Roy E. Disney
Encyclopedia
Roy Edward Disney, KCSG
(January 10, 1930 – December 16, 2009) was a longtime senior executive for The Walt Disney Company
, which his father Roy Oliver Disney
and his uncle Walt Disney
founded. At the time of his death he was a shareholder (more than 16 million shares or about 1%), and served as a consultant for the company and Director Emeritus for the Board of Directors. He is perhaps best known for organizing the ousting of two top Disney executives: first, Ron Miller
in 1984, and then Michael Eisner
in 2005.
As the last member of the Disney family
to be actively involved in the company, Roy Disney was often compared to his uncle and father. In 2006, Forbes
magazine estimated his personal fortune at about USD
$1.2 billion.
, and nephew of Walt Disney
. He graduated from Pomona College
in 1951 and first began working for The Walt Disney Company
as an assistant director and producer (True-Life Adventure
). He continued until 1967 when he was elected to the Board of Directors of the company.
(married to Walt's daughter Diane Marie Disney
) by Michael Eisner
and Frank Wells. While investors were attempting hostile takeovers of Disney with the intention on dismantling the company and selling off its assets, Roy organized a consortium of white knight
investors to fend off the takeover attempts which led to Eisner and Wells being brought on. Roy soon returned to the company as vice-chairman of the board of directors and head of the animation department.
of animated feature film
s and by the end of the decade there were successes in this department. Although Roy acted largely as a figurehead, he could wield significant power, even over Eisner, his ostensible boss, and employees of the department have praised Roy for ensuring them plenty of artistic freedom on their projects.
During the 1990s, Roy's department produced a number of commercially successful, critically acclaimed films and the era has been called a renaissance
for the company and animation, though there was a decline in profits starting at the end of the decade. On October 16, 1998, in a surprise presentation made at the newly unveiled Disney Legends Plaza at the company's headquarters, Disney Chairman Michael Eisner
presented him with the prestigious Disney Legends
Award. Roy Disney's pet project was the film Fantasia 2000
, a sequel to the 1940 animated movie Fantasia
produced by his uncle Walt Disney
. Walt Disney had planned a sequel to the original movie but it was never made. Roy decided to make this long-delayed sequel, and he was the executive producer of the film that took nine years to produce and was finally released on December 17, 1999. Like its predecessor, the film combined high-quality contemporary animation and classical music; however, it was not a financial success at the U.S. box office.
, Roy Disney's influence began to wane as more executives friendly to Eisner were appointed to high posts. When the board of directors rejected Disney's request for an extension of his term as board member, he announced his resignation on November 30, 2003, citing "serious differences of opinion about the direction and style of management" in the company. He issued a letter criticizing Eisner for mismanaging the company, neglecting the studio's animation division, failures with ABC
, timidity in the theme park business, instilling a corporate mentality in the executive structure, turning the Walt Disney Company into a "rapacious, soul-less" conglomerate, and of refusing to establish a clear succession plan.
After his resignation, Disney helped establish the website SaveDisney.com, intended to oust Michael Eisner and his supporters from their positions and revamp the Walt Disney Company. On March 3, 2004, at Disney's annual shareholders' meeting, a surprising and unprecedented 43% of Disney's shareholders, predominantly rallied by former board members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold
, voted to oppose the re-election of Eisner to the corporate board of directors. This vigorous opposition, unusual in major public corporations, persuaded Disney's board to strip Eisner of his chairmanship and give that position to George J. Mitchell
. The board didn't give Eisner's detractors what they really wanted: his immediate removal as chief executive. Roy Disney's campaign regarded Mitchell himself unfavorably; 25% of shareholders opposed Mitchell's re-election to the board in the same election.
As criticism of Eisner intensified in the wake of the shareholder meeting, however, his position became increasingly tenuous, and on March 13, 2005, Eisner announced that he would step down as CEO on September 30, one year before his contract expired.
On July 8, Roy and the Walt Disney Company, then still nominally headed by Eisner but, in fact, run by Eisner's long-time lieutenant, Bob Iger, agreed to "put aside their differences." Roy rejoined the Walt Disney Company as a non voting Director Emeritus
and consultant. Roy and Gold agreed to shut down their SaveDisney.com website, which went offline August 7.
On September 30, Eisner resigned both as an executive and as a member of the board of directors, and, severing all formal ties with the company, he waived his contractual rights to perks such as use of a corporate jet, a Golden Pass
and an office at the company's Burbank headquarters. Eisner's replacement was Bob Iger. One of Roy Disney's stated reasons for engineering his second "Save Disney" initiative had been Eisner's well-publicized but financially unjustified dissatisfaction with long-time production partner Pixar Animation Studios and its CEO Steve Jobs
, creators of shared hits Toy Story
, Monsters, Inc.
, Finding Nemo
, and other critically acclaimed computer animated
motion pictures. This estrangement was quickly repaired by successor Iger
upon Eisner's exit, and on January 24, 2006, the company announced it would acquire Pixar in an all-stock deal worth US $7.4 billion, catapulting Jobs, also co-founder and CEO of Apple, Inc, to Disney's largest shareholder with 7% of the corporation's outstanding shares. Jobs also gained a new seat on Disney's board of directors. Former CEO Eisner, who still holds 1.7% of shares, became Disney's second largest shareholder, and Director Emeritus Roy Disney, with 1% of shares, became its third largest owner.
Roy Disney's efforts to oust Eisner from the company were chronicled by James B. Stewart
in his best-selling book, DisneyWar
.
, which Roy Disney chaired and Stanley Gold runs as CEO, is an investment company that manages Roy Disney's personal investments.
Disney was well known in the sailing community. He has held several sailing speed records including the Los Angeles to Honolulu monohull time record. He set it on his boat Pyewacket in July 1999 (7 days, 11 hours, 41 minutes, 27 seconds).
On January 19, 2007, Roy Disney (then 77 years old) filed for divorce from his wife, Patricia (then 72), citing "irreconcilable differences," according to court documents. The couple, married 52 years, had been living apart for an unspecified amount of time, according to the Los Angeles
County Superior Court filing. They had four adult children: Tim Disney, Roy Patrick Disney, Abigail Disney
, and Susan Disney Lord.
In 2008, Roy Disney married Leslie DeMeuse, a former ESPN and current CSTV producer, and Emmy winner of various sailing documentaries. The two created the sailing documentary "TransPac—A Century Across the Pacific" in 2000, and were executive producers of the sailing documentary "Morning Light", which follows the selection and training of 18- to 23-year-old sailors on the 2007 Transpacific Yacht Race.
made Disney a Knight Commander of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great
(KCSG).
On 26 April 2008, Roy Disney received a honorary doctorate from the California Maritime Academy
, for his many contributions to the state and the nation, including international sailing.
As a tribute to Roy, an animation building at the Walt Disney Studios
, in Burbank, California
, was re-dedicated as the "Roy E. Disney Animation Building" on 7 May 2010. Hundreds of D23
members were present for the celebration. VIPs Roy Patrick Disney, executives Bob Iger and Don Hahn, and Mickey Mouse
were on hand for the dedication.
for a year, died at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California
. His death occurred 43 years and one day after Walt Disney
died, also from cancer. In addition, he died exactly 12 years after his aunt, Lillian Bounds Disney
, and 4 days before the 38th anniversary of his father
's death. Roy E. Disney's passing came less than a month before what would have been his 80th birthday.
His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean
.
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(January 10, 1930 – December 16, 2009) was a longtime senior executive for The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, which his father Roy Oliver Disney
Roy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
and his uncle Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
founded. At the time of his death he was a shareholder (more than 16 million shares or about 1%), and served as a consultant for the company and Director Emeritus for the Board of Directors. He is perhaps best known for organizing the ousting of two top Disney executives: first, Ron Miller
Ron W. Miller
Ronald William "Ron" Miller is a former professional American football player, the son-in-law of Walt Disney, and a former president and CEO of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Marriage and early career:...
in 1984, and then Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
in 2005.
As the last member of the Disney family
Disney family
This page describes the family of Elias Disney , the father of Walter Elias "Walt" Disney.The family name, originally d'Isigny , is of Norman French derivation, coming from the canton of Isigny-sur-Mer. The Disneys, among others, descended from Normans who settled in Normandy around the 11th century...
to be actively involved in the company, Roy Disney was often compared to his uncle and father. In 2006, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine estimated his personal fortune at about USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$1.2 billion.
Early life and career
Disney was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edna (née Francis) and Roy Oliver DisneyRoy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
, and nephew of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
. He graduated from Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
in 1951 and first began working for The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
as an assistant director and producer (True-Life Adventure
True Life Adventures
The True-Life Adventures series is a collection of short subject documentary films produced by Walt Disney Productions roughly between the years 1948 and 1960. The film series was exposed in 1982 by the CBC newsmagazine The Fifth Estate for Animal Cruelty and faking nature scenes. It is also...
). He continued until 1967 when he was elected to the Board of Directors of the company.
First "Save Disney" war (1984)
Roy Disney resigned as an executive from the Disney company in 1977 due to disagreements with corporate decisions then. As he claimed later, "I just felt creatively the company was not going anywhere interesting. It was very stifling." He retained a seat on the board of directors. His resignation from the board in 1984, which occurred in the midst of a corporate takeover battle, was the beginning of a series of developments that led to the replacement of company president and CEO Ronald William MillerRon W. Miller
Ronald William "Ron" Miller is a former professional American football player, the son-in-law of Walt Disney, and a former president and CEO of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Marriage and early career:...
(married to Walt's daughter Diane Marie Disney
Diane Marie Disney
Diane Disney Miller is the elder daughter of Walt Disney and his wife Lillian Bounds Disney. She had a younger sister, Sharon Mae Disney, who was adopted by the Disneys in 1936, and who died in 1993. She and her husband, Ron W. Miller, have seven children.Ron W...
) by Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
and Frank Wells. While investors were attempting hostile takeovers of Disney with the intention on dismantling the company and selling off its assets, Roy organized a consortium of white knight
White knight (business)
In business, a white knight, or "friendly investor," may be a corporation or a person that intends to help another firm. There are many types of white knights...
investors to fend off the takeover attempts which led to Eisner and Wells being brought on. Roy soon returned to the company as vice-chairman of the board of directors and head of the animation department.
Partnership with Eisner
He set his goal as revitalizing the company's traditionTradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
of animated feature film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s and by the end of the decade there were successes in this department. Although Roy acted largely as a figurehead, he could wield significant power, even over Eisner, his ostensible boss, and employees of the department have praised Roy for ensuring them plenty of artistic freedom on their projects.
During the 1990s, Roy's department produced a number of commercially successful, critically acclaimed films and the era has been called a renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
for the company and animation, though there was a decline in profits starting at the end of the decade. On October 16, 1998, in a surprise presentation made at the newly unveiled Disney Legends Plaza at the company's headquarters, Disney Chairman Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
presented him with the prestigious Disney Legends
Disney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
Award. Roy Disney's pet project was the film Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the 38th feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and a sequel to 1940's Fantasia...
, a sequel to the 1940 animated movie Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
produced by his uncle Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
. Walt Disney had planned a sequel to the original movie but it was never made. Roy decided to make this long-delayed sequel, and he was the executive producer of the film that took nine years to produce and was finally released on December 17, 1999. Like its predecessor, the film combined high-quality contemporary animation and classical music; however, it was not a financial success at the U.S. box office.
Second "Save Disney" war (2003–05)
After a struggle with CEO Michael EisnerMichael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
, Roy Disney's influence began to wane as more executives friendly to Eisner were appointed to high posts. When the board of directors rejected Disney's request for an extension of his term as board member, he announced his resignation on November 30, 2003, citing "serious differences of opinion about the direction and style of management" in the company. He issued a letter criticizing Eisner for mismanaging the company, neglecting the studio's animation division, failures with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, timidity in the theme park business, instilling a corporate mentality in the executive structure, turning the Walt Disney Company into a "rapacious, soul-less" conglomerate, and of refusing to establish a clear succession plan.
After his resignation, Disney helped establish the website SaveDisney.com, intended to oust Michael Eisner and his supporters from their positions and revamp the Walt Disney Company. On March 3, 2004, at Disney's annual shareholders' meeting, a surprising and unprecedented 43% of Disney's shareholders, predominantly rallied by former board members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold
Stanley Gold
Stanley Phillip Gold is President and CEO of Shamrock Holdings, Roy E. Disney's private investment company. He was on the Walt Disney Company's board of directors 1984; 1987-2003. He and Roy resigned to publicly campaign to oust then CEO and Chairman of the Board Michael Eisner. He also helped...
, voted to oppose the re-election of Eisner to the corporate board of directors. This vigorous opposition, unusual in major public corporations, persuaded Disney's board to strip Eisner of his chairmanship and give that position to George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
. The board didn't give Eisner's detractors what they really wanted: his immediate removal as chief executive. Roy Disney's campaign regarded Mitchell himself unfavorably; 25% of shareholders opposed Mitchell's re-election to the board in the same election.
As criticism of Eisner intensified in the wake of the shareholder meeting, however, his position became increasingly tenuous, and on March 13, 2005, Eisner announced that he would step down as CEO on September 30, one year before his contract expired.
On July 8, Roy and the Walt Disney Company, then still nominally headed by Eisner but, in fact, run by Eisner's long-time lieutenant, Bob Iger, agreed to "put aside their differences." Roy rejoined the Walt Disney Company as a non voting Director Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
and consultant. Roy and Gold agreed to shut down their SaveDisney.com website, which went offline August 7.
On September 30, Eisner resigned both as an executive and as a member of the board of directors, and, severing all formal ties with the company, he waived his contractual rights to perks such as use of a corporate jet, a Golden Pass
Golden Pass (Disney)
The Golden Pass is an exclusive ticket which allows the holder access to all nine of the theme parks owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company...
and an office at the company's Burbank headquarters. Eisner's replacement was Bob Iger. One of Roy Disney's stated reasons for engineering his second "Save Disney" initiative had been Eisner's well-publicized but financially unjustified dissatisfaction with long-time production partner Pixar Animation Studios and its CEO Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
, creators of shared hits Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
, Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
, Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
, and other critically acclaimed computer animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
motion pictures. This estrangement was quickly repaired by successor Iger
Robert Iger
Robert A. "Bob" Iger is the president and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. He was named president of Disney in 2000, and later succeeded Michael Eisner as chief executive in 2005, after a successful effort by Roy E. Disney to shake-up the management of the company...
upon Eisner's exit, and on January 24, 2006, the company announced it would acquire Pixar in an all-stock deal worth US $7.4 billion, catapulting Jobs, also co-founder and CEO of Apple, Inc, to Disney's largest shareholder with 7% of the corporation's outstanding shares. Jobs also gained a new seat on Disney's board of directors. Former CEO Eisner, who still holds 1.7% of shares, became Disney's second largest shareholder, and Director Emeritus Roy Disney, with 1% of shares, became its third largest owner.
Roy Disney's efforts to oust Eisner from the company were chronicled by James B. Stewart
James B. Stewart
James Bennett Stewart is an American lawyer, journalist, and author.-Life and career:Stewart was born in Quincy, Illinois. A graduate of DePauw University and Harvard Law School, James B. Stewart is a member of the Bar of New York and Bloomberg Professor of Business and Economic Journalism at the...
in his best-selling book, DisneyWar
DisneyWar
DisneyWar is an exposé of Michael Eisner's 20-year tenure as Chairman and CEO at The Walt Disney Company by James B. Stewart. The book chronicles the careers and interactions of executives at Disney, including Card Walker, Ron W. Miller, Roy E...
.
Other work
- On the initial VHS release of Snow White and the Seven DwarfsSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
in 1994, Disney hosted a mini-documentary chronicling the progress made by his uncle and the Walt Disney Company.
- Disney held a position of trustee to the California Institute of the ArtsCalifornia Institute of the ArtsThe California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
.
- He appeared as himself in a voice cameo in an episode of the animated show Disney's House of MouseDisney's House of MouseDisney's House of Mouse is an American animated television series, produced by Walt Disney Television, that originally aired from 2001 to 2003-Premise:...
in which MickeyMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
accidentally sent him an angry fax meant for Mortimer Mouse.
- He executive produced the multiple network anti-drug program "Cartoon All-Stars to the RescueCartoon All-Stars to the RescueCartoon All-Stars to the Rescue is an animated drug prevention television special starring many of the popular cartoon characters from American weekday, Sunday morning and Saturday morning television at the time of this film's release...
" in 1990.
- He was Executive Producer of the documentary Morning LightMorning LightMorning Light is a 2008 film directed by Mark Monroe and executive produced by Roy Disney. The film was released on October 17, 2008 by Walt Disney Pictures...
.
- For some time, Disney was working with Richard Williams on restoring his unfinished masterpiece, The Thief and the CobblerThe Thief and the CobblerThe Thief and the Cobbler is an animated feature film, famous for its animation and its long, troubled history. The film was conceived by Canadian animator Richard Williams, who worked 28 years on the project. Beginning production in 1964, Williams intended The Thief and the Cobbler to be his...
. However, after Roy left the Walt Disney Company in 2003, the project was "put on hold."
Personal life and interests
Shamrock HoldingsShamrock Holdings
Shamrock Holdings is the firm founded as the Roy E. Disney family investment firm and the Disney family remains a key investor. Roy was its chairman, and Stanley Gold its President/CEO. Shamrock owns a number of assets including hotels and radio and television stations. Shamrock often takes an...
, which Roy Disney chaired and Stanley Gold runs as CEO, is an investment company that manages Roy Disney's personal investments.
Disney was well known in the sailing community. He has held several sailing speed records including the Los Angeles to Honolulu monohull time record. He set it on his boat Pyewacket in July 1999 (7 days, 11 hours, 41 minutes, 27 seconds).
On January 19, 2007, Roy Disney (then 77 years old) filed for divorce from his wife, Patricia (then 72), citing "irreconcilable differences," according to court documents. The couple, married 52 years, had been living apart for an unspecified amount of time, according to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
County Superior Court filing. They had four adult children: Tim Disney, Roy Patrick Disney, Abigail Disney
Abigail Disney
Abigail E. Disney is a filmmaker, philanthropist, and scholar known for her documentary films focused on social themes.- Biography :Abigail E. Disney was born in 1960 and was raised in North Hollywood, California. She is the daughter of Roy E. Disney and granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, co-founder...
, and Susan Disney Lord.
In 2008, Roy Disney married Leslie DeMeuse, a former ESPN and current CSTV producer, and Emmy winner of various sailing documentaries. The two created the sailing documentary "TransPac—A Century Across the Pacific" in 2000, and were executive producers of the sailing documentary "Morning Light", which follows the selection and training of 18- to 23-year-old sailors on the 2007 Transpacific Yacht Race.
Honors
On 4 January 1998, Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
made Disney a Knight Commander of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(KCSG).
On 26 April 2008, Roy Disney received a honorary doctorate from the California Maritime Academy
California Maritime Academy
The California Maritime Academy is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system and is one of only seven degree-granting maritime academies in the United States...
, for his many contributions to the state and the nation, including international sailing.
As a tribute to Roy, an animation building at the Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney...
, in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, was re-dedicated as the "Roy E. Disney Animation Building" on 7 May 2010. Hundreds of D23
D23 (Disney)
D23 is the first official Disney fan club for dedicated fans, sponsored by the Walt Disney Company. The Charter Year of D23 was in 2009.-History:...
members were present for the celebration. VIPs Roy Patrick Disney, executives Bob Iger and Don Hahn, and Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
were on hand for the dedication.
Death
On December 16, 2009, Disney, who had suffered from stomach cancerStomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
for a year, died at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
. His death occurred 43 years and one day after Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
died, also from cancer. In addition, he died exactly 12 years after his aunt, Lillian Bounds Disney
Lillian Disney
Lillian Disney was the wife of Walt Disney. She was married to him from 1925 until his death in 1966.-Early years:...
, and 4 days before the 38th anniversary of his father
Roy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
's death. Roy E. Disney's passing came less than a month before what would have been his 80th birthday.
His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
External links
- NetributionNetributionNetribution - a Portmanteau of net and distribution - was launched at the end of 1999 as a free resource and magazine for European filmmakers and went on to become one of the largest and most popular free film industry services up until its closure in 2002 . It relaunched in early 2006 with an...
interview - Association for Computing MachineryAssociation for Computing MachineryThe Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
Video Interview with Roy E. Disney - Roy E Disney - Daily Telegraph obituary