8/19/2005

in

Pixar animator and writer Joe Ranft dies in a car accident.

Michelle Vaccaro

Pixar animator Joe Ranft, the man behind Toy Story, died on Tuesday in a car accident in Mendocino County, California. Ranft was driving down the highway when his car veered off the road and plummeted down a cliff. Another passenger also died, while another managed to escape.  
  
The 45-year-old Ranft was nominated for an Oscar for Disney's animated film, Toy Story, which he co-wrote. Ranft also co-wrote Disney classics The Lion King, A Bugs Life, and Beauty and the Beast. He was head of the story department at Pixar. He also provided voices for some of the films. He was the voice of Wheezy the Penguin in Toy Story 2, Heimlich in A Bug's Life, and Jacques the French fish in Finding Nemo.  
  
Ranft's last film, Cars, will be released June 9, 2006.