Born in Munich, Germany; sometimes credited as "Woolie Reitherman." His family left Germany for the United States when he was an infant and he was raised in Sierra Madre, California. Attending Pasadena Junior College, he worked briefly for Douglas Aircraft. In 1931, he enrolled at Chouinard Art Institute and joined the Disney Studios in 1933. After a brief, but decorated, tour in the Army Air Force in World War II, he returned to the Studios contributing to over thirty Disney animation films. A driving force and strong leader after Disney's death, he retired after 50 years with the Disney Studios. Reitherman produced and directed ROBIN HOOD (1973), THE MANY ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH (1977), THE RESCUERS (1977) and THE FOX AND THE HOUND (1981, producer only). Other directing credits include THE TRUTH ABOUT MOTHER GOOSE (1957), GOLIATH II (1960), 101 DALMATIANS and AQUAMANIA (both 1961), THE SWORD AND THE STONE (1963), WINNIE THE POOH AND THE HONEY TREE (1966), THE JUNGLE BOOK (1967) and THE ARISTOCATS (1970). Reitherman died in a road accident on May 22, 1985 and was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 1989.  Nominated for Short Films (Animated Films) 1974: WINNIE THE POOH AND TIGGER TOO - Producer 1 nomination