A sad day for Disney history, as Disney Legend Dave Smith has passed away at the age of 78.
Smith was hired to the Walt Disney Company in 1970 specifically to archive Walt Disney’s office which lied dormant since 1966. In that time, he helped form the Walt Disney Archives and became the to-go master on everything Disney. He published several books, including the famous “Disney A-to-Z” encyclopedia that you can still purchase at Disney Parks around the world.
A popular column called “Ask Dave” had readers quizzing him on Disney trivia no matter how obscure that originally ran in the now defunct Disney Magazine. It soon moved over to the D23 website and was updated until his death.
In 2007, Dave was named a Disney Legend by CEO Bob Iger for preserving Disney’s history, and in 2010 he retired from the position of the head of the archives. However, as mentioned prior, he still remained close with the company as a consultant and maintaining his regular column. Because of his meticulous notes and careful archiving, he was able to help fully restore Walt’s office several decades later in 2015.
Several fans of his that interacted with him in his many appearances at conventions, especially D23, noted his kindness and wealth of knowledge that he loved nothing more than to share with fellow Disney fans. One could say he was the ultimate fan of Disney, and the fact that their history can be enjoyed in museums around the world in the traveling exhibits is owed to him.
It’s hard to imagine the Walt Disney Company without the Walt Disney Archives, and thus it’s hard to imagine the company without Dave Smith. He will be dearly missed.
Ryan O’Reilly is a Columnist for the Boardwalk Times
