Portland Claymation icon Will Vinton dies

McMinnville native and Oscar winner Will Vinton has died.

[MrPatches]

I had the wonderful opportunity to know "Bill"Vinton when he was a 12 year old boy in my Boy Scout Troop in McMinnville, OR. I was a student at Linfield College in 1958, a private college in McMinnville, and was a Scoutmaster of a local Scout Troop. Years later, I became a film study and filmmaking teacher in a high school in the Chicago NW suburbs. Boy Scouting was long in my past and I'd forgotten all about Bill. I knew about Claymation as a film teacher and saw his short film, "Closed Mondays" which won an Academy Award, but his name, Will Viton, didn't register with me. I remembered Bill Vinton, but did not know Will Vinton. I thought the names were sort of a coincidence. That's all. Physically Bill had also changed - obviously from a child to and adult. When he was just a young boy, he had a full head of quite curly black/brown hair as opposed to his very bald head as a grown man. 

I'd been attending an annual film conference planned for teachers, librarians and people who use film in education for many years. One year, Will Vinton was featured as a speaker. But still - dense - I did not recognize Bill Vinton as Will and chose not to attend his program and went to another program more of my interest. (I regret my decision!) Later in the day, I was in an elevator in the hotel where the conference was being held returning to my room. The elevator was very crowded, but I could see Bill on the other side of the elevator. As it turned out Bill's room was on the same floor as mine and almost everyone exited the elevator before arriving at our floor. Then, Bill was able to see my name tag and called my name. This is when I learned that when Bill was in college, his friends began calling him Will and the name stuck. We talked for a while remembering some of our camping and hiking adventures and some of the boys who were now approaching 70 years of age in a long ago Boy Scout Troop. Then we parted, but I will always remember this young curly hair very handsome boy. I was so saddened when I learned Will had died.

In addition I must say, I also remember Bill Vinton over the years because he had a beautiful sister who was Miss Oregon of 1958!

[ivanwilson]

RIP Mr. Vinton you work will never be forgotten

[jaredmehrlich]

Much love. Much inspiration. Thank you.

[ValliW]

Holy crap, I had no idea! And all last month I was watching his claymation comedy of horrors with my toddler.