The Thief and the Cobbler (released as The Princess and The Cobbler in Australia and South Africa, and Arabian Knight in most other countries) was the twenty-six-year animated feature film pet project of Canadian animator Richard Williams. Beginning the work in 1964, Williams intended for the film to be his masterpiece (in the traditional sense of the word), and to be a milestone in the art of animation. The Thief and the Cobbler was in and out of production for over two decades, until Williams, buoyed by his success as animation director on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, signed a deal in 1990 to have Warner Bros. finance and distribute the film.[1] This deal fell through when Williams was unable to complete the film on time. As Warners pulled out, The Completion Bond Company assumed control of the project and had it finished by producer Fred Calvert without Williams.