
Burnett "Burny" Mattinson was an American animator, director, producer, and story artist for Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he had been employed since 1953. Mattinson was honored as an inductee of the Disney Legends program in 2008. Mattinson was the longest serving employee of The Walt Disney Company, with a career that spanned almost 70 years.
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Biography from TMDB.
- May 13, 1935
- February 27, 2023 (aged 87)
- San Francisco, California, USA
- Writer, director and producer, also actor
- 24 on Motif · 25 credits in all
What are Burny Mattinson's films like?
Across their 16 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 14
Light 10 · Serious 4 · Dark 2
A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 8
Gentle 6 · Charged 9 · Intense 1
Steady 3 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 1
Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 4
A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1
Casual 14 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 10 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 2
Resolved 16 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy11
- Bittersweet5
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Burny Mattinson's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 24 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (21).
- The Lion King (1994) · writer
- Once Upon a Studio (2023) · actor
- Aladdin (1992) · writer
- Beauty and the Beast (1991) · writer
- Big Hero 6 (2014) · writer
- Mulan (1998) · writer
- Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) · director, writer, producer
- Robin Hood (1973) · animation
- Tarzan (1999) · writer
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) · animation
- Lady and the Tramp (1955) · animation
- The Fox and the Hound (1981) · writer
- +9 more
Subscription and free streaming for Burny Mattinson's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
25 credits, 24 with a Motif page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Wish(2023)
Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films
Once Upon a Studio(2023)
Motif score: 99th percentile of all films
Strange World(2022)
Motif score: 31st percentile of all films
Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

Big Hero 6(2014)
Motif score: 97th percentile of all films
Winnie the Pooh(2011)
Motif score: 87th percentile of all films
The Ballad of Nessie(2011)
Motif score: 75th percentile of all films
Motif score: 87th percentile of all films
Motif score: 70th percentile of all films
Tarzan(1999)
Motif score: 92nd percentile of all films
Mulan(1998)
Motif score: 97th percentile of all films
Motif score: 85th percentile of all films
Pocahontas(1995)
Motif score: 70th percentile of all films
The Lion King(1994)
Motif score: 99th percentile of all films
Aladdin(1992)
Motif score: 98th percentile of all films
Beauty and the Beast(1991)
Motif score: 98th percentile of all films
Motif score: 87th percentile of all films
The Black Cauldron(1985)
Motif score: 55th percentile of all films
Disney's Halloween Treat(1984)
Motif score: 94th percentile of all films
Mickey's Christmas Carol(1983)
Motif score: 97th percentile of all films
The Fox and the Hound(1981)
Motif score: 89th percentile of all films
The Rescuers(1977)
Motif score: 78th percentile of all films
Motif score: 92nd percentile of all films
Robin Hood(1973)
Motif score: 92nd percentile of all films
Lady and the Tramp(1955)
Motif score: 90th percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 22 titles from 1955 to 2023.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.
Awards
Nominated for an Oscar in 1984, Best Short Film, Animated.
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Burny Mattinson's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 90th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 87th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up19
- 50th to 74th3
- 25th to 49th1
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
12 of their 24 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved10
- Crowd Pleaser12
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the dialogue 66/100 and the plot and story 53/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Burny Mattinson's work okay for kids?
Across up to 11 Motif titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Burny Mattinson work with?
People who share at least 2 of Burny Mattinson's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ed Gombert shares the most, 6.
Directors
- Art StevensShared titles: The Black Cauldron (1985), Disney's Halloween Treat (1984), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 4 shared titles with Art Stevens

- Wolfgang ReithermanShared titles: Disney's Halloween Treat (1984), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 3 shared titles with Wolfgang Reitherman

- Ted BermanShared titles: The Black Cauldron (1985), Disney's Halloween Treat (1984), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 4 shared titles with Ted Berman
- Gary TrousdaleShared titles: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), The Lion King (1994), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 3 shared titles with Gary Trousdale

Writers
- Ed GombertShared titles: Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), Mulan (1998), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Pocahontas (1995), The Lion King (1994), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)See all 6 shared titles with Ed Gombert
- Vance GerryShared titles: The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Black Cauldron (1985), Disney's Halloween Treat (1984), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 5 shared titles with Vance Gerry

- Chris SandersShared titles: Mulan (1998), The Lion King (1994), Aladdin (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 4 shared titles with Chris Sanders

- Francis GlebasShared titles: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Pocahontas (1995), The Lion King (1994), Aladdin (1992)See all 4 shared titles with Francis Glebas

Actors
- Corey BurtonShared titles: How to Hook Up Your Home Theater (2007), Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), Aladdin (1992)See all 3 shared titles with Corey Burton

- David Ogden StiersShared titles: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Pocahontas (1995), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 3 shared titles with David Ogden Stiers

- Billy ConnollyShared titles: The Ballad of Nessie (2011), Pocahontas (1995)See all 2 shared titles with Billy Connolly

- Bill FarmerShared titles: How to Hook Up Your Home Theater (2007), Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Bill Farmer

Composers and editors
- James MeltonShared titles: Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Black Cauldron (1985), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 6 shared titles with James Melton
- Alan MenkenShared titles: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Pocahontas (1995), Aladdin (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 4 shared titles with Alan Menken

- Armetta Jackson-HamlettShared titles: Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), The Black Cauldron (1985), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)See all 3 shared titles with Armetta Jackson-Hamlett
- Ellen KenesheaShared titles: Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 3 shared titles with Ellen Keneshea
Producers
- Ron MillerShared titles: The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Black Cauldron (1985), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Rescuers (1977)See all 5 shared titles with Ron Miller

- Don HahnShared titles: Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), The Lion King (1994), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 4 shared titles with Don Hahn

- John LasseterShared titles: The Ballad of Nessie (2011), How to Hook Up Your Home Theater (2007), Beauty and the Beast (1991)See all 3 shared titles with John Lasseter

- Peter DenommeShared titles: The Ballad of Nessie (2011), How to Hook Up Your Home Theater (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Peter Denomme

Mixed roles
- Roger AllersShared titles: The Lion King (1994), Aladdin (1992)See all 2 shared titles with Roger Allers
