Prolific international animation figure who toiled for 20 years in the field, working in the US, Canada, and Japan, before making his feature directing debut with a bona fide Disney blockbuster, "The Lion King" (1994). Allers has covered the cartoon bases, serving variously as an art director, storyboard artist, character designer, story man, animator, and animation director. He did animation for "Rock & Rule" (1983), a musical feature from the Toronto-based Nelvana Studios, and provided character design, preliminary animation and story development for the lavish Japanese-produced "Little
Became interested in animation upon seeing Disney's "Peter Pan" at age 5
Sent off to Disneyland for a do-it-yourself animation kit
Discouraged by the death of Walt Disney, gave up his goal of animation while in high school
After receiving his fine arts degree, spent two years traveling and living in Greece; devoted himself to drawing, spent some time living in a cave, and met his future wife
