Today Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway passed away. He was 93 years old. The news was reported by The Orlando Sentinel.
Ridgway, who became a Disney Legend in 1999, worked as a reporter who covered Disneyland before later accepting a position with the company. Working in publicity, he helped promote not only Disneyland but also the openings of many Disney Parks including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disneyland Paris. He retired in 1994.
As D23 recalls, Ridgway once said, “Disneyland was the one public relations job I thought I would enjoy, and I was right. And my radio and newspaper background helped me to understand what the reporters needed and how best to work with them.”
Walt Disney World president George Kalogridis remembered Ridgway, telling the Sentinel, “I had the pleasure of knowing Charlie Ridgway, and he was a true Disney legend who was known for his boundless creativity. He was beloved and respected, and he will be greatly missed by those who were fortunate enough to work with him.”