Tim Burton used to take a bus to the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a kid growing up in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.
On Tuesday, the innovative filmmaker, who made his directing debut in 1985 with 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure," was honored Tuesday with his own Walk of Fame star.
One of Hollywood's most imaginative filmmakers, who brought characters like Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice to the big screen, was recognized in a ceremony at 6600 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Hollywood Toys & Costume. Actors Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton spoke at the unveiling of the star in the category of Motion Pictures.
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"When I met you, I was a weird kid," Ryder said Tuesday. "You make being a weird girl not just OK, but something to celebrate and even kind of cool.
"To work with Tim is like being invited to wander through his heart and imagination."
Born in Burbank, Burton's credits include "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," his 1985 directorial debut, "Beetlejuice" (1988), "Batman" (1989), "Batman Returns" (1992), the cult favorite "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), "Corpse Bride" (2005), "Frankenweenie" (2012), "Edward Scissorhands" (1990) and many more films.
This is very special to me. As a child I used to come down here from Burbank on the bus -- no adults. In fact, I was young enough to think these things (stars) were actually gravestones when I first came down here."
--Tim Burton
"Thank you so much," Burton told the crowd gathered on a warm and sunny day in Hollywood. "This is very special to me. As a child I used to come down here from Burbank on the bus -- no adults. In fact, I was young enough to think these things (stars) were actually gravestones when I first came down here."
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," the sequel to the 1988 original, opens Sept. 6 in theaters nationwide. The film will star "Wednesday" actor Jenna Ortega, Ryder and Keaton.
Burton grew up in the San Fernando Valley, where his mother owned a cat-themed gift shop and his father worked for the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department. He drew cartoons and enjoyed watching Vincent Price horror films. In ninth grade, a sanitation company featured one of his designs on an anti-litter poster.
A young Burton created short films in his backyard, using stop motion animation techniques or shooting on 8 mm film without sound. After high school, Burton attended the California Institute of the Arts.
A 90-second pencil-drawn animated film he made as a CalArts student in 1979, "Stalk of the Celery Monster," attracted the attention of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, who offered him an animator's apprenticeship. Burton directed his first professional short in 1982 while at Disney, "Vincent," a 6-minute black-and-white stop motion film based on a poem he wrote and narrated by his hero, Vincent Price.
During his time with Disney, Burton also directed the 1983 kung fu-inspired short film adaptation of "Hansel and Gretel" and the 1984 live- action short film "Frankenweenie," which he remade as a feature-length stop motion film in 2012.
Burton shared an Oscar nomination with Mike Johnson in 2006 for best animated feature film for "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride," which he directed with Johnson. Burton was also nominated in the category in 2013 for "Frankenweenie."
Burton was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2023 for outstanding directing for a comedy series for an episode of "Wednesday." Burton is among the show's executive producers.
