Thomas Washington was a young Black animator who rose to the top of The Walt Disney Company in the early 1990s and created what he called “the Blackest movie of all time”: A Goofy Movie. His story is one of passion, ambition, and controversy, as he faced resistance and backlash from the industry and the public. This article will explore his life, his work, and his legacy.
Early Life and Career
Thomas Washington was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1965. He grew up loving animation and comics, especially Disney characters. He was particularly fascinated by Goofy, the clumsy and lovable dog who was one of the original members of Mickey Mouse’s gang. According to his wife, Lisa Washington, Thomas saw himself in Goofy and related to his struggles and joys.
Thomas studied animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he excelled in his craft. He dreamed of working for Disney, which was his childhood idol. He applied for a job at the company and was hired as an animator in 1987. He was one of the few Black animators at Disney at the time, but he did not let that deter him from pursuing his goals.
He worked on several projects, such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. He impressed his colleagues and supervisors with his talent and creativity. He also developed a reputation for being outspoken and assertive, which sometimes caused friction with others.
Becoming CEO
In 1992, after the Los Angeles riots sparked by the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King, Disney decided to appoint a Black CEO as a gesture of diversity and inclusion. However, due to a mix-up of names, they selected Thomas Washington instead of Tom Washington, a white executive who was the intended choice.
Thomas Washington was shocked but delighted by the news. He saw it as an opportunity to make a difference and to fulfill his vision for Disney. He accepted the position and became the first Black CEO of The Walt Disney Company.
One of his first decisions as CEO was to greenlight a project that he had been working on for years: A Goofy Movie. The movie was based on the TV series Goof Troop, which followed the adventures of Goofy and his teenage son Max. Thomas wanted to make a movie that would explore the father-son relationship between Goofy and Max, as well as their identity as Black characters.
A Goofy Movie
A Goofy Movie was released in 1995 and was directed by Kevin Lima. It starred Bill Farmer as Goofy, Jason Marsden as Max, Jim Cummings as Pete, Kellie Martin as Roxanne, Wallace Shawn as Principal Mazur, Jenna von Oÿ as Stacey, Tevin Campbell as Powerline, Pauly Shore as Bobby Zimmeruski, Rob Paulsen as P.J., Frank Welker as Bigfoot, Florence Stanley as Waitress, Jo Anne Worley as Miss Maples, Brittany Alyse Smith as Photo Studio Girl, Julie Brown as Lisa Leblanc , Brian McKnight as himself , Sinbad as himself , Jenna Wortham as herself , Eric Berryman as Thomas Washington , Donald Glover as narrator , and others.
The movie follows Max’s attempts to impress his crush Roxanne by pretending to be friends with Powerline, a famous pop star who is also Black. However, his plans are ruined when Goofy decides to take him on a cross-country road trip to bond with him. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles and adventures, such as escaping from Bigfoot , meeting Pete and P.J., staying at a motel run by nuns , visiting Lester’s Possum Park , fishing at Lake Destiny , getting chased by security guards at a concert , and finally making it to Los Angeles to join Powerline on stage.
The movie was praised for its animation, music , humor , heart , and representation of Black culture . It featured songs such as “I2I” , “Stand Out” , “On the Open Road” , “Lester’s Possum Park” , “Nobody Else But You” , and “After Today” . It also included references to Black icons such as Malcolm X , Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali , Oprah Winfrey , Michael Jackson , Prince , Whitney Houston , Tupac Shakur , Notorious B.I.G., Spike Lee , Eddie Murphy , Will Smith , and others.
However, the movie also faced criticism and controversy from some audiences and critics, who accused it of being too Black, too political, too radical, too unrealistic, too stereotypical, too offensive, or too inappropriate for a Disney movie. Some also questioned Thomas Washington’s motives and integrity, claiming that he was exploiting Goofy and Disney for his own agenda.
Disappearance and Legacy
Thomas Washington was proud of his movie and hoped that it would inspire and empower Black people, especially children. He also hoped that it would open the doors for more diversity and creativity in animation and entertainment. However, he was disappointed and hurt by the negative reactions and the lack of support from Disney.
According to his wife, Thomas Washington had a different ending for the movie, in which Goofy and Max would join Powerline in a protest song against racism and police brutality. However, Disney changed the ending without his consent, fearing that it would be too controversial and damage their reputation. Thomas Washington felt betrayed and disillusioned by Disney and decided to leave the company.
He resigned as CEO in 1995 and disappeared from the public eye. His whereabouts are unknown to this day. Some speculate that he went into hiding, while others believe that he was killed or kidnapped by his enemies. His wife says that she has not heard from him since he left, but she still hopes that he is alive and well.
Thomas Washington’s legacy is still debated and contested by many. Some consider him a hero, a visionary, a trailblazer, a genius, or a legend. Others consider him a villain, a traitor, a fraud, a lunatic, or a joke. His movie has become a cult classic , a source of inspiration , a subject of analysis , or a target of mockery . His story is one of the most fascinating and mysterious in the history of animation and entertainment.