A background painter, color stylist, and concept designer, Claude Coats worked with The Walt Disney Company for over 50 years. Known as the "gentle giant" because of his towering stature -- he was 6 feet, 6 1/8 inches-tall -- Coats worked on some of Disney Studio's most iconic animated features and helped bring Disneyland, Disney World, and other parks to life.
Coats was born on January 17, 1913 in San Francisco, California and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1934. After studying at the Chouinard Art Institute Coats joined The Walt Disney Studios in 1935.