"The relationship between Disney animators had been tested throughout the strike. Friendships between animators who protested and those who had chosen to work ended in shambles, For many, the decision of who to ally themselves with was an easy choice. For example, all the artists who would later become known as the Nine Old Men returned to work at the studio. The choice proved to be difficult for some animators. Kimball, for example, "as very liberal and came from a family of union sympathizers. That morning when the picket went up, he and Fred Moore argued for ninety minutes over what to do. In the end, they both crossed the line."! Kimball's best friend Walt Kelly, however, joined the strike. As a result, Kimball and Kelly were never close friends again. Incidents like these occurred throughout the strike, friends turning into bitter enemies."
