David Hilberman

Influential Animator & Local Artist

David Hilberman, former Santa Cruz resident from 1978 to 1992, died July 5, 2007 at the age of 95. He had been active as an artist his entire long life, from high school in Cleveland until a few years before his death in Palo Alto. After graduation from Case Western Reserve University, he and his beloved Libbie were married in 1936 and soon moved to Los Angeles, hired by Walt Disney as one of the first of the new breed of creative animators. He was proud of his work on such classics as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi and The Ugly Duckling. He was a leader in the movement of unionize the artists and organized the famous to students of the American labor union movement Disney strike. After leaving Disney he co-founded a new studio, UPA, which changed the face of animation and influenced a generation of animators.

During World War II David made a number of training films for the Army. After the war he co-founded Tempo Productions in New York City, which became a leading producer of award""winning animated TV commercials. After studying theater and stage design and obtaining a Masters degree at UCLA he was invited to establish the animation division of the film department at San Francisco State University.

In retirement he and Libbie lived in Santa Cruz, where he continued to teach and paint. David and Libbie wrote and illustrated the children's book Are You My Grandmother. David was active in the Plein Art painting group here and was an inspiration to the younger artists and animators who came to visit and interview him. He was loved by his Santa Cruz area family: his daughter Kathe and her sons Jonas and Nikolai and his nephew and niece Bernard and Eleanor Hilberman, whose daughters considered David and Libbie "third grandparents" throughout their childhood. David's watercolors hang in the homes of his children and grandchildren and his paintings depicting the major Jewish festivals are displayed on the walls of the social hall at Temple Beth El, Aptos

Even after moving to Menlo Park, he continued to paint, did freelance cartoon work and designed sets for the Palo Alto Children' Theater.

His wife of 70 years, Libbie, died July 11, 2006. His brother Max died February 26, 2007.David and Libby are survived by their sons Mark Brigitte of Fairfield, CA. and Redstone, CO., and Dan Peggy of Menlo Park and daughter Kathe of Santa Cruz and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Our memories of David's kindness, gentleness, talent and generosity are our heritage.

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