Rollie Crump, the Disney animator who went on to help create the look of early Disneyland attractions such as It’s a Small World and the Enchanted Tiki Room, died Sunday in Carlsbad, California. He was 93 years old.
Facebook page for his autobiography announced his death.
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Crump had no formal art education, but his amateur drawings helped him get a job at The Walt Disney Company when he was just 22, including “Peter Pan,” “Lady and the Tramp,” “Sleeping Beauty.” working on films. and “101 Dalmations,” mostly as an animation assistant.
Crump was known for his eccentric beatnik style and pop art approach, evident in his personal art projects such as a series of posters celebrating drugs. He created posters for rock groups and jazz artists, and his artwork attracted the attention of Walt Disney, who transferred him from the animation department to design for Disneyland. Crump joined the fledgling Walt Disney Imagineering department in 1959, contributing to designs for attractions including Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World, Tomorrowland, and the Enchanted Tiki Room.
His tiki vision also informed the South Seas design of Trader Sam’s bar at the Disneyland Hotel and influenced other artists in the genre. His designs influence the look and feel of all Disney parks.
His colorful Pop Art design sensibility can be seen in the original design of It’s a Small World and its iconic clock, first created for the New York World’s Fair, which he created using Disney artist Mary Blair’s sketches.
Born in the Alhambra, he worked at Disney until the 1970s when he left, providing designs for other theme parks including Knott’s Berry Farm and Busch Gardens.
He returned to Disney to create designs for Epcot Center’s “The Land” and “Wonders of Life” pavilions. He was named a Disney Legend in 2004.
His autobiography, “It’s Kind of a Cute Story” was published in 2012.
Crump is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.
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