Editor's Report
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"We'll Never See His Likes Again"
A Special Editor's Report:December 15, 1966
Wednesday of last week marked the 33rd anniversary of the saddest event in Disney
history, the death of Uncle Walt. Walt Disney was different things to different people - a
fatherly figure to the millions of Disney fans, a demanding employer, a creative and
shrewed businessman. But whatever one's personal experience with Walt, I'm guessing it was
understood the impact his life had on the world. Some light can be shed on just how
influential that life was by looking at a little of the reaction to his death:
From Van France's book Window On Main Street.
Unfortunately, I don't know the original source.
From Eric Sevareid during the CBS Evening News
"He was an original; not just an American original, but an original, period. He
was a happy accident; one of the happiest this century has experienced; and judging by the
way it's been behaving in spite of all, Disney tried to tell it about laughter, love,
children, puppies, and sunrises. The century hardly deserved him.
He probably did more to heal or at least to soothe troubled human spirits than all the psychiartrists in the world. There can't be many adults in the allegedly civilized parts of the globe who did not inhabit Disney's mind and imagination at least for a few hours and feel better for the visitation. It may be true, as somebody said, that while there is no highbrow in a lowbrow, there is some lowbrow in every highbrow. But what Walt Disney seemed to know was that while there is very little grown-up in a child, there is a lot of child in every grow-up. To a child this weary world is brand new, gift wrapped; Disney tried to keep it that way for adults
By conventional wisdom, mighty mice, flying elephants, Snow White and Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy and Dopey, all of these were fantasy, escapism from reality. It's a question of whether they are any less real, any more fantastic than intercontinental missiles, poisoned air, defoliated forests, and scraps from the moon. This is the age of fantasy, however you look at it, but Disney's fantasy wasn't lethal."
People are saying we'll never see his like again.
Looking Forward
In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Walt made the following
statement in response to a question about the company "After Disney":
"Well, I think by this time, my staff, my young group of executives, and everyone else is convinced that Walt is right. That quality will win out. And so I think they're going to stay with that policy because it's proved that it's a good business policy. Give the people everything you can give them. Keep the place as clean as you can keep it. Keep it friendly, you know. Make it a real fun place to be. I think they're convinced and I think they'll hang on after, as you say, after Disney".
Goodbye Walt!
-- Doobie Moseley (December 20, 1999)
Editor's Report: Doobie's look at the world of Disney and what's coming up on LaughingPlace.com in the coming week. Occasionally, like this week, I'll dedicate the column to one topic.
The Editor's Report is posted every Monday.