So today on our podcast, we continue our story about the person who many believe was Walt Disney's

favorite artist. Mary Blair would have two periods of deep connection with the Disney company,

both for animation and then later for the parks. We are now moving into and then through that first period, where her work would help

define many Disney films.

In our last episode, we looked at the last big stretch of work for both Mary and her husband

Lee during World War II.

And today we'll explore how Mary's life was remade after the war.

So, if you're ready, let's go.

By the start of summer, 1945, most Americans understood that the war with Japan was coming to an end.

On August 6th, the U.S. Army Air Force detonated an atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

Three days later, another over Nagasaki.

Within days, Japan announced its surrender and on September

2nd, terms were formalized when Japanese officials signed an instrument of surrender on the USS

Missouri stationed in Tokyo Bay. For Mary, the end of the war, meant that Lee would soon be discharged from the Navy,

though the process would take months. During this time, Lee considered his career options. He was

deciding between studio work in California, or starting his own firm to make industrial

documentaries and training films, films much

like he had made for the Navy.

He sent a letter to Walt asking about his job possibilities.

He also discussed opening his own business with one or two fellow officers.

He was pretty sure he would take one of these two paths,

though he didn't yet know which. Out in California, Mary's career continued to expand beyond the

...