John Coates 1927-2012

John Coates, the animator best known for his work on the TV special The Snowman, has died aged 85. He was not just a great animator but also well liked by everyone who knew him. I only met him once - last year at the Annecy animation festival, when we were briefly introduced. He seemed an exceptionally genial and kind individual.

Below is a clip from The Snowman, the famous "Walking in the Air" sequence, for which he is perhaps best known and remembered by a whole generation of children in Britain, including me.
--- Alex