Aurelius Battaglia was an American illustrator, writer, and director. The son of Italian immigrants, he began his professional illustration career as a caricaturist before being recognized for his talent and hired by Walt Disney Studios in 1937. There he contributed to such famous animated films as┬аDumbo, Fantasia, and Pinocchio, the latter of which he is also credited as one of the writers for. In addition to his work in animation, he was also a prolific childrenтАЩs book illustrator from 1947 until the end of his life. He died in 1984.