{{Short description|American animator, director and producer}} {{Infobox person | name = Rusty Mills | image = | imagesize = | caption = | birth_name = Russell P. Mills | birth_date = {{birth_date|1962|12|16}} | birth_place = Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = {{death_date and age|2012|12|7|1962|12|16}} | death_place = California, U.S. | occupation = Animator, director, producer | years_active = 1980–2012 | spouse = Andrea Mills | children = 1 | parents = }}
'''Russell P. "Rusty" Mills''' (c. December 16, 1962 – December 7, 2012) was an American animator, director and producer. A Primetime Emmy winner, Mills was best known for his work with Warner Bros. Animation, including ''Animaniacs'', ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', and ''Pinky and the Brain''.<ref name=variety>{{cite news|title=Rusty Mills, director on Warner animated series, dies at 49 - Credits include 'Animaniacs,' 'Pinky and the Brain' |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118063382/ |work=Variety |date=2012-12-10 |access-date=2012-12-31}}</ref><ref name=wsj>{{cite news|first=Melissa|last=Hall|title=Rusty Mills, film animator, dies at 49 |url=http://www.journalnow.com/news/elections/local/article_cae3a648-41ba-11e2-bb54-001a4bcf6878.html |work=Winston-Salem Journal |date=2012-12-08 |access-date=2012-12-31}}</ref> Mills was a five time Emmy winner, receiving one Primetime Emmy and four Daytime Emmy awards.<ref name=variety/><ref name=wsj/>
==Early life and career== Mills, a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school in 1980.<ref name=wsj/> He then completed his studies at California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles after high school.<ref name=variety/><ref name=wsj/> He worked as a freelance animator following college before joining Warner Bros. Animation, where he worked for approximately ten years.<ref name=wsj/> His production credits with Warner Bros. included ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and ''Animaniacs'', which he worked on directly with Steven Spielberg one of the show's producers.<ref name=wsj/>
In 1996, Mills won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas," a Christmas episode of the animated television series, ''Pinky and the Brain'', which aired in December 1995.<ref name=variety/> Mills had directed that particular holiday episode of the series. During his career, Mills also won four Daytime Emmys and received eight Emmy nominations.<ref name=variety/>
Mills' additional television animated credits included ''Garfield's Thanksgiving'' in 1989, ''Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain'', ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse'', ''Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman'', ''Pink Panther and Pals'', and ''The Replacements''.<ref name=variety/> His last credited work was for the 2011 animated television special, ''A Very Pink Christmas'', with the ''Pink Panther''.<ref name=variety/>
==Death== Mills died from colon cancer on December 7, 2012, at the age of 49.<ref name=wsj/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Animator Rusty Mills Dies at 49 |url=https://www.awn.com/news/animator-rusty-mills-dies-49 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Animation Veteran Rusty Mills Dies at 49 |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2012/12/animation-veteran-rusty-mills-dies-at-49/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Animation Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Beck |first=Jerry |date=2012-12-08 |title=Rusty Mills, RIP |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/animators/rusty-mills-rip-74001.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Cartoon Brew |language=en-US}}</ref> He is survived by his wife, Andrea; son, Evan; his mother, Janet Mills; and sister, Linda Hough.<ref name=variety/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0589278|name=Rusty Mills}} [https://www.awn.com/blog/wiala-joins-community-help-rusty-mills WIA/LA Joins Community To Help Rusty Mills]
{{Annie Award for Storyboarding in a Feature Production}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Rusty}} Category:1962 births Category:2012 deaths Category:American animated film directors Category:American animated film producers Category:American television directors Category:American television producers Category:Annie Award winners Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in California Category:California Institute of the Arts alumni Category:University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni Category:People from Winston-Salem, North Carolina Category:Warner Bros. Animation people Category:Animators from North Carolina