Ruthie Tompson was a validated American supercentenarian known for her works as a camera technician and animation checker.
Ruthie Tompson was born on 22 July 1910 in Portland, Maine, United States.
The family lived down the street from Robert Disney, an uncle of Walt and Roy Disney. In 1923, the Disney brothers founded their first film studio nearby, which happened to be on her route to school. Walking past it each day, she would peer through a window, captivated by the animation work unfolding inside.
One day, Walt Disney noticed her and invited her inside to watch. Fascinated by the animation work, she would return to the studio many times afterward. In the 1920s, the studio was shooting the Alice Comedies, a series of silent shorts combining animation and live action. They sometimes enlisted neighborhood children as extras, including Ruthie, who appeared in several pictures and received 25 cents for each.
(Source: People.com)
Her duties in working in Disney involved cleaning dirt and dust from the finished cells. She was later promoted to final checker for the company, where she reviewed animation cells before they were photographed onto film.
In 1948, she was promoted to the dual role of animation checker and scene planner. In 1952, she became one of the first three women admitted into the International Photographers Union, Local 659 of the IATSE.
Ruthie Tompson passed away on 10 October 2021 in Woodland Hills, California, United States.
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