Who was Tyrus Wong? | The Indian Express

Tyrus Wong (Source: Youtube / WallStreetJournal screengrab)

Thursday, Google paid tribute to the legendary artist Tyrus Wong by dedicating him a "doodle" on the day of his birthday. Wong was an American artist of Chinese origin who was credited with some of the most well-known images of American popular culture. Wong was honored for his role as lead illustrator in Disney's film Bambi in 1942.

Born on October 25, 1910 in Taishan County, Guangdong Province, Wong and his father immigrated to the States United States looking for a better life in 1920. They finally settle in Los Angeles.

Wong's love for the art is recognized very early by his father. Wong usually went to the Los Angeles Central Library where he was introduced to the paintings of Chinese artists of the Song Dynasty. The paintings have remained largely a source of inspiration throughout his career. While attending college and working as a waiter in Chinatown, Wong was awarded a scholarship at the Otis Art Institute. In 1932, Wong's works were exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, along with those of Picbado, Matisse, and Paul Klee.

The doodle dedicated to Tyrus Wong by Google.

In 1938, Wong was hired by Walt Disney Studios as a trainee to draw illustrations that were later photographed to become animated films. During his stay at Disney, Wong's did his most outstanding work as a lead illustrator in the film Bambi. Surprisingly, when Bambi appeared on theaters, he was only credited as one of the many "background artists"

. Subsequently, Wong then worked for Warner Brothers, drawing and painting storyboards in the form of some of the most iconic Hollywood movies such as Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and The Wild Bunch (1969). He worked at Warner Brothers for more than 26 years – until his retirement in 1968.

Wong's contributions to the Hollywood industry are largely unknown. It was until 2001 that he was named "Disney legend". In 2015, the San Diego Asian Film Festival awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award

. He was married to Ruth Ng Kim, whom he met during his stay as a waiter in Chinatown. The couple had three girls.

Wong pbaded away on December 30, 2016 at the age of 106 years.

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