Disney Loses Animation VP Pam Coats

Published November 12, 2004

By C. W. Oberleitner

Shortly after our story "Is the Sky About to Fall (Again) at WDFA?" appeared in the Tuesday edition of o-meon, we began to receive a series of emails informing us that Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA) President, David Stainton, had fired Mulan producer, Pam Coats.

Head Butting

Burbank - Pam Coats, Executive Vice President Creative Affairs WDFA, was released this week from her contract with The Walt Disney Company.

One reader responded:

Pam Coats has left or was asked to leave Disney Feature Animation. She's been replaced by Susan Butterworth."

A former Disney animator wrote:

I heard it from several sources. I think one was from former Union President, Tom Sito. I also heard from friends back in New York, DreamWorks Animation here in town, and friends at Pixar. So it seems pretty consistent.

I believe someone posted a letter by David Stainton to the staff of Feature Animation that Pam Coats had moved on. It didn't surprise me. I felt her days were numbered anyway. Disney Feature Animation has been drifting for about two years.

A writer and observer of Disney animation offered the following:

She (Coats) and Stainton have been battling for quite some time. She's gone head to head with him over various issues, mostly over quality, for quite some time.

This is his way of clearing the field of potential replacements.

From Mickey and Mulan to Woody and Buzz

Coats began her career at The Walt Disney Company in 1989 with an entry-level position on The Rescuers Down Under. Following the production of Rescuers, she was promoted to associate production manager. In 1991, she was promoted again to the position of production manager for the Development Department.

Coats became a producer after transferring to WDFA-Florida, where she oversaw the Roger Rabbit short Trail Mix-Up. In 1993, she went on to produce the film Mulan. She was also the executive producer of the 1995 Mickey Mouse short, Runaway Brain.

In 1998, Coats returned to California following her promotion to Executive Vice President Creative Affairs for WDFA. In this position, she was responsible for shepherding all phases of story development. This included purchasing new material, developing in-house material, supporting and hiring key creative artists and above-the-line talent. As head of development, she oversaw the release of Disney feature animated films Tarzan, Dinosaur, Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis, Lilo and Stitch, Treasure Planet, Brother Bear, and Home on the Range, along with the Disney/Pixar productions of Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo.

No Comment

Prior to press time, the Walt Disney Company was repeatedly contacted regarding Coats departure. Disney representatives freely acknowledged that Coats would be leaving the company; however, repeated calls for copies of an official statement regarding her departure were not returned.

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Former Executive Vice President Creative Affairs Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pam Coats.