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Benjamin Gluck
View on WikipediaBen Gluck is an American animation director, screenwriter, story editor, and story artist known for his work as a senior creative in story development on animated films and television specials. He has directed for studios including Disney and Lionsgate.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Benjamin "Ben" Gluck was born in St. Louis, Missouri. As a teenager, he showed his art portfolio to Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston during their book tour for Bambi: The Story and the Film. They encouraged him to apply to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).[1] After being accepted, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Character Animation from CalArts. His second-year student film Man's Best Friend was awarded the Walter Lantz Animation Prize[2] at the CalArts Producers Show, where he thanked Thomas and Johnston personally. The film later premiered on MTV's network[3] and screened theatrically as part of the Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation.
Career
[edit]Upon graduating from CalArts, Gluck joined Walt Disney Feature Animation, contributing to multiple theatrical films and later serving as Head of Story and Director on studio releases, including Bambi II, Piglet's Big Movie, and the Annie Award-winning Brother Bear II.[4][5][6][7]
After Disney, Gluck pursued opportunities to tell new kinds of stories in animation,[8] becoming Head of Story on the Tim Burton-produced 9 for Focus Features. The film was praised by Roger Ebert for its ambition and tone and contrasted with the works of Hayao Miyazaki.[9]
In 2010, Gluck directed Alpha and Omega, launching a franchise distributed by Lionsgate Family Entertainment that grossed over $50.0 million worldwide and became the studio’s highest-grossing original animated franchise.[10]
Gluck later played a key role in revitalizing the Peanuts franchise, serving as senior creative and Head of Story for Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (2021), the first new Peanuts holiday special in eighteen years, and Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love. The latter was noted for breaking new ground with its inclusion of LGBTQ families[11][12] and was the first in the franchise to receive a Humanitas Prize nomination.[13] Both specials were produced for Apple TV+ and marked a new chapter in the expansion of Peanuts programming.[14]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Credits | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love | Head of Story | Children's and Family Emmy-Nominee. Humanitarian Award-Nominee. Kidscreen Award-Winner: Best Holiday Special. |
| 2021 | Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne | Head of Story | Annie Award-Nominee: Best Animated Special Production |
| 2016 | Madea's Tough Love | Story Editor | Dove "Family Approved Seal” Award-Recipient |
| 2013 | Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet | Storyboard Artist | Visionary Award-Winner |
| 2010 | Alpha and Omega | Director | Annie Award-nominee: Best Animated Feature |
| 2010 | Yogi Bear | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2009 | 9 | Head of Story | VES Award-Nominee: Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture |
| 2006 | Brother Bear II | Director | Annie Award-Winner: Best Screenplay |
| 2006 | Bambi II | Head of Story | Annie Award-Winner: Best Home Entertainment Production |
| 2004 | Home on the Range | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2003 | Piglet's Big Movie | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2001 | The Emperor's New Groove | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2000 | Dinosaur | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2000 | Clerks (TV) Season 1/Episode 2: Wherein Dante and Randle are Locked in the Freezer | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2000 | Rugrats (TV) Season 8/Episode 3: Don't Poop On My Parade | Storyboard Artist | Daytime Emmy Award-Winner |
| 1998 | The Prince of Egypt | Storyboard Artist | |
| 1998 | Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation Man's Best Friend | ||
| 1996 | MTV's Cartoon Sushi Man's Best Friend |
Director / Creator | Walter Lantz Award-Winner |
Television
[edit]- Rugrats (TV) (2000)
- Clerks (TV) (2001)
- MTV's Cartoon Sushi's Man's Best Friend (1998)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Animation Magazine October 2010".
- ^ "CalArts Magazine Fall/Winter 2009". Issuu.
- ^ "Ben Gluck - Mafab.hu". Mafab.hu.
- ^ "Brother Bear 2 Due at Month's End". 15 August 2006.
- ^ "Disney to axe Sydney studio". 26 July 2005.
- ^ "Animation Magazine September 2006".
- ^ "Disney bets on Piglet's prospects". February 19, 2002.
- ^ "Animation Magazine October 2010".
- ^ Ebert, Roger (2009-09-09). "9". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ^ "Alpha and Omega (2010) – Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
- ^ "Peanuts Mother's Day Special Declares 'Some Kids Even Have 2 Moms'". The Christian Post. May 9, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
- ^ "New Peanuts Special Has LGBT Message: 'Some Kids Even Have 2 Moms'". Crosswalk. May 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
- ^ "46th Annual Humanitas Prizes Winners & Nominee Watchlist". September 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
- ^ "Apple TV+ Unveils Exciting Kids and Family Slate Featuring All-New Peanuts Specials".