When the very first animated films appeared, there were no directors. With no actors, sets, costumes, or sound, what appeared on-screen was simply decided and drawn by one or two artists, with little need for planning. But as Walt Disney refined and improved the quality of the films he made, his staff grew to include hundreds of specialized artists, all of whom needed to know what they were making and how their part contributed to the overall. While Walt himself did this in his early films, the need to track the hundreds of details and creative decisions soon mandated a separate and distinct role. And as Walt’s interests grew to include live action, television, and theme parks, he relied more and more on these lieutenants to shape and guide his animated films. This book chronicles the progression of this unknown yet pivotal role from the 1920s through the 1970s.