Famed Disney archivist Dave Smith has passed away.
David Rollin (Dave) Smith
October 13, 1940 – February 15, 2019
From the Hollywood Reporter obituary (linked above):
Over a 40-year career, Smith created and grew a department for preserving Disney’s films, television projects, theme parks and more in addition to penning several books on Disney history and writing magazine columns. Among Smith’s publications are Disney: The First 100 Years, Disney A to Z, Disney Trivia From the Vault, the four Ultimate Disney Trivia books and The Quotable Walt Disney.
From the Los Angeles Times obituary:
A steward of the company’s vast repository of intellectual property, Smith cataloged the company’s secrets and debunked myths. The archives, housed at Disney’s Burbank headquarters, have long been essential for animators, executives and Imagineers in need of research help — or some inspiration.In an industry that’s notorious for neglecting its past, Smith stood out as perhaps the most respected, if unheralded, member of a small group of in-house studio historians. He retired in 2010 but continued to consult for Disney. He was considered by many to be the foremost expert on the company in the world.
“He liked seeking out things — the thrill of the find.”