His early film career was fueled by almost unbelievable good luck, but it's his talent and originality that have kept him at the top of the Hollywood tree. Tim Burton began drawing at an early age, going on to attend the California Institute of the Arts, studying animation after being awarded a fellowship from Disney, for whom he went on to work. Although he found that the mainstream Disney films he worked on (The Fox and the Hound) were far removed from his own sensibility, Disney let him have the freedom to work on his own personal projects, the six-minute animated black-and-white Gothic Vincent Price tribute Vincent, and the 27-minute live-action Frankenweenie, which was judged unsuitable for children and never released. However, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) saw it and decided that Burton, still only in his mid-twenties, would be the ideal person to direct his feature debut, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. An enormous (and surprise) box-office hit, it led to the supernatural comedy Beetle Juice, which in turn led to Burton being entrusted with the reins on the hugely expensive Batman. Although his least personal film, it was one of the most successful films of all time, and gave him unprecedented power in Hollywood considering the originality and adventurousness of his work thus far. Edward Scissorhands, another hit, saw him at the peak of his creative powers and established a fruitful working relationship with actor Johnny Depp. Batman Returns was a far darker and quirkier film than the original, a reflection of how much creative freedom Burton had won (though Warner Bros were reputedly unhappy with the final result). And although Ed Wood, his loving tribute to the life and work of the legendary Worst Director of All Time, Edward D. Wood Jr., was a box-office disaster, it garnered some of the best reviews of Burton's career, and suggests that he'll continue dazzling audiences for many years to come.


At the end of Beetle Juice (1988), Beetlejuice metamorphoses into a bizarre creature with a merry-go-round on his head. On the top of this merry-go-round is a smiling skull which became Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). The latter movie had been a pet project of Burton's since his days as an animator at Disney. Credits his former fiancée, Lisa Marie, as his muse. She is often in his projects (Ed Wood (1994), Mars Attacks! (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The World of Stainboy (2000), Planet of the Apes (2001)) or is paid homage in them (she was the inspiration for The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)'s Sally). Used the song "It's Not Unusual", performed by Tom Jones, in Edward Scissorhands (1990) and then in Mars Attacks! (1996). Is a "Bollywood" fan. Usually dresses in black, because he doesn't like spending too much time matching colors. Was voted the 49th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly, being the youngest director on this list of 50. Among his cinematic influences are Mario Bava, Vincent Price, Roger Corman and Barbara Steele whom he homaged in Sleepy Hollow (1999). He once said he never remembers his dreams, apart from five recurring dreams, one of them involving the girl he was in love with when he was a teenager and another involving his parents' bedroom. Has made seven films with Johnny Depp: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010). Is a big fan of Italian director Mario Bava. He once said he would like to remake Bava's classic La maschera del demonio (1960) with his former partner Lisa Marie. He also appeared in two documentaries about Bava. Grew up in Burbank on Evergreen Street, and his family lived in the 2000 block, near Valhalla Cemetary. Attended Providencia Elementary School in Burbank, California. Was slated to direct The Fly (1986) with Michael Keaton in the lead role, but he backed out and David Cronenberg took over. Is scheduled to direct the Broadway musical version of his film Batman (1989). While at WDFA, he shared an office with Andreas Deja. Johnny Depp is a godfather of his son Billy Ray Burton. Engaged to Helena Bonham Carter [2001-present] 2 children. Has his look-alike puppet in the French show "Les guignols de l'info" (1988).