Incredible Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump Dies At 93
One of Disneyland’s most iconic Imagineers, Rolly Crump, has died at the age of 93. He worked on nostalgic attractions such as It’s a Small World, the Enchanted Tiki Room and the Haunted Mansion and was known for his kooky and unique contributions. The Facebook page for his autobiography It’s Kind of a Cute Story announced the sad news.
The statement read, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Roland ‘Rolly’ Fargo Crump passed away peacefully yesterday morning at his home in Carlsbad, CA. He was 93 years old.” Crump began as an assistant animator on Disney films such as Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan and One Hundred and One Dalmatians, reportedly doing the painstaking work of adding the black dots to the dalmatians. He later joined WED Enterprises, which would eventually become Walt Disney Imagineering.
Disney legend Rolly Crump has passed away, but left behind a legacy for Disney fans
The statement continues, “Rolly’s most notable work for The Walt Disney Company has profoundly impacted the theme park industry over the years… He leaves behind a legacy that can never be matched, and the magic he crafted for countless people worldwide will never be forgotten.” He also worked for Knott’s Berry Farm, the Sultan of Oman and Busch Gardens on some of their designs, and designed the recognizable packaging for Ernie Ball guitar strings.
In addition to his work on Disneyland attractions, he returned to work for Disney in the ’70s to work on Walt Disney World’s Epcot. He contributed to the Land and Wonders of Life pavilions. In 2004, several years after his retirement, he was named a Disney Legend and published his autobiography in 2012. The statement concludes, “Rolly and his family would like to thank the fans for supporting his work over the years. His entire life was filled with one ‘kind of a cute story’ after the next, and he will be remembered with lots of love.”
Crump is survived by his wife, Marie, three children, and three grandchildren.
Kid Stuff
June 2018
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