Before Tron

Allers was born in Rye, New York but raised in Scottsdale, Arizona.

He went on to receive a degree in fine arts from Arizona State University. But it was after auditing a class at Harvard that he found his interest in animation renewed. He landed a job with Lisberger Studios, where he worked on the animation end for projects such as Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Make a Wish, and various commercials.

In 1978, he relocated to Los Angeles with Lisberger to work on a feature project called Animalympics, providing story work, character design and animation for the film. This was followed by a six-month stint as part of the storyboard team for TRON. He also worked on the pre-production concept artwork for TRON.

Allers went on to work for Canadian based studio Nelvana as an animator on a feature called Rock & Rule. He later worked on Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. Another two-year stint, this time in Tokyo, followed, as one of the animation directors overseeing the Japanese artists.

He made his feature film directing debut with the multi-award winning The Lion King, which was not only a hit film, but went on to become a Broadway musical. Allers took time off before directing his next animated feature, Open Season featuring the voice talents of Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher.

Allers and his wife, Leslee, live in Venice, California. They have a grown daughter and son.