It all started with a pencil.
If you've ever been to Disneyland or Disneyworld you've enjoyed the creations of Imagineer Rolly Crump. He was the key designer for the Haunted Mansion and the Tiki Room. I remember seeing his wonderfully lively exterior to the "it's a small world" pavilion at NYC World's Fair (and later at Disneyland in California) with its animated clock face, doo-dads and gizmos.
He started as a fledging artist/animator but one day when Walt was making his rounds at the studio he noticed the whimsical wind-powered pinwheels and spinners Crump had improvised from Blackwing pencil eraser clips. Crump was soon made an Imagineer, working on designing attractions for Disneyland.
Rolly Crump passed away March 10, 2023 in Carlsbad, Ca. He was 93.
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