Disney Names Animation Building for Roy E. Disney

A memorial service was held last Sunday for Roy E. Disney, who passed away in December at the age of 79.

The service was held at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

During the service it was announced that the Disney Studios animation building in Burbank will be renamed the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. That's a wonderful tribute to a man who made his own mark on the company founded by his uncle and father. Leonard Maltin posted the design seen to the left.

Also on Sunday, the Los Angeles Times published an article on the documentary WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY (2009), which had some limited screenings last year and will be released theatrically on March 26th.

The film chronicles the 1980s resurrection of Disney animation, a comeback in which Roy E. Disney played a key role.

Update: D23 has a very nice article about the memorial service. Eulogists included Dick Van Dyke, composer Richard Sherman, and John Lasseter.

I know I would have teared up had I been there to hear Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel, sing "Part of Your World." That is in the running for my all-time favorite Disney song...it's amazing to read in the L.A. Times article linked above that it was in danger of being cut from THE LITTLE MERMAID.