This site features
Roy Edward Disney, KCSG
(KCSG known as Knight Commander of the Pontifical Order of Saint Gregory the Great)
and his remarkable life.
Charles Elias Disney, (Roy's first cousin and close friend) stated:
"Roy E. Disney was truly 'The Renaissance Man!'"
We will emphasize the wonderful life Roy enjoyed and the many kind and generous things
he did for everyone he encountered. Many pictures will be included.
This will be a story of a loving grandson, son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, cousin, and friend.
It is not necessarily to be considered simply as a biography.
The positive will be emphasized because Roy Edward Disney was a positive man and he had
such a positive and enduring influence on so many people!
Roy Edward Disney (KCSG)
Pope John Paul II Honors
Rupert Murdoch, Roy E. Disney, Bob Hope
Order of St. Gregory the Great
Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni
Knight Commander's cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (1841)
Pope John Paul II honors Rupert Murdoch, Roy E. Disney, and Bob Hope. The three, who are not Catholic, were among 67 honorees in the L.A. area. Among the Catholics named were actor Ricardo Montalban, longtime Los Angeles City Councilman John Ferraro and hotel executive Barron Hilton. The knighthood awards cite character and aid to society, and church. +Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, will induct the men and women into the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great in a ceremony Jan. 11, 1998 at St. Francis de Sales Church in Sherman Oaks.
The Pope bestows the titles on people of "unblemished character," including non-Catholics, who have "promoted the interests of society, the [Catholic] Church and the Holy See [Vatican]," said Father Gregory Coiro, spokesman for the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese. Hope, Murdoch and Disney all have Catholic wives, who were named Dames of St. Gregory, the female equivalent of a knighthood.
All have contributed heavily to church institutions, though no figures were made public. Bob and Dolores Hope, for instance, have donated to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Coiro said.
Roy Disney, who heads the animation division of The Walt Disney Co., and his wife, Patricia, are supporters of the church's plans for a new Cathedral in Los Angeles. Murdoch, and his wife, Anna, have supported the Archdiocesan Education Foundation and other Catholic causes, according to Coiro.
"I was quite surprised," said Ferraro, a longtime member of St. Brendan Parish, near Hancock Park, who was unaware that Mahony had submitted his name to the Pope. "It's certainly not deserved, even shocking that a City Council member would be honored."
The titles are strictly honorary. They entail neither duties nor ceremonial uniforms. "Does it mean they get a higher place in heaven?" said Msgr. Francis J. Weber, the archdiocese's historian, based at San Fernando Mission. "I don't know, probably not."
In addition to big donors and celebrities, the titles of Knight Commander or Dame of St. Gregory are being given to Catholics who have donated time and talent to church work among Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, African American and other ethnic communities. The only ordained recipient is Aloysius Caffrey, 77, a longtime deacon who headed the CIA office in Los Angeles before retiring. "He's on the road constantly to deliver donated food to AIDS hospices and needy organizations," said Msgr. William Leser, pastor at St. Jude Parish in Westlake Village. Another honoree in that parish is Geraldine Frawley, publisher of the National Catholic Register and Twin Circle Catholic newspapers until they were sold two years ago.
The 67 new knighthoods represent a sudden increase in the rate of awards for Los Angeles-area Catholics. Since 1921, when Joseph Scott, a prominent civic and political figure of that period, became the first Los Angeles resident so honored, only 142 knighthoods had been granted locally, an average of fewer than two per year.
William Close, who attends a La Canada Flintridge parish, "is financial chairman for the new cathedral project, and in that volunteer role is spending virtually full time on the project," said Weber. Close and five other Catholic men on the list were already members of the order, but they are being given an ecclesiastical promotion of sorts, to "knight commander with star." Others with that higher rank will include Bob Hope; Wilfred Von der Ahe, of a North Hollywood parish, one of the founders of Vons supermarkets; and Cyril C. Nigg, a Beverly Hills philanthropist. Nigg's wife, Josephine Wayne Nigg, first wife of actor John Wayne, also entered the order Jan. 11.
Mahony inducted the large group during an afternoon Mass at the Sherman Oaks parish with a dinner following at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. The 67 men and women named Knights and Dames of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II, with their home parishes.
The Pope bestows the titles on people of "unblemished character," including non-Catholics, who have "promoted the interests of society, the [Catholic] Church and the Holy See [Vatican]," said Father Gregory Coiro, spokesman for the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese. Hope, Murdoch and Disney all have Catholic wives, who were named Dames of St. Gregory, the female equivalent of a knighthood.
All have contributed heavily to church institutions, though no figures were made public. Bob and Dolores Hope, for instance, have donated to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Coiro said.
Roy Disney, who heads the animation division of The Walt Disney Co., and his wife, Patricia, are supporters of the church's plans for a new Cathedral in Los Angeles. Murdoch, and his wife, Anna, have supported the Archdiocesan Education Foundation and other Catholic causes, according to Coiro.
"I was quite surprised," said Ferraro, a longtime member of St. Brendan Parish, near Hancock Park, who was unaware that Mahony had submitted his name to the Pope. "It's certainly not deserved, even shocking that a City Council member would be honored."
The titles are strictly honorary. They entail neither duties nor ceremonial uniforms. "Does it mean they get a higher place in heaven?" said Msgr. Francis J. Weber, the archdiocese's historian, based at San Fernando Mission. "I don't know, probably not."
In addition to big donors and celebrities, the titles of Knight Commander or Dame of St. Gregory are being given to Catholics who have donated time and talent to church work among Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, African American and other ethnic communities. The only ordained recipient is Aloysius Caffrey, 77, a longtime deacon who headed the CIA office in Los Angeles before retiring. "He's on the road constantly to deliver donated food to AIDS hospices and needy organizations," said Msgr. William Leser, pastor at St. Jude Parish in Westlake Village. Another honoree in that parish is Geraldine Frawley, publisher of the National Catholic Register and Twin Circle Catholic newspapers until they were sold two years ago.
The 67 new knighthoods represent a sudden increase in the rate of awards for Los Angeles-area Catholics. Since 1921, when Joseph Scott, a prominent civic and political figure of that period, became the first Los Angeles resident so honored, only 142 knighthoods had been granted locally, an average of fewer than two per year.
William Close, who attends a La Canada Flintridge parish, "is financial chairman for the new cathedral project, and in that volunteer role is spending virtually full time on the project," said Weber. Close and five other Catholic men on the list were already members of the order, but they are being given an ecclesiastical promotion of sorts, to "knight commander with star." Others with that higher rank will include Bob Hope; Wilfred Von der Ahe, of a North Hollywood parish, one of the founders of Vons supermarkets; and Cyril C. Nigg, a Beverly Hills philanthropist. Nigg's wife, Josephine Wayne Nigg, first wife of actor John Wayne, also entered the order Jan. 11.
Mahony inducted the large group during an afternoon Mass at the Sherman Oaks parish with a dinner following at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. The 67 men and women named Knights and Dames of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II, with their home parishes.
Roy Edward Disney with his wife Patricia Ann Disney and his parents
Edna Francis Disney and Roy Oliver Disney
Patricia & Roy Edward Disney
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Roy Edward Disney & Edna Francis Disney & Patricia Ann Disney & Roy Oliver Disney
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Roy E. Disney was a longtime
Dedicated and Accomplished Yachtsman!
Roy Edward Disney was a great yachtsman
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"There are many lessons in sailing,” Roy E. Disney believes. “Not just about competition, but the importance of teamwork, good communication, reliance in self, trust in others, and what the sea teaches us all about patience, perseverance, and just plain luck.” This idea is brought to vivid life in What the Sea Teaches Us: The Crew of the Morning Light, a beautiful companion book to Roy E. Disney’s remarkable sailing documentary, Morning Light. Every other year, ambitious and adventure-hungry sailors embark on an ocean race that starts in Los Angeles, California and finishes in Hawaii—the Transpacific Yacht Race. The race is one of the most challenging and competitive sporting events in the world, and has been drawing in generations of sailors for over a hundred years with its beguiling siren’s song.
This book chronicles the recruitment, training, and performance of one of the youngest crews ever to compete in the race. With an average age of 21.2 years, these fifteen fearless young sailors battled the elements and the odds as, on their own, they sailed a Transpac 52 called Morning Light across the Pacific Ocean. None were actors. There was no script, and no preconceived outcome.
More than an account of the competition, What the Sea Teaches Us gives readers unique insight into the individual personalities and defining characteristics that brought these young people to the Morning Light project, and accompanies them on their emotional, educational, and spiritual journeys, from the selection process and a strenuous, improvisational training program, through sea trials and on to the completion of the 2007 Transpac race.
Lavishly illustrated throughout in color and black and white—and featuring spectacular photography by award-winning photographer Sharon Green--What the Sea Teaches Us is a moving and compelling record not only of a journey on the sea but in the hearts and minds of a one-of-a-kind group of dedicated young sailors.
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). For many years Roy E. Disney enjoyed membership in the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, County Cork, Ireland. In October 2001, Roy Disney, who was known as the famous American sailing enthusiast, and who also enjoyed a home in West Cork, and who had strong ties with the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and participated in many Cork Week Regattas, presented the club with the Pyewacket Perpetual Cup at a dinner in the club hosted by the then Admiral, Anthony O’Leary. Pyewacket was what Roy had named his personal yacht! Roy’s close friend who was the Catholic Priest the Rev. Father Edward M. Foster from Crosshaven, always blessed Roy’s yachts. Roy’s first cousins Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney, also yacht and sailing enthusiasts, often enjoyed spending time with Roy in Ireland at the Royal Cork Yacht Club!
Roy E. Disney was 2008 Cal Maritime Commencement Speaker
CSU Trustee Glenn O. Toney (l) and President William Eisenhardt present commencement speaker Roy E. Disney with an honorary degree, plus a Cal Maritime burgee and a Golden Bear baseball cap
Roy E. Disney was the speaker for the 78th annual commencement at The California Maritime Academy, Saturday, April 26, 2008. He also received an Honorary Degree from the University for his many contributions to the state and the nation, including international sailing.
Mr. Disney has had a long and distinguished career in the American film industry, beginning as an employee of the company founded by his father Roy O. Disney and his uncle Walt Disney, and eventually becoming a senior executive of the firm for which he now serves as a consultant and Board Director Emeritus. He has also played an active role in international sailing and the promotion of youth sailing programs. Roy E. Disney has made substantial contributions to American media in roles as a writer, director, editor, producer and executive producer. Among the many family-oriented productions in which he has played an important role in recent years: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Tarzan, and Fantasia 2000.
He has also been an active community volunteer, including current service as a Trustee to the California Institute of the Arts. Roy E. Disney is internationally known for his involvement in the world sailing community and has held several sailing speed records including the Chicago-to-Mackinac, Newport-Bermuda and the Los Angeles to-Hawaii Transpac (a transit of just under seven-and-a-half days, set in 1999.) Mr. Disney has also been an active and personally involved supporter of youth sailing on the West Coast, annually sponsoring the Roy E. Disney trophy -- presented to the Interstate Pacific Coast Scholastic Sailing Association high school team earning the most Disney Cup trophy points for the season.
Disney’s love of sailing and efforts to promote the sport were most recently evidenced in his underwriting of the Morning Light project – the recruitment, training and campaigning of one of the youngest crews ever to enter the Transpac race. Nearly 500 top youth sailors nationwide applied for selection. Fifteen were chosen for a final crew of 11, among them Cal Maritime senior cadet Piet vanOs, who served as the boat’s tactician. The team underwent several months of prerace training in Hawaii and the U.S. The entire process, nearly a year from start to finish, including the 2007 Transpac, was filmed by Disney cinematographers, and the completed documentary, Morning Light, will be released in theaters worldwide in the fall of 2008. It is expected to provide a major spur for expanded youth interest in sailing, and new visibility, recognition of, and interest in The California Maritime Academy worldwide. “We are delighted that Mr. Disney has agreed to deliver the commencement address to our graduating students and their families this year,” said Academy President William B. Eisenhardt. “He has certainly established himself as a leader in the entertainment industry. We are particularly appreciative of his very strong support of youth sailing – an area where this Academy has long excelled with its trophy-winning teams of scholar sailors. His sponsorship of the Morning Light documentary will undoubtedly play an important role in further promotion of youth sailing and, through Mr. Disneys’ involvement, The California Maritime Academy as well.”
Mr. Disney has had a long and distinguished career in the American film industry, beginning as an employee of the company founded by his father Roy O. Disney and his uncle Walt Disney, and eventually becoming a senior executive of the firm for which he now serves as a consultant and Board Director Emeritus. He has also played an active role in international sailing and the promotion of youth sailing programs. Roy E. Disney has made substantial contributions to American media in roles as a writer, director, editor, producer and executive producer. Among the many family-oriented productions in which he has played an important role in recent years: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Tarzan, and Fantasia 2000.
He has also been an active community volunteer, including current service as a Trustee to the California Institute of the Arts. Roy E. Disney is internationally known for his involvement in the world sailing community and has held several sailing speed records including the Chicago-to-Mackinac, Newport-Bermuda and the Los Angeles to-Hawaii Transpac (a transit of just under seven-and-a-half days, set in 1999.) Mr. Disney has also been an active and personally involved supporter of youth sailing on the West Coast, annually sponsoring the Roy E. Disney trophy -- presented to the Interstate Pacific Coast Scholastic Sailing Association high school team earning the most Disney Cup trophy points for the season.
Disney’s love of sailing and efforts to promote the sport were most recently evidenced in his underwriting of the Morning Light project – the recruitment, training and campaigning of one of the youngest crews ever to enter the Transpac race. Nearly 500 top youth sailors nationwide applied for selection. Fifteen were chosen for a final crew of 11, among them Cal Maritime senior cadet Piet vanOs, who served as the boat’s tactician. The team underwent several months of prerace training in Hawaii and the U.S. The entire process, nearly a year from start to finish, including the 2007 Transpac, was filmed by Disney cinematographers, and the completed documentary, Morning Light, will be released in theaters worldwide in the fall of 2008. It is expected to provide a major spur for expanded youth interest in sailing, and new visibility, recognition of, and interest in The California Maritime Academy worldwide. “We are delighted that Mr. Disney has agreed to deliver the commencement address to our graduating students and their families this year,” said Academy President William B. Eisenhardt. “He has certainly established himself as a leader in the entertainment industry. We are particularly appreciative of his very strong support of youth sailing – an area where this Academy has long excelled with its trophy-winning teams of scholar sailors. His sponsorship of the Morning Light documentary will undoubtedly play an important role in further promotion of youth sailing and, through Mr. Disneys’ involvement, The California Maritime Academy as well.”
Roy E. Disney shown with his wife Patricia was Grand Marshal of the 2000 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California
Roy E. Disney was the Grand Marshal of the 2000 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Roy and his wife Patricia Disney and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck rode in the feature car leading the annual parade ceremonies.
Roy Edward Disney, Charles Elias Disney and
Daniel H. Disney were very close friends,
in addition to being first cousins...
First Cousins/Friends Roy Edward Disney & Charles Elias Disney in the Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California. Roy's first cousin Charles Elias Disney was a personal advisor and confidant to Roy
Roy Edward Disney and Charles Elias Disney are first cousins. Roy's father was Roy Oliver Disney and Charles' father was Raymond Arnold Disney and they were brothers. Both Roy O. and Raymond worked together as tellers in the First National Bank in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, when their brother, who was Walt Disney, was forming his original studio known as Laugh-O-grams Studio also in Kansas City. It was then in 1923 when Walt Disney moved to Hollywood and later his brother Roy joined him when they formed the Disney Bros. Studio.
Roy E. and Charles Elias often enjoyed one another's company and both cousins attended numerous film premiere showings and other events together across many years. Roy E. Disney was personally responsible for "imparting new life" into The Walt Disney Company not once, but twice, and he was quite active in the company through to when he passed away on December 16, 2009. Often, as a guest in Roy and Patty Disney's home, Charles Elias would always enjoy hearing Roy's stories about his closeness to his own dad and mother---Roy Oliver and Edna Disney and to uncle Walt Disney. For many years, Roy E. Disney's first cousin Charles Elias Disney, was a personal advisor and confidant to Roy!
For many years Roy E. Disney enjoyed membership in the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, County Cork, Ireland. In October 2001, Roy Disney, who was known as the famous American sailing enthusiast, and who enjoyed a home in West Cork, and who had strong ties with the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and participated in many Cork Week Regattas, presented the club with the Pyewacket Perpetual Cup at a dinner in the club hosted by the then Admiral, Anthony O’Leary. Pyewacket was what Roy had named his personal yacht! Roy’s close friend who was the Rev. Father Edward M. Foster, a resident of Crosshaven and America, always blessed Roy’s yachts and Roy and Father Foster always enjoyed one anothers company. Roy’s first cousins Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney, also yacht and sailing enthusiasts, often enjoyed spending time with Roy in Ireland at the Royal Cork Yacht Club!
Roy and Patty Disney and brothers (Roy's first cousins) Charles Elias and Daniel H. Disney, all spent the day together and sat together when the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles was blessed and dedicated on Monday, September 2, 2002 by +Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the Archbishop of Los Angeles.
Roy was honored in 1998 to be made a member of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great, (KCSG). The Order of St. Gregory the Great is one of the five Orders of Knighthood of the Holy See. The honor is bestowed upon Roman Catholic men and women (and sometimes, in rare cases, as in Roy's circumstance, to non-Catholics) and in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and to the Roman Catholic Church, through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See, and their personal excellent examples as set forth in their communities and their countries.
First Cousins/Friends Roy Edward Disney &
Daniel H. Disney at California Adventure
in Anaheim, California
Near to the end of Roy's life, he was confined to the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California. Roy was enduring stomach cancer and he was obviously suffering quite profoundly. Very early in the morning on Sunday, December 13, 2009, brothers Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney were accompanied by their longtime mutual priest friend who was the Rev. Father Edward M. Foster visiting from Crosshaven, a village in County Cork, Ireland, when they visited Roy in his hospital suite in Newport Beach. The three cousins Roy, Charles Elias and Daniel, enjoyed a wonderfully long visit when they reminisced about so many times they had all spent together across many years. (Incidentally, Roy was a longtime member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork, Ireland). Near the end of this visit, Roy looked at Charles Elias, Daniel, and Father Foster, and asked them if they truly believed he would be forgiven for his sins in his lifetime. Charles Elias and Daniel then execused themselves from Roy's room so Father Foster was able to offer privately to Roy the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, and Father Foster then heard what was likely Roy's final confession and Holy Communion before he passed away on Wednesday, December 16, 2009.
Rev. Father Edward M. Foster
The presence of Father Foster and Charles Elias and Daniel seemed to be of great comfort for Roy and this is the final memory Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney have of their wonderful cousin Roy Edward Disney. Roy passed from this life on Wednesday, December 16, 2009.
Charles Elias often speaks of his cousin Roy. Incidentally, Charles Elias' late son, who was Charles Roy "Charlie" Disney, his middle name was "Roy" as he was named for both his dad's close first cousin Roy Edward Disney and his uncle Roy Oliver Disney!
Roy had such a profound and personal influence on cousins Charles Elias and Daniel. Roy first met and was introduced to Father Foster when Charles Elias and Daniel invited Roy and Patty and Father Foster for dinner in The California Club in downtown Los Angeles, some years earlier. Later on, when Roy and Patty were in Ireland, they enjoyed their times with Father Foster when, among other things, they both enjoyed dinners and other social events in Crosshaven in County Cork, Ireland.
Charles Elias often speaks of his cousin Roy. Incidentally, Charles Elias' late son, who was Charles Roy "Charlie" Disney, his middle name was "Roy" as he was named for both his dad's close first cousin Roy Edward Disney and his uncle Roy Oliver Disney!
Roy had such a profound and personal influence on cousins Charles Elias and Daniel. Roy first met and was introduced to Father Foster when Charles Elias and Daniel invited Roy and Patty and Father Foster for dinner in The California Club in downtown Los Angeles, some years earlier. Later on, when Roy and Patty were in Ireland, they enjoyed their times with Father Foster when, among other things, they both enjoyed dinners and other social events in Crosshaven in County Cork, Ireland.
Roy's parents were Roy Oliver Disney and Edna Francis Disney
Roy Oliver Disney & Edna Francis Disney
Roy Edward Disney's father was Roy Oliver Disney who was an older brother to Walt Disney. Roy helped Walt establish what today has become known as The Walt Disney Company. Roy Oliver Disney was born on June 24, 1893 in Chicago, Illinois. Roy passed away on December 20, 1971 in Burbank, California at the age of 78.
Edna Francis Disney was born in Reece, Kansas, on January 16, 1890, the third of six children. Edna passed away on December 18, 1984 in Burbank, California.
At a young age, she took many jobs to help support her family. It was her stint at The Kansas City Times that Edna’s younger brother introduced her to one of his co-workers who went by the name of Roy Oliver Disney. Roy won over Edna’s heart at a dance, even though he didn’t know how to dance very well, and from that point forward, nothing would separate the pair---even time and distance! At this time Roy along with his brother Raymond Arnold Disney both were employed as clerks at the First National Bank in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. This former bank building still exists much the way is appeared when the Disney Brothers were bank tellers and today is the main Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri!
Roy & Edna & Raymond & Meredith
Roy was married to Edna Francis from April 1925 until his death. Roy met Edna Francis in Kansas City, Missouri when she worked at The Kansas City Times newspaper along with close friend Meredith A. Boyington and she introduced Meredith to Raymond Arnold Disney, who was an older brother to Roy O. Disney. Raymond and Meredith were married, and were lifetime close friends to Edna and Roy and they had two sons: Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney. Roy and Edna's son: Roy Edward Disney, was born on January 10, 1930. Roy Edward Disney in later years was vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company headquartered in Burbank, California. Throughout his life, Roy Oliver Disney rejected the publicity and fame that came with being Walt's brother. Roy's nephew Charles Elias Disney chose to name his son Charles Roy Disney in Roy's honor! And Roy's nephew Charles Elias Disney was actually named for Roy's father who was Elias Charles Disney.
While Roy recovered from World War I (he was diagnosed with tuberculosis), Edna and the Francis family served as Walt’s surrogate family as his parents had moved to Oregon (it was during this time that he was struggling with his Laugh-O-gram Studios in Kansas City). When Walt decided to move out to Hollywood to start a new studio, Roy (who would help with managing the finances) chose not to be away from his sweetheart anymore and he then proposed to Edna Francis. The two were married in 1923.
Once the Disney Brothers Studio (later to be known as The Walt Disney Studios) opened, Edna, along with Lillian Bounds Disney (Walt’s wife), became two of the studio’s first “ink girls” in the Ink and Paint Department.
Early life
Roy was born to Irish-Canadian Elias Charles Disney and English-German-American Flora Call Disney in Chicago, Illinois. The family moved to Marceline, Missouri, in 1896, and to Kansas City, Missouri in 1911. On July 1, 1911, Elias purchased a newspaper delivery route for The Kansas City Star. It extended from 27th Street to the 31st Street, and from Prospect Avenue to Indiana Avenue. Roy and his brother, Walt worked as newspaper delivery-boys. The family delivered the morning newspaper, The Kansas City Times, to approximately 700 customers, and the evening newspaper, The Kansas City Star, to more than 600. The number of customers served increased with time.
Walt Disney Productions
Whilst Walt led the creative side, Roy guided the business side and finances. Roy and Walt both founded Disney Studios as brothers, but Walt would later buyout most of Roy's share in 1929 so, unlike Max and Dave Fleischer of rival Fleischer Studios, Roy was not a co-producer. However, Roy would be equal partner in all facets of the production company. Roy became the company's first CEO in 1929, although the official title was not given to him until 1968. He also shared the role of chairman of the board with Walt from 1945. In 1960, Walt dropped the chairman title so he could focus more on the creative aspects of the company. After Walt's death in 1966, Roy postponed his retirement to oversee construction of what was then known as Disney World. He later renamed it Walt Disney World as a tribute to his brother. Roy became the president of Walt Disney Productions on December 15, 1966, until 1968.
Personal life
Roy was married to Edna Francis from April 1925 until his death. Their son, Roy Edward Disney, was born on January 10, 1930. Throughout his life, Roy, Sr. rejected the publicity and fame that came with being Walt's brother. Roy's nephew Charles Elias Disney named his own sons middle name Charles Roy Disney after both Roy O. Disney and Roy E. Disney.
ROY O. DISNEY Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame July 24, 1998
Death
Roy O. Disney's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was inducted posthumously on July 24, 1998.
After the opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971, Roy finally retired. He died, aged 78, on December 20, 1971 from an intracranial hemorrhage. He is interred alongside Edna Disney in Forest Lawn Memorial-Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles just across the freeway and overlooking the huge The Walt Disney Company complex.
Legacy
Walt Disney World Railroad No. 4 Roy O. Disney.
One of the Walt Disney World Railroad locomotives was named after Roy On June 6, 2002, his son Roy E. Disney rededicated this locomotive in his father's honor. As of 2016, this locomotive became a hundred years old. One of the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad locomotives is also named the Roy O. Disney. The Roy O. Disney Concert Hall, the primary performance space for the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts (of which Disney was a benefactor), is named after him. A statue of Roy seated on a park bench beside Minnie Mouse is located in the Town Square section of Main Street, U.S.A., at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Florida. A duplicate of this same statue is located outside the Team Disney building at Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank, California. Also, there is a third statue at the Tokyo Disneyland theme park. The Roy O. Disney Suite is located on the top floor of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.
In 2014, Roy O. Disney was portrayed in the feature film "Walt Before Mickey " by Jon Heder.
Numerous other stories and content relating to Roy's life will be emphasized in the future within this personal site...
Roy O. Disney's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was inducted posthumously on July 24, 1998.
After the opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971, Roy finally retired. He died, aged 78, on December 20, 1971 from an intracranial hemorrhage. He is interred alongside Edna Disney in Forest Lawn Memorial-Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles just across the freeway and overlooking the huge The Walt Disney Company complex.
Legacy
Walt Disney World Railroad No. 4 Roy O. Disney.
One of the Walt Disney World Railroad locomotives was named after Roy On June 6, 2002, his son Roy E. Disney rededicated this locomotive in his father's honor. As of 2016, this locomotive became a hundred years old. One of the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad locomotives is also named the Roy O. Disney. The Roy O. Disney Concert Hall, the primary performance space for the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts (of which Disney was a benefactor), is named after him. A statue of Roy seated on a park bench beside Minnie Mouse is located in the Town Square section of Main Street, U.S.A., at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Florida. A duplicate of this same statue is located outside the Team Disney building at Disney's corporate headquarters in Burbank, California. Also, there is a third statue at the Tokyo Disneyland theme park. The Roy O. Disney Suite is located on the top floor of the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.
In 2014, Roy O. Disney was portrayed in the feature film "Walt Before Mickey " by Jon Heder.
Numerous other stories and content relating to Roy's life will be emphasized in the future within this personal site...
Disney Family Tree: Five Generations
Beginning with
Kepple Elias Disney and Elias Charles Disney
From the Disney Family Archives
The above Disney Family Tree includes five generations of the Disney Family