Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, passes away at age 79.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 12:00pm

Diane Disney Miller has passed away at age 79.

"She made a name for herself as a philanthropist and played a key role in the creation of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Though it was Miller’s mother, Lillian, who donated $50 million to build a new home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1987, it was Miller who insisted that a portion of her mother’s donation be used to hire architect Frank Gehry in 1997." She also inspired her father to create Disneyland.

R.I.P. Ms. Miller.

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2013/11/19/diane-disney-miller-obituary/

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2013/11/diane-disney-miller-dies-at-79-leaving-behind-a-legacy-as-walts-daughter-and-disneyland-inspiration/

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 12:23pm

If you have some time when you are in San Francisco...the Walt Disney Museum is worth the time. It is not owned by the Disney Corporation. Diane Disney Miller and family were responsible for it. Not really something I would bring children to as it is a museum with a lot of historical things, early history (pre-theme parks), progression of animation, the climb to being the Disney we know today etc

Only as you progress into the museum does it include the theme parks.

Was really great to see how Diane envisioned her family, life with Walt as her father etc. I never knew Walt loved miniatures as much as he did. The museum has the actual bench that she used to sit on with her father at the amusement park that inspired his vision. Wedding photos with her and her father Walt.

A very enjoyable museum that of course has a somber ending.

As I left the museum I felt a great deal of appreciation to Diane Disney Miller for creating and sharing via this museum. In the moment I wanted to write a letter to her but ultimately never did. Reading of her passing is sad...rest in peace and a belated thank you.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 12:29pm

Sorry to hear this. She was a wonderful representative for her father and his legacy.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 1:52pm

And a genuinely wonderful woman.
I had the pleasure of meeting her through friends in Los Angeles, and it was a true joy.

I'm so sorry to hear this news.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 4:54pm

If I remember correctly, didn't Diane have a falling out with the Disney Company after her husband Ron resigned?

[bobs3]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 10:01pm

It was not a falling out with the Walt Disney Company but rather a falling with her cousin Roy Disney Jr. who orchestrated Ron Miller's ouster and brought in Michael Eisner as Chairman/CEO.

I'm sure Mrs. Miller did not complain when Disney's stock value skyrocketed in the first few years of Eisner's reign.

She and Roy Disney later reconciled when Roy Disney arranged a $20 million donation from the Disney Company to be used toward construction of Disney Concert Hall and Roy and his wife personally donated $5 million toward the construction.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 12:20am

Probably a dumb question but do the descendants of Walt receive any money from the company today?

[bobs3]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 7:30am

At one time the heirs of Walt and his brother Roy controlled 20% of the stock in the company. In the late 1980s they began divesting their Disney stock into a more diversified portfolio. The Walt Disney logo which is Walt's actual signature was sold by Walt's widow, Lillian, to the Disney Company for for several million dollars in the early 1990s.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 9:54am

Jonwo - with Walt leaving half of his wealth to his wife and biological daughter, Diane, and adopted daughter, Sharon, that is 2.5 billion to be dispersed equally between the three. When Sharon passed in the 90's, she was worth more than $300 million. I do know that both daughter's estates have a locked in value, meaning that the wealth is not fluctuating; it's all held in a trust fund and not tied to any shares or equity of an outside entity (such as the Walt Disney company). So I would *assume* they do not have a share in the company anymore. At one point, the family held 20% of the company. That eventually changed.

On a related note, here is Walt's Last Will and Testament: http://livingtrustnetwork.com/estate-planning-center/last-will-and-testament/wills-of-the-rich-and-famous/last-will-and-testament-of-walt-disney.html

And, finally, here is an absolutely fascinating look at the ongoing battle for Sharon Disney's $300 million trust fund between her children, grandchildren, and her surviving ex-husband: http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/walt-disneys-grand-children-waged-bitter-war-father-300-million-trust-fund/

This is battle is still going on and, surprisingly, it has been flying under the radar. We'll see what happens. Either way, none of this will impact the Walt Disney Company.

[jv92]

Posted: 11/23/13 at 12:35am

Sad to hear about Mrs. Miller's passing. I commend her for keeping her father's creativity and innovative spirit alive. But perhaps with her passing, we can get an honest, un-biased report of how Walt Disney ruined lives and did unspeakable harm to people he was not treating or paying fairly. The 1941 animators' strike may be "mentioned" at the Disney Family Museum, but I'm sure it's as whitewashed as it's been in every Disney family-approved book or film.

For all the great things Walt Disney did, I don't think his bigotry and red-baiting should be whitewashed to "Oh, well, EVERYONE was like that then", because that's not true at all. A guy can be a genius and an a*shole, too. (Jerome Robbins, anyone? Though I think his reasons for naming names was a bit more complicated than Disney's to say the least.)

I do, however, really want to go to the Family Museum next time I'm in Northern California. It looks and sounds really spectacular.