Who directed Disney’s 1967 animated film The Jungle Book?

Wolfgang Reitherman directed Disney’s 1967 animated film The Jungle Book.

Known as “Woolie” Reitherman, he was one of Disney’s key animation directors and a member of the studio’s “Nine Old Men.” He directed or co-directed several important Disney features and became the sole credited director of The Jungle Book.

The film entered production while Walt Disney was still alive, but Disney died in December 1966, before its release. Reitherman therefore guided the completed production and helped shape the film’s energetic action, comic timing, and character-driven storytelling.

The Jungle Book was the final animated feature released during Walt Disney’s lifetime only in the sense that it was released after his death but developed under his supervision; it is more precisely remembered as the last Disney animated feature personally supervised by him. Reitherman later directed The Aristocats and Robin Hood, continuing the studio’s post-Disney feature tradition.