Our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Disney Legend and Imagineer, Rolly Crump. Rolly was a true original amongst Imagineers. At 22 years old he began as an “inbetweener” in Animation for The Walt Disney Studios in 1953. Walt saw something unique in him and moved him from animation to WED Enterprises in 1959.
One of his first major solo projects at WED—known today as Walt Disney Imagineering—was to redesign and refurbish the Adventureland Bazaar. He then later was assigned to work on attractions for the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair including Ford’s Magic Skyway and it’s a small world. Rolly developed the “Museum of the Weird,” an early development of what would eventually evolve into The Haunted Mansion. He worked heavily on Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, where he sculpted tiki gods used in the exterior garden. Throughout his career at Disney, he continued pushing boundaries and helped continue to inspire the imagination and creativity in the theme parks.
Rolly was a particular favorite of Walt Disney while he worked at WED. He was known for his originality and boldness. He was never afraid to speak his mind to Walt, which set him apart at Imagineering. Rolly was a special guest at The Walt Disney Family Museum where he continued sharing his stories from his time at Walt Disney Imagineering. His imagination and creativity will be greatly missed here at the museum.
