Post by Admin on May 19, 2015 0:25:48 GMT
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_E._Disney
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%),[2] 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.
Disney was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edna (née Francis) and Roy Oliver Disney, 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.
Partnership with Eisner:
Disney in Sweden, 1990 to promote The Little Mermaid.
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. The Lion King, for instance, garnered nearly US$1 billion since its release in the summer of 1994 and was the second highest grossing film of the year. There was, however, a marked decline in profits starting at the end of the decade as Disney expanded into lower-grossing though profitable direct-to-video spin-offs and sequels. 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.
Appearances:
Roy E. Disney also appeared in the Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey's Mix Up from Mickey Mouse Works and Disney's House of Mouse in 2000.[citation needed]
Other work:
Disney held a position of trustee to the California Institute of the Arts.
He appeared as himself in a voice cameo in an episode of the animated show Disney's House of Mouse in which Mickey accidentally sent him an angry fax meant for Mortimer Mouse.
He executive produced the multiple network anti-drug program Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue in 1990.
In 1998 he executive produced The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit written by Ray Bradbury and directed by Stuart Gordon. The film starred Edward James Olmos, Joe Mantegna, Sid Caesar, Esai Morales, Gregory Sierra and Clifton Collins Jr..
Business interests:
Shamrock Holdings, which Roy Disney chaired and Stanley Gold runs as CEO, is an investment company which managed Roy Disney's personal investments.
Personal life:
Disney 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, after beginning a relationship with Leslie DeMeuse, 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. Patricia Disney died of Alzheimer's disease on February 3, 2012, aged 77.
In 2008, Roy Disney married Leslie DeMeuse, a 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 January 4, 1998, Pope John Paul II made Disney a Knight Commander of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great (KCSG).
On April 26, 2008, Disney received an 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 May 7, 2010. Hundreds of D23 members were present for the celebration. VIPs Roy Patrick Disney, CEO executive Bob Iger, Producer Don Hahn, and Mickey Mouse were on hand for the dedication.
Death"
Disney died of stomach cancer on December 16, 2009 at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California. He was 79 years old, and had the disease for over a year. After his funeral service, he was cremated, and his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.