
Timothy Walter "Tim" Burton (1958-present) is an American director, visual-artist, animator, producer and film-maker known for his gothic and dark-fantasy films. He was born in Glendale, California and spent time as an animator for Walt Disney Studios before he was forced to leave due to making the short film, Frankenweenie (1984), which they thought was to dark and scary, they even refused to use his artwork designs for the film, The Black Cauldron (1985), and for his dissatisfaction with the traditional Disney art-style. After leaving the studio he was invited by actor Paul Reubens to direct the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), the cinematic debut of Reubens' fictional persona, "Pee-Wee Herman" with Reubens having invited Burton due to him liking Frankenweenie. Thanks to this film, Burton came to find success as a director and later producer with him making several hit-films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), and Corpse Bride (2005), as well as the 2005 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Haunted Mansion Connections[]
Tim Burton's original character Jack Skellington from his poem The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as the movie it was based on has several cameos within the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World. Some of these are in the forms of books which would imply that they might be hard-covers of the poem in some form, likely making there be an in-universe form of Burton who would be one of the, "Greatest ghost story writers" mentioned by the Ghost Host in the library scene.
Haunted Mansion Holiday/Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare[]
The overlays of Haunted Mansion Holiday in Disneyland and its counterpart in Tokyo Disneyland are both based on the Nightmare Before Christmas, both the poem and its 1993 film adaptation directed by Henry Sellick while executive-produced and written by Burton. Additionally, the tombstone of Sparky from Frankenweenie is integrated into the Pet Cemetery during this seasonal overlay. A tribute to Burton himself can be found in the attic on the, "Naughty or Nice" list found in the snake's mouth which has, "Timmy B." listed on it.
Development History[]
In the 1990s, several tombstones for the Pet Cemetery were designed and integrated into Disneyland's Haunted Mansion which were visually inspired by tombstones designed by Burton for the Nightmare Before Christmas and Frankenweenie. In 2011, Michael Keaton's performance as the psychotic ghost Betelgeuse from Burton's 1988 dark-comedy Beetlejuice was cited as an influence in the Magic Kingdom's characterization of Ezra the hitchhiking ghost.
Assorted[]
Tim Burton's work was cited as an influence in developing the Haunted Mansion comics for Disney Kingdoms.
The spinoff book series Tales from the Haunted Mansion features a character named Tim Maitland, named for the Maitlands from Beetlejuice. Much like how the film characters start the story, Tim and his friends are ghosts that do not realize they have died.
Burton's portrayal of the armour hall of Wayne Manor in his 1989 film Batman is also believed to be an influence behind the Armour Hall of Gracey Manor in the 2003 film adaptation of the Haunted Mansion. Tim Burton attended the opening of Haunted Mansion Holiday and apparently loved it so much that he rid the ride several times and bought all of the overlay's merchandise.