Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney who helped create a “new golden age of animation” with such hits as The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, died of stomach cancer at 79 today in Newport Beach, Calif., the company announced.
In a statement, the company called him “a successful businessman, philanthropist, filmmaker, and award-winning sailor, who played a key role in the revitalization of The Walt Disney Company and Disney’s animation legacy.”
Roy Disney, whose father, Roy O., founded the company with his uncle Walt, twice led shareholder revolts to wrestle control of the family business.
Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney who helped create a “new golden age of animation” with such hits as The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, died of stomach cancer at 79 today in Newport Beach, Calif., the company announced.
In a statement, the company called him “a successful businessman, philanthropist, filmmaker, and award-winning sailor, who played a key role in the revitalization of The Walt Disney Company and Disney’s animation legacy.”
Roy Disney, whose father, Roy O., founded the company with his uncle Walt.
