JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Stop-Motion Animation Pioneer Eli Noyes, Known For Clay And Sand Techniques, Passes Away At 81
Noyes leaves behind a legacy of creativity and innovation, remembered not only for his technical prowess but also for his contributions to storytelling and animation artistry.
Renowned animator Eli Noyes, acclaimed for his groundbreaking contributions to stop-motion filmmaking through innovative techniques involving clay and sand, has passed away at the age of 81.
Noyes died Saturday of complications from prostate cancer at his home in San Francisco, and the news of his demise was confirmed by Toy Story producer Guggenheim. The two created Alligator Planet in 2003 to create film, print, and media works.
Amid the passing of the clay and sand pioneer, here’s a look back at his legacy.
Eli Noyes — Early Life and Career
Eli Noyes was born Eliot Fette Noyes Jr. on October 18, 1942, in Amherst, Massachusetts, to noted Harvard Five architect Eliot Noyes and his wife, interior designer Molly Duncan Weed Noyes.
As an undergraduate student at Harvard University, Noyes received an Oscar nomination for his 8-minute animated film Clay or the Origin of Species (1965), which established clay-stop animation as a genre. This would later influence the work of Wallace & Gromit creators Peter Lord and David Sproxton.
After leaving college, Noyes and Claudia Weil co-directed non-animated documentaries, including This is Home of Mrs. Levant Graham, which chronicled the life of a black family in a slum apartment in Washington, D.C., and Aspen: 1970, which revolved around a generational clash of architects. 
In 1973 and 1976, respectively, Noyes utilized sand animation for Sandman and pixelated stop motion for Peanut Butter and Jelly in his other two short films.
In 1988, the animator joined Colossal Picture, known for its special effects and animation techniques. There, Noyes created Ruff’s Bone, a groundbreaking interactive CD-ROM product for Broderbund Software, in 1994.
Noyes and his family moved to San Francisco in 1991, where Noyes worked on interactive projects at Pixar, and with Disney Channel and Imagineers programmers to create Zoog Disney, an afternoon programming block for kids that combined TV and the internet.
At his aforementioned Alligator Planet, Noyes was the animation director on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Paper (2009).
Personal Life and Filmography
Eli Noyes is survived by his wife, Augusta; children, Issac and Abigail; and granddaughter, Esme.
Noyes’ other notable works include Sesame Street, The Fable of He and She, Sandman, Eureeka’s Castle, Liquid Television, and more.
ALSO READ: 'He's Frustrated': King Charles' Nephew Says Monarch Isn’t Happy With Pace Of His Cancer Recovery
FAQ
Latest Articles
