California Raisins Creator Will Vinton Dies at 70

Academy Award-winning claymation animator Will Vinton passed away this morning, according to a [...]

Academy Award-winning claymation animator Will Vinton passed away this morning, according to a social media post made by his children.

Vinton is known for animating series like The PJs, though he might be best known for creating beloved '80s mascots like the California Raisins and Domino's Pizza's The Noid.

Vinton was 70 years old, fighting multiple myeloma for 12 years before falling to his illness.

He was the founder of Will Vinton Studios, located in Oregon, and he was referred to as "the Godfather of Portland animation" according to a report from KVAL 13.

He is the subject of the upcoming documentary Welcome to My Daydream, which was funded through a Kickstarter campaign that wrapped up last year. The movie has not yet been released.

Vinton oversaw his studio for decades Nike founder Phil Knight became a major investor in the company and forced him out. The studio has since become Laika, the animation house responsible for The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings, and is now run by Knight's son Travis Knight.

There will be a gathering of friends and family to celebrate Vinton's life and legacy in Portland on October 21st. The family requested that remembrances be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

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