Ron Dominguez, Disney Legend and former Executive Vice President of Attractions, passed away January 1, 2021. He was 85. Dominguez, known as “Mr. Disneyland,” retired from The Walt Disney Company in 1994 after 39 years of service. The news of Dominguez’s death was first shared on the Disneyland Alumni Club Facebook page. Born August 10, … Read more
Jeremy Bulloch, who portrayed bounty hunter Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy, has passed away at the age of 75, according to ComicBook.com. Bulloch, born February 16th, 1945 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, appeared in the role in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, quickly becoming a fan favorite. … Read more
John Leland has passed away at the age of 91. A puppet master and designer of marionettes, Leland notably helped bring the Main Street Emporium marionette window displays to life at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as designing puppets and scenery for theme park shows including “Sketchbook Revue” and “Holiday Spectacular.” He was … Read more
Alex Trebek, the beloved “Jeopardy!” host since 1984, has died at age 80. The TV icon had long since battled stage 4 pancreatic cancer, announcing the news back in March 2019. “Jeopardy!” shared the news via the show’s Twitter account. Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. … Read more
Dancer Marge Champion, who served as a live-action reference model for many of Disney’s early animated feature films, including the title character of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, has passed away at 101. The daughter of Ernest Belcher, a ballet coach who taught such iconic performers as Shirley Temple, Gwen Verdon, and Cyd Charisse, … Read more
Grant Imahara, most famously known for being the host of “MythBusters” on Discovery Channel, has died suddenly following a brain aneurysm. Imahara worked for a long time at Lucasfilm’s THX and Industrial Light and Magic divisions, helping bring the beloved droid, R2-D2 back to life for the prequel Star Wars movies. Imahara landed a job … Read more
For film buffs and Francophiles, Michel Piccoli starred in Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. And who could forget his role opposite Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt in 1963? But for Disney fans across the world, he’s known as Jules Verne in the popular Le Visionarium and The … Read more
Noted architect and urban planner Jaquelin T. “Jaque” Robertson, has passed away at the age of 87, according to The New York Times. A graduate of the Yale School of Architecture, Robertson was the founder of the New York City Urban Design Group and New York City’s first Director of the Mayor’s Office of Midtown … Read more
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of legendary actor and comedian Jerry Stiller, whose talents were featured in numerous Disney movies and animated television series. Stiller, who most famously played George Costanza’s hot-headed father on the hit TV series “Seinfeld”, had his first role in a Disney movie in 1995 … Read more
Don Shula, the coach with the most wins in the history of the National Football League and the inspiration for Shula’s Steak House at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, passed away on Monday at the age of 90. Shula began his NFL career as a player, playing as a defensive back for the Cleveland Browns, … Read more
Rob Gibbs, an animator, director, and story artist for Pixar Animation Studios who worked on such films as Monsters, Inc., Inside Out, and Onward, has passed away at the age of 55, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Gibbs joined Pixar in 1998, working as a storyboard artist for Toy Story 2. Over the years, he’s had … Read more
Brian Dennehy, the actor who voiced Remy and Emile’s father Django in Disney’s Ratatouille, as well as Tommy’s father in Tommy Boy (a WDWNT staff favorite), has passed away at the age of 81. Brian Dennehy, had won two Tonys in a career that also spanned films such as First Blood and Cocoon, died on Wednesday … Read more
Ugandan actress Nikita Pearl Waligwa, who appeared in the 2016 Disney film “Queen of Katwe,” has passed away at 15, according to the BBC. Waligwa played Gloria, a friend of the film’s protagonist, Phiona Mutesi, who explains the rules of chess to her. Based on a true story, “Queen of Katwe” is the story of … Read more
Kau’i Brandt, the beloved Hawaiian cultural representative and former dancer from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort better known as “Aunty Kau’i”, has passed away. 88-year-old Anake “Aunty” Kau’I Brandt was a Disney legend at the Polynesian, entertaining guests with hula dances and hand-made leis for over 30 years. The Hawaii-native was born in 1932 and grew … Read more
Disney Legend Bob Matheison, a key figure in Walt Disney World’s history, from the development process to serving as Director of Operations for the Magic Kingdom at its 1971 opening to Executive Vice President of Parks for the resort in 1987, has passed away at the age of 85. From D23’s Disney Legends page for … Read more
Disney Legend and voice of Minnie Mouse (among others), Russi Taylor, has passed at the age of 75 in Glendale, California, on July 26, 2019.Through countless effervescent performances, Russi always showed an incredible talent for entertaining and improvisation. While she brought to life an illustrious cast of beloved characters during a career that spanned nearly … Read more