Remembering Roy Disney - Dave Bossert talks about his just-published biography

Dave Bossert, Producer, Creative Director and Head of Special Projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios, has just published a new book on Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt and for decades a champion of animation at the Disney Studio. Roy is widely regarded as the man who saved the animation division at Disney from closure, following the box office disaster of Black Cauldron and the Eisner/Katzenberg takeover in the 1980s. We asked Dave to tell us about his new book.

FLIP: You've just written a new book about Roy Disney - tell us about it!

Dave: The book is more of a scrapbook than biography.  Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life, draws a poignant and funny picture of a man revered and idolized by legions of Disney fans and admired, cared about, and very well liked by all those that had the honor to know him; to be part of one of his inner circle of friends. It is filled with personal memories, stories, candid photos and artifacts collected along the way, as well as stories from others that knew him.


FLIP: What is it about Roy that merits a book?

Dave: Roy was the last family member to have an active role in running The Walt Disney Company. He not only saved it once but twice in a 20 plus year period. He was a behind the scenes person who helped to save the Disney animation division and at the same time ignited a renaissance in animation that is still resonating today.

FLIP: Did you know Roy personally? What sort of man was he?

Dave: Yes, I spent many years working on projects that he executive produced. During those years I got to know him well and traveled with him.

Dave Bossert (left), Joe Grant (center) and Roy Disney at Joe Grant's 95th birthday party

FLIP: What was his contribution to the medium of animation?

Dave: Roy helped to engineer a management change out at Disney in 1983-84. When the new management team came in the item at the top of their to-do list was to shut down animation. It was losing money and we had just finished The Black Caldron - which bombed at the box office.

Roy stepped in and took animation under his wing to nurture it back to good health. His actions helped to transform how we made animated films at Disney with the introduction of new technology such as the CAPS (Computer Animation Production System).


FLIP: Where can we buy your book?

Dave: The book is available at Amazon.com and in bookstores.