Kem Weber: Mid-Century Furniture Designs for the Disney Studios

by David A. Bossert

Kem Weber (1889—1960), a well-known mid-century architect, was part of the distinctive West Coast modernism movement that helped shaped the relaxed California lifestyle. He influenced California style during the mid-twentieth century with buildings architecture, interior designs and furniture, including his famed Air Line chair, which is part of many museum furniture collections. As chief designer for the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank in 1939, Kem Weber also designed the specialized animation furniture that went into the then new studio complex. The Disney animation furniture, which has been lauded in recent years, was designed for specific animation disciplines with input from the artists that would be using it. It was all part of Walt Disney’s desire to create an efficient utopian campus for animated film production. This book is a comprehensive overview of the Kem Weber designed Disney animation furniture that takes the reader on a journey from concept sketches and photos to interviews with legendary artists. David A. Bossert celebrates and details the form and function of this unique mid-century furniture and the impact it had on the Disney animation process over the decades.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 2020

About the author

David A. Bossert is an award-winning artist, filmmaker, and author. He is a 32-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company where he contributed his talents to Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), The Lion King (1994), Fantasia/2000 (1999) among many others. Bossert is an independent producer, creative director, and writer and is considered an authority on Disney art and animation history. He is a member of the CalArts Board of Trustees and is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) in Pittsburgh. In 2018, his invention Parallax Based Monoscopic Rendering was awarded a U.S. Patent.
Bossert is the author of eight books and dozens of articles on animation. His latest books are, Kem Weber: The Mid-Century Furniture Designs for the Disney Studios (The Old Mill Press, 2018) and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Companion (Disney Editions, 2020). Learn more at www.davidbossert.com

Reviews

[David Bossert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book that showcases the Kem Weber designed animation furniture for The Walt Disney Studios. I worked on a Weber compact animator's desk for more than thirty years and this book is my love letter to the furniture. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

[Becky B A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little book. I appreciated that it was written by an animator, but it might have been nice to have had a co author who was an architect or interior designer. One thing I found annoying early on was his misspelling of Frank Gehry's name as Geary. He clearly just transcribed an interview and then did no further research on the topic (or fact checking). Overall though it was a nice read and I am glad to have it in my collection.

[TeeJay Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting subject but lacked true depth and breadth

Was excited to finely get to read this book. Kem Weber and the furniture designed for the studio is legendary and highly coveted materials for those in the animation and illustration world. My expectations were high and come from the perspective of art and design, but I was left wanting so much more! I highly recommend this book and the amazing introduction into a rich and vibrant world.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book highlighting all the mid-century furniture designs architect Kem Weber did for The Walt Disney Studios. Having worked there when the furniture was still in use, it brought back memories and is a nice coffee table keepsake.