Benjamin Gluck
Ben Gluck | |
|---|---|
Gluck (left) with Frank Thomas | |
| Born | Benjamin Gluck |
| Other names | Ben Gluck |
| Alma mater | California Institute of the Arts |
| Occupations | storyboard artist, head of story, screenwriter, director. |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Known for | Peanuts, Alpha and Omega, 9, Walt Disney Animation Studios . |
Ben Gluck is an American animation director, screenwriter, story editor, and story artist. He has worked as a senior creative in story development on various animated films and television specials, and has directed for studios such as Disney and Lionsgate.
Early life
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, Gluck earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Character Animation from CalArts. Gluck's second year student film Man's Best Friend was awarded the Walter Lantz Animation Prize[2] at the CalArts Producers Show, where Gluck thanked Thomas and Johnson personally. His film premiered on MTV's network,[3] and was screened in theaters as part of the Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation.
Career
Upon graduating from CalArts, Gluck immediately obtained a job as a storyboard and visual development artist at Walt Disney Feature Animation. Gluck contributed to several theatrical films, including Dinosaur, The Emperor's New Groove, and Home on the Range. Prior to Disney, Gluck was part of DreamWorks Animation's first story internship, working on The Prince of Egypt.
Gluck transitioned to Disneytoon Studios where he was Head of Story for Bambi II and helped adapt A.A. Milne's The House at Pooh Corner into Piglet's Big Movie both of which received theatrical releases.[4] Gluck also directed the Annie Award-winning film Brother Bear II.[5][6][7]
After Disney, Gluck pursued opportunities to tell new kinds of stories told in animation.[8] He became Head of Story on the Tim Burton-produced 9 for Focus Features, contributing to character development and overseeing the story animatic. Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four, contrasting it with the works of Hayao Miyazaki and saying that "the visuals are entrancing.[9]" Gluck was also a segment storyboard artist on the acclaimed adaptation of Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet.
He directed the first film in the Alpha and Omega franchise, launched in 2010, is an animated film series distributed by Lionsgate. The original film grossed approximately $50.5 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, making it Lionsgate Family Entertainment's highest-grossing original animated franchise.[10]
Gluck played a key role in revitalizing the Peanuts franchise, serving as senior creative and head of the story department, for the Peanuts holiday special Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (2021), the first new Peanuts holiday special in eighteen years. In this capacity, he reshaped the plot, giving Lucy a more introspective characterization. Chuck Wilson from The Village Voice wrote that this approach brought "freshness" to the character, saying that "Lucy is transformed from a character of nostalgia into a girl as self-reflective and searching as any young person watching the special might be."[11]
He also served as senior creative, head of the story department, for Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love, where he oversaw the narrative development. This special "broke new ground by including a message about LGBT families."[12][13] It was nominated for a Humanitas Prize.[14]Both specials were produced by Apple TV+, and were followed by the platforms continued expansion of new Peanuts programming.[15]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Credits | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love | head of story | Humanitarian Award nominee. Kidscreen Award Winner: Best Holiday Special. Children's and Family Emmy nominee. |
| 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 |
| 2013 | Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet | storyboard artist | The Visionary Award |
| 2012 | Battle of the Planets | director | |
| 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: Best Screenplay |
| 2006 | Bambi II | head of story | Annie Award: Best Home Entertainment Production |
| 2004 | Home on the Range | storyboard artist | |
| 2003 | Piglet's Big Movie | story by/ 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 |
| 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 |
creator | Walter Lantz Award |
Television
- Rugrats (TV) (2000)
- Clerks (TV) (2001)
- MTV's Cartoon Sushi's Man's Best Friend (1998)
See also
- Modern animation in the United States
- Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Disney and LGBT representation in animation
References
- ^ "Animation Magazine October 2010".
- ^ "CalArts Magazine Fall/Winter 2009". Issuu.
- ^ "Ben Gluck - Mafab.hu". Mafab.hu.
- ^ "Disney bets on Piglet's prospects". February 19, 2002.
- ^ "Brother Bear 2 Due at Month's End". 15 August 2006.
- ^ "Disney to axe Sydney studio". 26 July 2005.
- ^ "Animation Magazine September 2006".
- ^ "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.
- ^ "It's Lucy's Party in New Peanuts 'For Auld Lang Syne' Holiday Special". 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021.
- ^ "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". Apple TV+ Press. Apple Inc. May 31, 2023. Retrieved 2025-11-30.