Drawn Out

Roy Disney, defender of the faith, has died at the age of 79. In addition to his work as a producer and director for Disney, Walt’s nephew was the company’s 3rd largest shareholder and served on the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors, where he stepped into the hero’s role twice to oust evil executives Ron Miller in 1984 and Michael Eisner in 2005 with the help of anthropomorphized woodland creatures. After Miller’s ouster, Disney returned to the company to play a crucial role in rebuilding the animated feature film department in the 1990s, transforming the division from one that produced dreck like The Fox and Hound and The Black Cauldron to one that produced Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, earning the coveted Disney Legend Award in 1998. In 2003, Disney again resigned from the board, criticizing Eisner for mismanaging the company, ignoring the animation division – most notably cutting ties with a small partner company called Pixar – and instilling a corporate mentality that turned the Walt Disney Company into a "rapacious, soul-less" company. This prompted a mutiny among shareholders, leading to Eisner’s departure. The last member of the Disney family to be actively involved in the company, Roy was revered by employees and fans. At a 2006 revival tour of The Little Mermaid, Roy made a surprise appearance, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.