Comments on: Joe Ranft

By: James Baker

James Baker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:14:52 +0000

Thanks for sharing that story. I am sure that Joe will be missed, and celebrated, for as long as people can remember him.

By: tomb

tomb — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:09:45 +0000

This Saturday Joe would have been 50 years old. Today at lunch in the theatre at Walt Disney Animation Studios, John Musker, Chris Buck, and ex roomate Michael Giaimo held a Celebration for Joe Ranft. We heard stories, watched video from the early 80′s, and saw lots of sketches. This was one of the best lunch times I’ve experienced at the Studio that I’ve been a part of since Lion King in 1993. Joe you are certainly missed.

By: Roy Kissin

Roy Kissin — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:39:33 +0000

8/16/07. Joe — two years gone, missed deeply daily.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 19 May 2007 21:14:28 +0000

Joe Ranft was good at Pixar. He’d done good as storyman and voice actor. I loved his performances as Hemlich the caterpiller in A Bug’s Life and as the Peterbelt in Cars. My tribute goes out to Joe Ranft, his family, and the people at PIXAR.

FOR JOE RANFT
1960-2005

By: George Evelyn

George Evelyn — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 15:00:00 +0000

Being in the San Francisco animation scene myself, of course I always knew Joe’s reputation as a story guy, as this amazing wunderkind over at Pixar and Skellington. Our professional careers never overlapped, though; instead, my connection with him was mainly through some really fabulous holiday dinner parties, including the past dozen or so New Years Eves. Joe Ranft was GREAT at a party. The same story-telling ability that served him so well on the job really cut loose when he had a paper hat on his head and a glass of champagne in his hand. The ultimate raconteur, he would regale his fellow celebrants with stories on evey topic under the sun. Not just the animation war-stories, or long-ago Cal Arts escapades– but also comic misdaventures with Marin housing contractors, or what it was like to be a kid at camp, or madcap vacations with the his family. Joe’s tales were like his magic tricks, always concise and witty, with a well-defined beginning, middle, and end. But they had another element as well– they were always sweet. Never a discouraging word. Never a hint of mean-spirited gossip. And always there would be some point, some pay-off, some punch-line, which would somehow make the listener feel good about life in general. Joe’s love of story came out of his love of life, in all its complexities and characters and comic details. He was so good at what he did because he was good at Life, and what’s more, he made being good look cool. That’s a pretty rare talent. We’ll all miss him. -GE

By: Steve Purcell

Steve Purcell — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 18:47:00 +0000

Thanks Jamie. I had the good fortune to spend some time with Joe the week before he left for his trip. A lunch and then one day three of us watching a pitch by Dan Scanlon, then sitting around the story room yaking and drawing. It’s the memory I’m clinging to the most, sort of a bottled and preserved sample of my last four years at Pixar, the most enjoyable stretch of my career, in large part thanks to Joe. –Steve

By: Jamie Baker

Jamie Baker — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 21:43:00 +0000

He was a lovely man, and he had a big soul in him. I learned even more about Joe at his memorial in Mill Valley yesterday. Attending the service was a great help to many of the people who cared about Joe, including myself. Even though none of what I heard was a surprise, it was reassuring to hear the many eloquent, funny and moving eulogies offered to Joe from his friends, colleagues and family members.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 16:21:00 +0000

Joe Ranft was a dear cousin of mine. My family will miss him greatly and we appreciate the kind words. Joe never made enemies. He was a loving man and had such talent!! We will all miss him! He was taken well before his time…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 13:48:00 +0000

Jamie, Ouch, I’m so sorry for the loss of another great talent at Pixar. Thanks for posting the info about him. I never met him but admired his talent greatly. -Amber