Kenversations™
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Speaking of Key Disney Creative Types…
I was sorry to read of the passing of Ward Kimball. In incomparable character of a guy,
Ward was so full of personality. Much has been written about him already on this site, so
I just wanted to mention that I appreciated his work. I'd love to see a biographical
motion picture about him - perhaps something made for cable? I will always be grateful for
the times I got to see this man in person, and for the time I attended a party to ride the
Chloe on the Grizzly Flats Railroad which was in this man's backyard!
It seems somehow poignant that Frank & Ollie are the two remaining Nine Old Men - their names go together like Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Hanna & Barbera. I hope they remain with us for a long while longer.
Speaking of Good Things Leaving Us…
I was saddened to hear Landmark Entertainment Group (LEG) is, for all practical
purposes, gone. At one time, LEG was the largest independent theme park design firm in the
world. By "independent", I mean it was not part of a larger company. You might
not know the name of the company, but you know their work. They'd done work for Universal
Studios, Busch, Paramount Parks, and so many companies and organizations around the world.
I was there in 1996, a significant time for Landmark. After many years in development, Terminator 2-3D was being completed at Universal Studios Florida, where it would prove to be a huge hit. Star Trek: The Experience and Caesar's Magical Empire at Caesar's Palace were being developed for Las Vegas. Casper's Toonztown (think Casper the Friendly Ghost and Richie Rich) was being developed for Indonesia. LEG was working with Universal on the Spiderman attraction for Islands of Adventure. HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (rolls right off of the tongue, don't it?) purchased a 50% equity stake in the company. That's the guy who bought a huge chunk of Euro Disney stock and was doing business with Michael Jackson.
The company traced it origins to ventures Gary Goddard started with Phil Mendez and Tony Christopher in 1977. Over the years, LEG was involved in the conception, design, writing, direction, production, licensing, and/or installation of characters, themed attractions, theme parks, casinos, resorts, themed architecture, world expositions, retail facilities, Broadway shows and other live entertainment, motion pictures, television programs, animation, toys, and interactive media.
There were many top-notch projects created by LEG, which is not surprising considering some of the talented people I personally encountered there and others who have worked at LEG through the years, many of whom either came from Disney or would eventually go to Disney.
It is too bad the company couldn't stay above water.
Speaking of Companies Having Trouble…
While Enron, Global Crossing, and WorldCom have dominated the business headlines,
companies like AOL Time Warner, Inc. and Vivendi Universal have not escaped publicity
about their difficulties.
It should come as no surprise that there would be problems when business professionals and executives, like everyone else, have been told to seek instant gratification, that anything goes as long as it is for your personal best short-term material enrichment, that there is no such thing as right and wrong - only force. Executives and managers hop from company to company with no loyalty, no real time to develop something significant or unique, or grow roots. With the way some company cultures treat people, some people jump with good reason.
As long as the Sun shines, the unavoidable principle of life called capitalism will see to it that there is growth. However, business will always experience cycles that include economic downturns. Companies like Disney, AOL, and Vivendi need investors who are willing to go in for the long haul. They also need honest bookkeeping and to be realistic about the need to invest capital to protect long-term value as well as generate revenue. Ambitious projects may be needed to avoid harmful stagnation.