Oscar winning animator Richard Williams passed away on Friday at his home in Bristol, according to his family. He was 86 years old.
The Canadian-British animator, voice actor, and writer was suffering from cancer leading up to his death, but his daughter reportedly said Williams was "animating and writing until 6pm that day."
It's a testament to his storied and legendary career in which he worked on hit films including Who Framed Roger Rabbit, A Christmas Carol, and Pink Panther. In his career, he won three Oscars and three Bafta awards.
As animation director of the 1988 blockbuster Who Framed Roger Rabbit — having created characters such as Roger and Jessica Rabbit — Williams won two Oscars and a Bafta. He won his first Bafta for his first short film, The Little Island, in 1958. His first Oscar was for his work on the animated adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in 1971.
Williams also animated the title secquences for the 1970s comedy classics The Return of the Pink Panther and The Pink Panther Strikes Again. He also worked on 1967's Casino Royale.