From: Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: J.Greg Veneklasen <jgregv-AT-sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:36:27 GMT
Cc: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Roy E Disney 1930-2009


Front page of today's L.A. Times has an obit for Roy E. Disney.

When Roy E. Disney had chickenpox as a kid, Uncle Walt stopped by for a visit, and related the story of Pinoccho which Walt was thinking of using for a feature film. Roy E. remembered that Uncle Walt "scared me to death with the stuff about the whale and everything else."

When the movie came out "it was nowhere as good as Walt's version" that young Roy heard from his sickbed.

Being about 2 years younger than Roy E Disney, the Disney feature film of "Pinocchio" was a big deal for me. I had (and still have) one of the kids' book versions, loved the movie, had a Pinocchio hand puppet and a wind-up walking Pinocchio. Later, I got to know Wah Chang & Bob Jones (both with puppetry backgrounds) who worked at the Disney Studios on the film. In some ways, the Disney "Pinocchio" animation has never been surpassed. 

When I was at Pomona College, I'd see Roy in the hallways or about campus (1949-51), but never got to know him. He bore a strong physical resemblance to Uncle Walt, so it was fun just knowing he was around. 

Another Pomona student, Frank Wells became a Disney executive along with Michael Eisner. Frank's untimely death had a negative effect on the Disney company--he seemed to be an effective colleague for Eisner, also keeping him from later excesses.

Both Walt & Roy O. Disney saw Frank Paris perform his Disney-style "Pinocchio" marionette around 1940. After the San Francisco State University National Puppetry Festival run by Mike Oznowicz, puppets I lent for a lobby exhibit were shown in-house in Burbank for Disney employees through the efforts of puppeteer Marvin Rea. I think Huber Marionettes gave a talk to Disney employees at another time. Anyway, there is a long link wih puppetry and Disney. 

Bob Baker built hundreds of toy marionettes of licensed Disney characters, first emulating the Hestwood Brothers' marionette versions of Mickey & Minnie Mouse which were sold in Bullock's Department Store during the 1930s in Los Angeles. The Hestwood marionettes remain some of the early and desirable  Disney collectibles. Bob's versions are also popular Disney collectibles.

Roy E Disney was a major protector of Disney ANIMATION traditions---not a bad legacy. 


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