Individual Details

Roy Oliver Disney Sr.

(24 Jun 1893 - 20 Dec 1971)

Events

Birth	24 Jun 1893	Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Military	14 Feb 1919	Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
Military	1923	Sawtelle, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
Marriage	11 Apr 1925	Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States - Edna Francis Disney
Occupation	Bet 1929 and 1971	CEO of Walt Disney Productions - Burbank, Los Angeles, California, United States
Burial	1971	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States
Death	20 Dec 1971	Burbank, Los Angeles, California, United States
Life sketch		ROY OLIVER DISNEY ~ An American businessman, partner and co-founder, along with his younger brother Walt Disney, of Walt Disney Productions, now known as The Walt Disney Company. 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, Roy's father Elias purchased a newspaper delivery route for The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Times. It extended from 27th Street to 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 Kansas City Star to more than 600 customers. The number of customers served increased with time. Roy graduated from the Manual Training High School of Kansas City in 1912. He left the paper delivery route and worked on a farm in the summer. He was then employed as a bank clerk along with his brother, Raymond Arnold Disney at the First National Bank in downtown Kansas City. At this same time Roy's brother Walt developed his Laugh-O-gram Studios in Kansas City. Roy served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919. Roy contracted tuberculosis, therefore, was discharged from military duty. He relocated to Los Angeles and worked as a banker whilst recuperating in hospital. In 1923, his brother, Walt joined Roy in Hollywood after he filed for bankruptcy in Kansas City, and the two planned the start of the Disney Brothers Studio. The brothers ordered kit houses from Los Angeles-based Pacific Ready Cut Homes, and in 1928, built their homes adjacently on Lyric Avenue in the Los Feliz neighborhood. Whilst Walt led the creative side, Roy guided the business side and finances. Roy and Walt both founded Disney Bros. 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 an equal partner in all facets of the production company and he 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. Following Walt's death in 1966, Roy postponed his retirement to oversee construction of what was then known as Disney World. He later renamed the park "Walt Disney World" as a tribute to his brother. Roy became the president of Walt Disney Productions headquartered in Burbank, California on December 15, 1966, until 1968. Roy Oliver Disney was married to Edna Francis from April 1925 until his death. Their only child, Roy Edward Disney, was born on January 10, 1930. Throughout his life, Roy rejected the publicity and fame that came with being Walt's brother. Roy's nephew who is Charles Elias Disney named his sons middle name Charles Roy Disney after Roy. After the opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971, Roy finally retired. He passed away, on December 20, 1971, age 78, from an intracranial hemorrhage. He is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial-Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles alongside his wife Edna Disney. When the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in Los Angeles, included within the structure complex is the REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) is an interdisciplinary contemporary arts center for innovative visual, performing and media arts in downtown Los Angeles. Opened in November 2003 as the initial professional presenting arm of CalArts, REDCAT has since garnered a reputation for groundbreaking theater and a worldwide arts following as a launching platform for up-and-coming local artists, and for introducing internationally acclaimed productions and exhibitions to L.A. audiences that are often premiering on the West Coast for the first time.

Families

Spouse	Edna Francis Disney (1890 - 1984)
Child	Roy Edward Disney Jr. (1930 - 2009)

Father	Elias Charles Disney (1859 - 1941)
Mother	Flora Call (1868 - 1938)
Sibling	Herbert Arthur Disney (1888 - 1961)
Sibling	Raymond Arnold Disney (1890 - 1989)
Sibling	Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (1901 - 1966)
Sibling	Ruth Flora Disney (1903 - 1995)

Endnotes