’t want any other work there, even for more money.”
Elizabeth’s time at Disney’s was her only animation job; after that, she went on to painting and illustration. Elizabeth went on the work as a Navy Combat artist, Mural painter, and Newspaper editor.
She passed away in April of 2006.