E. Cardon Walker, Disney's Corporate Leader from 1971-1983,Dies at Age 89

[crazy4wdw]

E. Cardon Walker, Disney's Corporate Leader from 1971-1983, Who Established EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Channel, Dies at Age 89; Succeeded Co-Founder Roy O. Disney

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)----E. Cardon "Card" Walker, who led The Walt Disney Company (NYSEIS) for nearly a decade and a-half following the death of co-founder Roy O. Disney, passed away at his La Canada home on Monday, November 29, at the age of 89.

Walker rose through the ranks at Disney, starting in the mailroom in 1938 and eventually becoming executive vice president and chief operating officer following the death of Walt Disney. Walker worked closely with Walt and Roy Disney on memorable projects, such as It's a Small World, Meet Mr. Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, "101 Dalmatians," "The Jungle Book," "Mary Poppins" and the purchase and development of the 28,000 acres in Central Florida that became Walt Disney World.

In 1971, he was named president of the company, in 1976, he added the duties of chief executive officer and, in 1980, he was elected chairman of the board. Under his leadership, the company expanded with such major projects as the development of EPCOT at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and the creation of the Disney Channel in the then-nascent cable industry.

"I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Card Walker," said Robert Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. "Card was instrumental in keeping Disney strong and growing in the critical years that followed the passing of founders Walt and Roy Disney. There is little question that, were it not for Card Walker's vision and leadership, Disney would not be what it is today."

"Card was a predecessor of mine as CEO and I was privileged to consult with him throughout much of my tenure at the company," said Michael D. Eisner, former CEO of The Walt Disney Company. "Thanks to his deep understanding of the company and its founders, talking to Card was the next best thing to talking to Walt himself. Card successfully steered this company through a challenging time of transition, establishing an incredibly strong base for success on which Disney continues to build."

Earlier in his career, Walker's duties included work in the camera and story departments as unit manager on short subjects, after which he moved into advertising and sales, rising to become the company's vice president of marketing. In 1960, he was elected to Disney's board of directors and served on its three-man executive committee. He retired as CEO and chairman in 1983, but continued to serve as a consultant until 1990.

Among Walker's many awards and honors were Pioneer of the Year from the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers, the International Showmanship Award from the National Association of Theater Owners and the Alumnus of the Year Award from UCLA.

Walker was born January 9, 1916 in Rexburg, Idaho and moved to Southern California in 1924. He died of congestive heart failure and is survived by Winnie, his wife of 59 years, as well as three children, Mignonne Walker Decker, Marnie Gaede and Cardon Walker, and five grandchildren, Katie, Matt, Dillon, Marcus and Miles.

Funeral services will be private. Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, (800) 322-9474, www.wishla.org.

The Walt Disney Company Michelle Bergman, 818-560-8231 Howard Green, 818-560-1944

11/30/2005 16:34 ET

© Business Wire 2005

 

[Sarangel]

Walker doesn't get enough credit most days. How sad that he's passed.

 

[GrimGhost]

Sad day. What a great man he was.The sun sets on another member of an incredible group of people that followed Walt and Roy.

 

[YoHo]

Walker doesn't get enough credit most days. How sad that he's passed.

If you believe DIsneyWar, he was a horsespatoot that was in his own way as bad for Disney as those that screwed up after him.

When you look at what Ron Miller wanted to do with the company, you'll see a laundrylist of items that look very familiar. They look familiar, becuase they are the exact things Eisner managed to accomplish. Ron couldn't get it done, because
1: Card Walker wasn't a visionary and was too stubborn and affraid
2: Roy was making a powerplay and wanted rid of the Walt side.


Of course, if you believe the insinuation in Disney War, it was Card Walker that called Roy the Idiot Nephew in the first place, so perhaps had Walker not been there, Roy would not have made his powerplay, and there would still be a Disney in charge.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Then again maybe you can't really believe Disney War???

 

[YoHo]

Based on the reputation of the Author, I'd put it at more believable then just about anything that's been posted here.

 

[Peter Pirate]

None of us are experts...But we've all read the books. Stewart has a decent reputation it would seem but lets face it, the agenda was to sell his book and at the time of release which side of the story would you prefer your slant were you the author?

 

[YoHo]

Really, was that his intention in his previous book?

That's a pretty jaded outlook there in either case. The fact of the matter is that He was asked to write a book, Eisner invited in and he wrote what he heard and saw.

What's the motivation behind assuming it was written with a disengenuous slant? Why is it importnat to you to discount what the book says?

 

[Peter Pirate]

Oh, you misinterrurpt or I came across wrong. I don't mean to completely discount the book. It is obviously very well written with much insightful and informative stuff. The fact is though, that aside from the selling angle, which you find jaded, any resarcher will be intrigued by the juicy and controversial. This just isn't 'news' to me, which means that while the book may have come from a good place and have been put together by a good writer and is full of nearly all accurate information doesn't mean it should be held up as gospel, IMO.

 

[YoHo]

Well since we're talking about the inalterable past, I don't see how it matters.

Somebody called Roy E. Disney the Idiot Nephew This has been documented elsewhere. Most of the Ron Miller stuff has also been documented elsewhere. He was being hogtied.

 

[Peter Pirate]

You're right, It doesn't really matter.

 

[YoHo]

Well, I should say, it matters in the sense of being a student of history and not repeating it, but in terms of holding things up as Gospel I mean.

 

[Another Voice]

Actually, some of us can attest to the accuracy of ‘DisneyWar’ through first hand experience.

Frankly, the author left out the more controversial and “juicy” events to concentrate on those that could be collaborated by means outside of Disney (like court records) and to focus more on how Eisner ran the studio business rather than focus company politics and personnel games.

 

[Sarangel]

I meant that Walker did a lot for the creation of Disneyland, not so much his post-Walt experiences. Think Ceaser, "the good men do is oft interred with their bones."