Sunday, July 18, 2010

Pres Romanillos, RIP

Pres (on the left) one month ago.

When a good friend of Pres Romanillos's called from the City of Hope late last week to say Pres was going home, I knew it wasn't a good sign. Pres had been tenaciously fighting a recurrence of leukemia, and lately he'd had setbacks. On Saturday night, the fight ended ...

Priscillano A. Romanillos came into the animation industry in the late 1980s, at a time the cartoon business was undergoing a Renaissance. Starting as a trainee at Disney Feature Animation on The Little Mermaid, his career grew like a Sequoia. Within a few years he became one of the top animators in the biz, animating on a string of Disney and DreamWorks Animation hits, swinging from hand-drawn to digital production with relative ease. His last feature film, completed this Spring, was Shrek Forever After.

Pres was always kind, always enthusiastic, always willing to reach out. (He and his wife Jeannine were "parents" to a large menagerie of dogs and cats that they had rescued from various shelters.) If there was anyone in this whacky business who deserved another twenty or thirty years of artistic success, Pres was at or near the top of the list.

He was 47. And one more reason I don't believe in the word "fair" when I contemplate this mist of tears.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Devastating news. My heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.

:'(

Anonymous said...

It is a loss for whole community. We all became his friends and family. I will never forget what I witnessed; virtually an entire industry united in an attempt to save one life-an incredible expression of compassion and humanity. Although we are all devastated that he didn't make it, at the very least, he left us knowing how loved and supported he was. It's a small consolation, perhaps, but a blessing, nevertheless.

robster16 said...

Allthough I don't know him personally I'm deeply saddened by this news. His work dazzled, amazed and inspired me to try and push my own work to a higher level. All I can do is send my heartfelt condolences to all his family, friends and loved ones.

Anonymous said...

This is indeed sad news! My condolences to his family and friends!
RIP, Pres!

Jeff Massie said...

A statement from Kevin Koch, via Pres-Aid.com.

Anonymous said...

We Love You Pres.
You shall always be missed.

Anonymous said...

An inspiration to all artists. Incredibly talented! Will be sorely missed!!

Anonymous said...

heartbroken

Jeff Massie said...

The Los Angeles Times obit, by Charles Solomon (who introduced him at Pres-Aid, in the picture at the top of this thread).

Anonymous said...

Pres was such a beautiful spirit and god knew that and he wanted Pres to walk by his side! Pres is not done .. He has only began a new journey!

Anonymous said...

RIP Pres

Very sad indeed.

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