His animation profession, in comparison with his later work within the Imagineering division, was pretty rudimentary. Throughout his time in animation, he labored as an inbetweener (and later assistant animator) on movies comparable to Peter Pan (1953), Woman and the Tramp (1955), and Sleeping Magnificence (1959).
Eager to be taught as a lot as he may concerning the enterprise, Crump took benefit of Disney’s open-door coverage on the time and would wander into departments to watch the work of sculptors, animators, and designers. In doing so, Crump not solely honed his inventive abilities, however gained a robust perception in his personal talents.
In 1959, Crump discovered his true calling on the firm when he joined present design at WED Enterprises. There, he turned a key designer on a few of Disneyland’s hottest and enduring sights. Crump’s early design work was used for the Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and Adventureland Bazaar.
Certainly one of Crump’s most iconic contributions to the park was the Tower of the 4 Winds marquee for the It’s a Small World exhibit on the 1964 New York World’s Honest. When the attraction moved to Disneyland in 1966, Crump designed the big glockenspiel clock on the entrance which options puppet kids parading throughout its façade each quarter-hour.
“It nonetheless brings tears to my eyes once I see folks popping out with a smile,” Crump as soon as stated. “I’m actually happy with the truth that I used to be a part of the group that constructed It’s a Small World.”
Whereas at WED Enterprises, Crump started working instantly with Walt. That’s additionally when Crump picked up the nickname “Rolly,” given to him by the boss himself.
“I began off as Roland, then I used to be ‘Owen’ for some time, after which I turned ‘Orland,’ however after all, I’d reply to something he referred to as me,” Crump recalled. “However the crowning glory was when he referred to as me ‘what’s his title.’”
Crump left Disney for a brief interval within the Seventies however continued working in theme parks elsewhere. He hung out at Busch Gardens, the ABC Wildlife Protect, and Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus World. In 1975, he designed Knott’s Bear-y Tales (pictured under) for Knott’s Berry Farm in California.
When Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, started growing EPCOT Middle, Crump got here again to assist with designs. He was the mission designer for The Land pavilion and helped to develop ideas for the Wonders of Life pavilion. He additionally later redesigned and refurbished each The Land and Improvements sights.
Crump left Disney once more in 1981 and began engaged on The Birds within the Gilded Cage present for the Golden Nugget on line casino in Atlantic Metropolis in 1982 (video under). He later turned mission lead for the Cousteau Ocean Middle till 1983, when he left to launch his personal firm Mariposa Design Group. There, he led operations till 1989. Whereas on the agency, they did work for Jacques Costeau, the Sultan of Oman, and quite a few different theme parks and malls all over the world. After Mariposa, he labored briefly for Cinematix earlier than heading again to Disney in 1992.
He formally retired from the corporate in 1996 however continued to work on all kinds of inventive tasks over the a long time since. In 2012, he teamed with Jeff Heimbuch to put in writing and printed an autobiography titled It’s Sort of a Cute Story.
Remembering his buddy and collaborator, Heimbuch advised us: “Rolly Crump was a real pressure of design and a wealth of creativity. He by no means stopped creating and his whimsical designs helped present many generations, together with myself, that it’s okay to be bizarre.”
Crump’s legacy was already solidified due to his works at Imagineering, however his household’s affect on the firm continued when his son Chris Crump joined WDI. Of his father, the youthful Crump stated:
What I noticed was that Rolly had actually nice relationships with the people who he labored with. It is very important know the abilities of your co-workers and to belief and respect them. I watched Rolly work together together with his friends and was impressed with how well-respected he was.
Different Imagineers are equally paying their respects. Tony Baxter, who labored alongside Crump on EPCOT and different Imagineering tasks for Walt Disney World Resort, stated:
Rolly was at all times in a position to see a unique manner of doing issues. I feel that fascinated Walt Disney, who was at all times on the lookout for improvements. When Rolly was proper together with his modern approaches, they typically turned out to be among the many most memorable features of Disney Parks. One other factor that distinguished Rolly was his whole enjoyment of inventive work and being round different inventive folks at Imagineering.
Kim Irvine, government inventive director for Walt Disney Imagineering, added:
Rolly was a quintessential factor of my, and plenty of others’, mentorship at Imagineering. Of all the unique artwork administrators of the Seventies, Crump was the ‘enjoyable man’… This Earth is sorry to lose him. However I can solely think about the occasion that every one the unique Imagineers which have gone on earlier than him are having within the Nice Hereafter. Rolly’s again on the town!
Crump is survived by his spouse, Marie Tocci; his kids Christopher, Roxana, Theresa; and three grandchildren.
