Catmull

Catmull is a surname. It is most commonly associated with Edwin E. Catmull, an American computer scientist and co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, who has been a leading figure in computer graphics and animation. Catmull co-founded Pixar in 1986 and later served as president of Pixar and, after its integration with Disney, of Walt Disney Animation Studios. His work helped establish Pixar’s reputation for combining technical innovation with storytelling.

One of Catmull’s enduring technical legacies is the Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces algorithm, developed with Jim Clark. Introduced in 1978, the method provides a way to generate smooth surfaces from rough polygonal meshes by repeatedly refining the geometry. It has had a lasting impact on 3D modeling and rendering, and elements of the technique appear in many graphics software packages.

The Catmull surname is thus closely associated with leadership in computer graphics, the creation of enduring animated films, and foundational techniques for 3D modeling. Outside of Ed Catmull and his direct collaborators, the name is not commonly linked to other widely recognized figures in the same field.