Just Curious...

[jadyson]

Why isn't Roy Disney CEO of TWDC? Who is Michael Eisner to him?

 

[roymccoy]

From what I understand, Roy was instrumental in getting Eisner hired in the first place.
Roy and the Disney family have a lot at stake (share price, prestige, etc) in making sure that Disney is a well run company. I think Roy is comfortable staying in the background but keeping his hand in things to make sure that his, and his families, investment is safe.

Roy

 

[Another Voice]

Michael Eisner is Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Operating Officer of the company.

Roy E. Disney is Vice Chairman of the Board and President of Disney Feature Animation.

On both counts, as a stockholder and as a corporate executive, Eisner is Roy’s “boss”.

Way back before the Dark Times, Roy E. was able to use his personal stock holdings and a huge chunk purchased by the Hunt family to force Walt Disney’s son-in-law and his “crowd” out of the company (long, long history of troubles between the two families). Roy E. hired Frank Wells to run Disney, but they needed someone with Hollywood “connections” to lend some creditability to Disney’s studio operations. They settled on Michael Eisner (who was then a minor executive over at Paramount).

Long story short, the hired help took over the place by stealing the silverware. Eisner’s own stock holding are huge now and he’s managed to put enough allies on the board that he’s now immune to pressure to remove him. In the process he’s also relegated Roy Disney to a minor figurehead. All either Disney family can do is complain from the sidelines.

 

[jadyson]

Well, IMHO I think it's disgusting what Eisner earns a year. Poor Walt must be very unhappy with current situation. I just can't understand how the family could have allowed this to happen. Doesn't the name Disney mean anything to Eisner?

 

[mitros]

The only thing that means anything to eisner is :$$$$$$$ and plenty of them, for him! And the real shame is that everyone on these boards knows this, and if you talk to any CM at the parks, they all agree. I have never heard a nice word said about eisner by any CM anywhere.

 

[tstobb]

There is a book called "Storming the Magic Kingdom" that details the road that led ME to Disney.

Originally posted by mitros
The only thing that means anything to eisner is :$$$$$$$ and plenty of them, for him! And the real shame is that everyone on these boards knows this

Please, don't ever assume to speak for me. While I can't agree with everything ME has done, some of his early accomplishments for the company are outstanding. When the power struggle was over, Disney was garbage, plain & simple and the team that was put into place really did turn it around. Whether those successes went to their heads & caused the more recent events - ?
Read the book as it details exactly how bad the company was (financially) before.

 

[mitros]

I Read the book, which is why I feel this way about eisner. if you feel otherwise, thats fine. I guess I should have said a"lot" of people on these boards. It really makes no difference at this point how eisner saved the company back in the mid 80s. It's what he is doing now that's the problem. He has overstayed his time in Disney,in my opinion, and it is time for him to go. New blood is needed, just like it was needed back in 1984-5.