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In a blow to Pixar Animation, whose success has been attributed to its story-telling skill as much as its computer creativity, Joe Ranft, head of Pixar's story department, was killed in an auto accident on Wednesday. The driver of the car also died when it plunged off Highway 1 in Mendocino County into the ocean. A third man escaped through the car's sun roof. Before joining Pixar, Ranft, 45, worked at Disney, co-writing Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for writing Toy Story and was the voice of Heimlich the Bavarian caterpillar in A Bug's Life.

Teen Killed by Tiger During Photo Shoot
August 19, 2005 6:51 AM EDT
MOUND VALLEY, Kansas - A Siberian tiger attacked and killed a teenage girl who was posing for a picture at an animal sanctuary Thursday morning, authorities said.

The Labette County Sheriff's office identified the victim as Haley R. Hilderbrand, 17, of Altamont. A release said Hilderbrand was at the Lost Creek Animal Sanctuary posing for a photo with the 7-year-old tiger, which was being restrained by its handler, when the animal turned and attacked her.

Officers and handlers killed the animal.

Emergency personnel were not able to revive Hilderbrand, who was later pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators have sent the tiger's body to Kansas State University for dissection.

"This animal had been around people across the country and there's never been a problem," Sheriff William Blundell said in a telephone interview.

Keith Hilderbrand, Haley's uncle, said the family wasn't making any statements at this time. Doug Billingsly and his family opened the 80-acre sanctuary in 1994.