Multi-year agreement taps pair to produce and develop animated and live-action series and movies across Disney branded television.
(From L-R) Ralph Farquhar & Bruce W. Smith.
Disney has signed The Proud Family’s executive producers Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar to a wide-ranging, multiyear deal to produce animated and live-action series and movies for Disney Branded Television. They will work directly with Meredith Roberts, senior vice president/general manager, Television Animation, Disney Channels, and Ayo Davis, executive vice president, Creative Development and Strategy, Disney Branded Television. The agreement provides separate funding for Farquhar and Smith to find and develop emerging talent as well as leverage their combined experience to bring unique projects and voices to Disney.
The duo is well known for their track record including their work on the popular animated series The Proud Family. The enduring series features characters, stories, multilayered humor, and messages about inclusion and cultural diversity in a smart, modern way. All episodes are currently available on Disney+, home to the upcoming revival series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
“With virtually every studio and platform reaching out to them, it speaks volumes that talented storytellers Ralph and Bruce have chosen Disney as the home for their boundless creativity and inspired social commentary, not to mention their commitment to identifying emerging talent,” remarked Disney Branded Television president and CCO Gary Marsh. “We are proud to have them as members of our family.”
In a joint statement, Smith and Farquhar commented, “We are very happy to be continuing our relationship with Disney and look forward to creating even more truly authentic and diverse stories and characters for audiences worldwide. We are also excited to have the opportunity to bring along a new wave of talented voices that will deepen the connection to Disney storytelling for years to come.”
In addition to creating and executive producing The Proud Family, Smith served as one of three directors on the Academy Award-winning short Hair Love. A Walt Disney Animation Studios alumnus, he has supervised animation on feature films including The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Tarzan and The Emperor’s New Groove, and worked on visual development for Frozen and Wreck-It-Ralph.
Renowned for creating and executive producing the popular sitcom Moesha, Farquhar also created and executive produced South Central and The Parkers, and executive produced Real Husbands of Hollywood. His work also includes writing the cult classic, hip-hop feature film Krush Groove, supervising producer on Married… with Children, and writing for the ABC series Happy Days.
Source: Disney Branded Television
