Biography

Jim Fanning is an internally published author, writer and Disney historian. The author of such books as The Disney Book (published by DK), The Disney Sing-Along Song Book, The Disney Poster Book, Walt Disney’s Cinderella: A Dream Come True and a biography of Walt Disney, this leading authority on Walt Disney and his legacy has written on all aspects of Disney, including animation, live-action, theme parks, television, collectibles, publications, and Walt Disney and his creative colleagues, as well as contemporary Disney artists, filmmakers and Imagineers.  He has served as co-editor and head writer forSketches, the Official Magazine of the Walt Disney Collectors Society. His articles have also appeared in publications such as The Hollywood Reporter,The Disney Magazine, DisneyNewsreel, The Comics Buyer Guide and Persistence of Vision. In addition, he is a regular contributor to D23, the Official Disney Fan Club, including Disney twenty-three magazine and the D23 website.

Jim has also written for many other departments of The Walt Disney Company, including Walt Disney Records, Feature Animation, Home Entertainment, Publishing, Interactive, Online, Educational, Character Voices, Disney Store and Consumer Products, for which he researched and wrote the Consumer Products “bibles” The Disney Standard Character Guidebook and The Disney Standard Character CD-ROM, focusing on Mickey Mouse and other classic Disney characters. He wrote and researched many episodes of the Disney Channel documentary series Disney Family Album, and has contributed narration, captions, photo research and creative consulting for Disney DVD and Blu-ray sets, including the Walt Disney Treasures and Platinum Series releases.

Jim has also provided Disney photo research for such historical books as Remembering Walt, The Wonderful World of Disney Television, Disney Yearbook and Disney Dossiers and such projects as the Walt Disney Family Museum.  In addition to his many Disney projects, Jim has written about other entertainment and artistry areas including film, television, animation, comic books and comic strips, and for and about other licensed properties, including Bugs Bunny, Garfield, Peanuts, and the Disney-owned properties Marvel, Muppets and Star Wars.