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It's Kind of a Cute Story
The Imagineers, those men and women who helped Walt Disney bring his creations to life, have achieved legendary status among theme park enthusiasts. IT'S KIND OF A CUTE STORY is the life story of one of the most beloved Imagineers, Rolly Crump. Covering his long and varied career, including designing some of Disney's most famous attractions and working directly with Walt himself, Rolly's stories weave into a lighthearted yet riveting narrative of his life and accomplishments.Packed with over 200 photos, many of which have never been seen before, IT'S KIND OF A CUTE STORY is a tribute to the life and work of a true original.
Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
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About the author
Rolly Crump
20 books17 followersRoland Fargo Crump started his Disney career that spanned over 40 years at the early age of 22. In 2004 he was honored as a Disney Legend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 28, 2012
I LOVE this book.
But I may be biased.
But I may be biased.
May 28, 2024
Well, that was a disappointment. I was looking forward to some great background history for the studio and for Disney World and Disney Land, and some day-in-the-life stories about the animators. And there was some of that. But there was at least as much in this about other parts of Crump’s career … and if I’d had to read the word “propeller” one more time I might just have screamed.
Fortunately, I didn’t hold Walt Disney himself up on any kind of pedestal (by now I kind of just expect anyone I would like to admire to have a lot of qualities that dampen that admiration). Rolly Crump didn’t really do him any damage, but he didn’t boost him up on one of those plinths, either. Though one moment in the book made both my eyebrows go up: He quotes WED as saying, “No underprivileged children are ever going to have to pay to come into Disneyland”. Well, apparently Disney didn’t put that in his will or something, because as best I can find it certainly isn’t true nowadays. And that’s sad.
My opinion of animators in general and Crump in particular took a hard hit in this book. I should be perversely glad about that. See, I went to art school. The day I found out that Disney sent recruiters to the school was the day I suddenly, finally had a very clear vision of what I wanted to be when I grew up. That blew out at some point in there, which in its way was just as well, I suppose, considering good old-fashioned hand-drawn animation didn’t last much longer. That doesn’t make me feel any better about the fact that I now work in an office pushing paper from one place to another. Not any better at all. And this line at the beginning of the book made me whimper: “I started at WED in 1980 during a hiring frenzy that sucked up any half-talent available”. What a disgusting thing to say.
Despite the evidence of every single cel in every single Disney film I can think of, Crump seems to mean that “half-talent” crap – er, crack. “Sure, they were all animators, but on their own time, they were real artists.” With that kind of attitude toward the ART of animation, what, pray, exactly was he doing there? Surely there were other places to make a buck with a little artistic ability and a vast capacity to make propellers. (Pity Sikorsky wasn’t hiring at the time. Wrong coast, I guess.)
His own art, displayed in photos throughout the book, is, shall we say, not entirely to my taste. There is certainly skill and ability … but I’m not sure what audience he thought he was playing to with this book when he sprinkles in his paintings featuring exposed breasts, a hand flipping the bird, drug promotion … and, equally bad in my eyes, at least one misplaced apostrophe. (I’m just going to insert this quote and let it sit there: “'We’re going to have a bunch of girls on stage, and we’re going to project tattoos onto them. But I need to paint one of the girls up. Could you help me with that?’ I didn’t really have any idea what he meant by ‘paint her up’ but it was some extra cash, so who was I to say no?”)
Actually, a fair amount of the work of his that I’ve seen features boobs. Oh, then there’s “…I had that book by Alexander Calder. One of the things he had in there was a photo of a wire sculpture of Josephine Baker. I was fascinated by it. Maybe it was the fact that he gave her such enormous breasts made out of corkscrews.” I’ll just let that one sit there, too.
His discussion of the design work he did on the Haunted Mansion and other areas of the park – and post-Disney, for that matter – irked me:
- “Those wall sconces of arms holding torches are right out of my designs.” No, actually, they’re right out of Cocteau. Still, steal from the best.
- “The flowers near the entrance to Tomorrowland that I helped design the pattern of.” – badly worded caption to a photo. The pattern in the photo is a bullseye.
- “'This stuff is really weird, Rolly,’ [Walt] said to me”. Yes. Yes, it is. I find it fascinating that given the content and style of so much of the work there is no mention of drug use in the book.
- “Originally, a sea captain was going to be part of the story for the Haunted Mansion. He was drowned at sea … We made a full scale mock-up of what we thought his study would look like … you could see the ocean off in the distance, with the waves breaking on the shoreline. We had the lonely cry of a coyote in there, too.” A coyote??? For a mansion owned by a sea captain, from which you could see the ocean, and supposedly based on a house in New Orleans?
- “Since it was an animal park, I gave them all an African theme” – But …. There are animals elsewhere in the world…
Other things irked me as well, such as: “There was one electrician that I worked really well with during my time at Disneyland. Unfortunately, his name escapes me, but he had been there almost since the Park opened.” ‘S okay, it’s not like you're writing a book or anything. And there was surprisingly little mention of family. A good ways in he mentioned something built by his son Chris – and to the best of my recollection this was the first mention of offspring, and never a mention of a wife. Or other partner. Though given the attitude toward women exemplified in his artwork, perhaps I’m glad about that part.
This one reminded me of another sort-of-memoir I read last year, by/about a WWII airman … that was an awkwardly-written, error-laden book apparently written by a second person who retained the subject’s exact phrasing, for the most part, even when utterly eye-shattering, a book which I took to be all about the war when in fact that comprised perhaps half the tale. This is also an awkwardly-written, error-laden book apparently ghost-written by a second person (Jeff Heimbuch) who etc., a book which I took to be all about Disney when in fact that comprised perhaps half the tale. I was a bit nonplussed when suddenly at 57% Rolly was no longer with Disney… My fault, I know, for not reading the description with more attention, but the Disney aspect is rather put to the fore there. As little as I enjoyed the stories at Disney, I enjoyed the stories not at Disney a bit less. (Oh, and now Jacques and Philippe Cousteau are also tarnished in my eyes, thanks.)
It’s kind of a cute story … Well, no. Sexist, mildly racist, self-aggrandizing, disjointed, propeller-laden … but not cute. Note to self: stop trying to find out how the sausage is made.
Fortunately, I didn’t hold Walt Disney himself up on any kind of pedestal (by now I kind of just expect anyone I would like to admire to have a lot of qualities that dampen that admiration). Rolly Crump didn’t really do him any damage, but he didn’t boost him up on one of those plinths, either. Though one moment in the book made both my eyebrows go up: He quotes WED as saying, “No underprivileged children are ever going to have to pay to come into Disneyland”. Well, apparently Disney didn’t put that in his will or something, because as best I can find it certainly isn’t true nowadays. And that’s sad.
My opinion of animators in general and Crump in particular took a hard hit in this book. I should be perversely glad about that. See, I went to art school. The day I found out that Disney sent recruiters to the school was the day I suddenly, finally had a very clear vision of what I wanted to be when I grew up. That blew out at some point in there, which in its way was just as well, I suppose, considering good old-fashioned hand-drawn animation didn’t last much longer. That doesn’t make me feel any better about the fact that I now work in an office pushing paper from one place to another. Not any better at all. And this line at the beginning of the book made me whimper: “I started at WED in 1980 during a hiring frenzy that sucked up any half-talent available”. What a disgusting thing to say.
Despite the evidence of every single cel in every single Disney film I can think of, Crump seems to mean that “half-talent” crap – er, crack. “Sure, they were all animators, but on their own time, they were real artists.” With that kind of attitude toward the ART of animation, what, pray, exactly was he doing there? Surely there were other places to make a buck with a little artistic ability and a vast capacity to make propellers. (Pity Sikorsky wasn’t hiring at the time. Wrong coast, I guess.)
His own art, displayed in photos throughout the book, is, shall we say, not entirely to my taste. There is certainly skill and ability … but I’m not sure what audience he thought he was playing to with this book when he sprinkles in his paintings featuring exposed breasts, a hand flipping the bird, drug promotion … and, equally bad in my eyes, at least one misplaced apostrophe. (I’m just going to insert this quote and let it sit there: “'We’re going to have a bunch of girls on stage, and we’re going to project tattoos onto them. But I need to paint one of the girls up. Could you help me with that?’ I didn’t really have any idea what he meant by ‘paint her up’ but it was some extra cash, so who was I to say no?”)
Actually, a fair amount of the work of his that I’ve seen features boobs. Oh, then there’s “…I had that book by Alexander Calder. One of the things he had in there was a photo of a wire sculpture of Josephine Baker. I was fascinated by it. Maybe it was the fact that he gave her such enormous breasts made out of corkscrews.” I’ll just let that one sit there, too.
His discussion of the design work he did on the Haunted Mansion and other areas of the park – and post-Disney, for that matter – irked me:
- “Those wall sconces of arms holding torches are right out of my designs.” No, actually, they’re right out of Cocteau. Still, steal from the best.
- “The flowers near the entrance to Tomorrowland that I helped design the pattern of.” – badly worded caption to a photo. The pattern in the photo is a bullseye.
- “'This stuff is really weird, Rolly,’ [Walt] said to me”. Yes. Yes, it is. I find it fascinating that given the content and style of so much of the work there is no mention of drug use in the book.
- “Originally, a sea captain was going to be part of the story for the Haunted Mansion. He was drowned at sea … We made a full scale mock-up of what we thought his study would look like … you could see the ocean off in the distance, with the waves breaking on the shoreline. We had the lonely cry of a coyote in there, too.” A coyote??? For a mansion owned by a sea captain, from which you could see the ocean, and supposedly based on a house in New Orleans?
- “Since it was an animal park, I gave them all an African theme” – But …. There are animals elsewhere in the world…
Other things irked me as well, such as: “There was one electrician that I worked really well with during my time at Disneyland. Unfortunately, his name escapes me, but he had been there almost since the Park opened.” ‘S okay, it’s not like you're writing a book or anything. And there was surprisingly little mention of family. A good ways in he mentioned something built by his son Chris – and to the best of my recollection this was the first mention of offspring, and never a mention of a wife. Or other partner. Though given the attitude toward women exemplified in his artwork, perhaps I’m glad about that part.
This one reminded me of another sort-of-memoir I read last year, by/about a WWII airman … that was an awkwardly-written, error-laden book apparently written by a second person who retained the subject’s exact phrasing, for the most part, even when utterly eye-shattering, a book which I took to be all about the war when in fact that comprised perhaps half the tale. This is also an awkwardly-written, error-laden book apparently ghost-written by a second person (Jeff Heimbuch) who etc., a book which I took to be all about Disney when in fact that comprised perhaps half the tale. I was a bit nonplussed when suddenly at 57% Rolly was no longer with Disney… My fault, I know, for not reading the description with more attention, but the Disney aspect is rather put to the fore there. As little as I enjoyed the stories at Disney, I enjoyed the stories not at Disney a bit less. (Oh, and now Jacques and Philippe Cousteau are also tarnished in my eyes, thanks.)
It’s kind of a cute story … Well, no. Sexist, mildly racist, self-aggrandizing, disjointed, propeller-laden … but not cute. Note to self: stop trying to find out how the sausage is made.
October 22, 2013
I was thirty pages into this book and my eyes were already shining. I had just read Marty Sklar's "Dream it! Do it!" and, even though I loved it (it really is great), it felt a little bit too corporate. But then comes this book, this amazing find that reads like a treasure chest, where you keep finding new wonderful things at the turn of every page. I love the way Rolly's story is told, as if you're sitting down next to him and having drinks while listening to him talk. It felt so informal and loose and it's so refreshing to see that. Not only are the stories in the book very "cute", Rolly makes you fall in love with him instantly. He seems like such an authentic person, a guy who just really loves creating and being challenged. His journey infused me with inspiration and when I finished reading this book I felt like I had so much energy to dedicate to the projects I want to do. He keeps saying that you have to be positive, look forward and maybe you'll be as lucky as he was.
It really is hard to explain the feeling I got reading this book. It was lovely and very unique. I kept telling my boyfriend all the stories I read because they were all so great, I HAD to share them with someone.
If you're an Imagineering fan, this is a MUST. If you're a Disney fan, this is HIGHLY recommended, if you're an art fan, just buy it, you will fall madly in love with it too.
I think, in the end, this is a book for happy people, or people who really want to see happiness in the little things. It read like a journey and it was a journey I was very, very happy to take.
It really is hard to explain the feeling I got reading this book. It was lovely and very unique. I kept telling my boyfriend all the stories I read because they were all so great, I HAD to share them with someone.
If you're an Imagineering fan, this is a MUST. If you're a Disney fan, this is HIGHLY recommended, if you're an art fan, just buy it, you will fall madly in love with it too.
I think, in the end, this is a book for happy people, or people who really want to see happiness in the little things. It read like a journey and it was a journey I was very, very happy to take.
March 7, 2013
This book isn't "kind of" a cute story, it definitely is a cute story. I'm so glad that Jeff and Rolly sat down to write it, because I feel like a lot of these stories are things that would've been lost forever if they hadn't created this book. It's definitely great for the Disney fan, but I think it could be interesting to anyone, especially people interested in art and design.
We start off by getting a glimpse of Rolly's life growing up, and before you know it we get into his time with Disney. That is, of course, the heart of the book, and what he's most known for, but it's certainly not the only thing that's covered. Rolly really grew with the company and saw a lot of things happening, and seeing it from his perspective is truly fascinating. Because the book was not published through Disney they had the freedom to tell things like they really were, which means you might hear stories or tidbits that you wouldn't if they came from Disney officially. It also means that you'll come across a few inappropriate words - normally not something I'm a fan of in books, but it was just part of life and they actually fit in well here. It's part of the story, but just a heads up.
Now, that doesn't mean that this is some scathing look at Disney history. On the contrary, Rolly is very positive for the most part about his experience with Disney, and I think it means more because it's honest and you know he's not hiding anything. The greatest thing of all is being able to see Walt through his eyes, and Walt really lives up to the man we all imagine him to be. We hear how Walt truly cared about the audience and what the people were thinking and feeling. He sounds like the most wonderful person to work for - someone who doesn't shoot down his employees, but rather tries to build them up and encourage them to think outside the box.
I should also mention that this book is hilariously funny at times. Rolly must be a fun guy to be around! Some of the stories literally had me laughing out loud. Some highlights included the story where they hid in the office closet to confuse tourists who visited the studio, riding his motorcycle through the halls of a building, and especially the one where Rolly gets robbed at gun point (it doesn't sound funny, but I promise that it is!).
Another plus of this books is the illustrations. Rolly is an artist, and just telling the stories with words would not quite do it justice. Luckily they've included plenty of his work throughout the book, so you can not just read about what he's done, but also see it. He worked on many projects aside from those at Disney, so the second half of the book focuses on those things as well. It's fascinating to read about his work with the Cousteau family, Circus World, Knott's Berry Farm, and some other theme parks that may or may not have gotten off the ground.
Though some knowledge of the history of the Disney company will certainly help in your understanding of the book, it's not absolutely necessary. However, die hard Disney fans will probably get a big kick out of hearing some of the behinds the scenes work. If you don't know, Rolly worked on many things in the parks, including the Haunted Mansion, Adventureland Bazaar, and It's a Small World.
The only slightly negative thing I can say about the book is that it jumps around a bit - for the most part it seems natural since it almost feels like Rolly is telling you the stories as they come to him, but it can occasionally cause a little confusion. I had a few moments where it was difficult for me to place the event he was describing chronologically. Not a major problem, but a minor annoyance.
Other than that, I can't imagine that anyone who likes Disney and has an appreciation for the history and the work that goes into creating the parks and the movies would not enjoy this book. It's absolutely a "feel good" book - you know, like the movie that you can't help going back to again and again. You will be able to see Walt through the eyes of someone who knew him personally. And you'll feel like you're sitting around with Rolly, just listening to him tell stories about being an imagineer. I smiled so much while reading this book, and I hope that you do too.
We start off by getting a glimpse of Rolly's life growing up, and before you know it we get into his time with Disney. That is, of course, the heart of the book, and what he's most known for, but it's certainly not the only thing that's covered. Rolly really grew with the company and saw a lot of things happening, and seeing it from his perspective is truly fascinating. Because the book was not published through Disney they had the freedom to tell things like they really were, which means you might hear stories or tidbits that you wouldn't if they came from Disney officially. It also means that you'll come across a few inappropriate words - normally not something I'm a fan of in books, but it was just part of life and they actually fit in well here. It's part of the story, but just a heads up.
Now, that doesn't mean that this is some scathing look at Disney history. On the contrary, Rolly is very positive for the most part about his experience with Disney, and I think it means more because it's honest and you know he's not hiding anything. The greatest thing of all is being able to see Walt through his eyes, and Walt really lives up to the man we all imagine him to be. We hear how Walt truly cared about the audience and what the people were thinking and feeling. He sounds like the most wonderful person to work for - someone who doesn't shoot down his employees, but rather tries to build them up and encourage them to think outside the box.
I should also mention that this book is hilariously funny at times. Rolly must be a fun guy to be around! Some of the stories literally had me laughing out loud. Some highlights included the story where they hid in the office closet to confuse tourists who visited the studio, riding his motorcycle through the halls of a building, and especially the one where Rolly gets robbed at gun point (it doesn't sound funny, but I promise that it is!).
Another plus of this books is the illustrations. Rolly is an artist, and just telling the stories with words would not quite do it justice. Luckily they've included plenty of his work throughout the book, so you can not just read about what he's done, but also see it. He worked on many projects aside from those at Disney, so the second half of the book focuses on those things as well. It's fascinating to read about his work with the Cousteau family, Circus World, Knott's Berry Farm, and some other theme parks that may or may not have gotten off the ground.
Though some knowledge of the history of the Disney company will certainly help in your understanding of the book, it's not absolutely necessary. However, die hard Disney fans will probably get a big kick out of hearing some of the behinds the scenes work. If you don't know, Rolly worked on many things in the parks, including the Haunted Mansion, Adventureland Bazaar, and It's a Small World.
The only slightly negative thing I can say about the book is that it jumps around a bit - for the most part it seems natural since it almost feels like Rolly is telling you the stories as they come to him, but it can occasionally cause a little confusion. I had a few moments where it was difficult for me to place the event he was describing chronologically. Not a major problem, but a minor annoyance.
Other than that, I can't imagine that anyone who likes Disney and has an appreciation for the history and the work that goes into creating the parks and the movies would not enjoy this book. It's absolutely a "feel good" book - you know, like the movie that you can't help going back to again and again. You will be able to see Walt through the eyes of someone who knew him personally. And you'll feel like you're sitting around with Rolly, just listening to him tell stories about being an imagineer. I smiled so much while reading this book, and I hope that you do too.
May 23, 2013
Easily one of the best books I've read on Imagineering (and I've read quite a few). Right up there with John Hench's Designing Disney. But stylistically the two books are very different, reflecting what I would imagine to be the differences in personality of the two men.
It's fascinating work that the Imagineers do, especially for fans of the Disney parks. But too many of the books written on the subject are so dripping with corporate propaganda that they completely whitewash all the real accomplishments of the designers. As someone who works in a creative industry, I know that every project has its fair share of ups and downs. Any number of factors can turn a beautiful design into a disaster. But the hallmark of a creative professional is how they are able to turn lemons in lemonade day in and day out to still produce brilliant work. Books like Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look At Making the Magic Real or the Imagineering Field Guides that portray Imagineering as a wonderland for creative people do their team a disservice. If every project was perfect, and every idea was implemented flawlessly, there would be no reason to respect these folks. I'm much more impressed to hear about all the obstacles Rolly came up against during his career, and how he still managed to stay positive, maintain his artistic integrity, and create work he could be proud of.
Whereas John Hench created something more akin to an Imagineering textbook, this book is more like having a nice long conversation with Rolly. Hats off to Jeff Heimbuch for preserving this quality in his writing. In fact that book was so engaging that I finished it in one sitting on a plane ride home from WDW. Rolly's story is equal parts fascinating and inspiring. It's amazing what he's accomplished over a long career, and the humility and good nature he's managed to preserve through it all.
It's fascinating work that the Imagineers do, especially for fans of the Disney parks. But too many of the books written on the subject are so dripping with corporate propaganda that they completely whitewash all the real accomplishments of the designers. As someone who works in a creative industry, I know that every project has its fair share of ups and downs. Any number of factors can turn a beautiful design into a disaster. But the hallmark of a creative professional is how they are able to turn lemons in lemonade day in and day out to still produce brilliant work. Books like Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look At Making the Magic Real or the Imagineering Field Guides that portray Imagineering as a wonderland for creative people do their team a disservice. If every project was perfect, and every idea was implemented flawlessly, there would be no reason to respect these folks. I'm much more impressed to hear about all the obstacles Rolly came up against during his career, and how he still managed to stay positive, maintain his artistic integrity, and create work he could be proud of.
Whereas John Hench created something more akin to an Imagineering textbook, this book is more like having a nice long conversation with Rolly. Hats off to Jeff Heimbuch for preserving this quality in his writing. In fact that book was so engaging that I finished it in one sitting on a plane ride home from WDW. Rolly's story is equal parts fascinating and inspiring. It's amazing what he's accomplished over a long career, and the humility and good nature he's managed to preserve through it all.
March 13, 2023
By now, most of my regular followers know I'm a huge Disney fan. From the films to the parks, I love it all. This book, a memoir by Imagineer Rolly Crump, was a delight from start to finish.
Told in Crump's honest and colloquial voice, the book feels like you're sitting down with a friend and listen to him tell stories from "back in the day" about his work with Walt Disney on films and, eventually, theme park attractions and more. Crump also talks about the work he did away from Disney over the year, and it's amazing how many familiar places you'd find his art (including on the walls in a few episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show"!).
I was simply delighted by this book, and the look it gave me into the life and experiences of a man who was responsible for much of what we think of as the Disneyland look.
Told in Crump's honest and colloquial voice, the book feels like you're sitting down with a friend and listen to him tell stories from "back in the day" about his work with Walt Disney on films and, eventually, theme park attractions and more. Crump also talks about the work he did away from Disney over the year, and it's amazing how many familiar places you'd find his art (including on the walls in a few episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show"!).
I was simply delighted by this book, and the look it gave me into the life and experiences of a man who was responsible for much of what we think of as the Disneyland look.
February 1, 2013
Enjoyed Rolly's stories. He worked on some of my all time favorite rides in Disneyland.
December 22, 2022
Well this was kind of a cute story
March 30, 2020
It was very interesting to read more about the history of the parks, since I love them. And some extra anecdotes. I wish I can remember more about Epcot (my favorite park in Florida, along with Animal Kingdom). Rolly Crump is one of the Imagineers that made Enchanted Tiki Room (my least favorite attraction); Haunted Mansion (but his designs were not used) and It's A Small World.
I liked to read how much he loved Walt Disney and how he was inspired by him. The one thing I didn't like so much (sorry for all the Rolly Crump's fans out there) is how it was all ME, ME, ME. I get it, he was a genius, with a lot of imagination and a great sense of humor (just not my kind of humor), but I got tired reading once and again how everybody liked him, even people who didn't like other people, and how he designed everything and was everywhere. Or if he designed something for somewhere and didn't make it at the end (like his ideas for Haunted Mansion) he was "it was such a great idea but they didn't use it and the final result was MEH".
I also wish the structure of the story was better done. I had no idea how old he was in some chapters; in one chapter he was married with an adult son; next chapter he was young and single. When he went to visit the Sultan and the Sultan brought him 5 girls, was he married or still single??
I get that an artist has a big ego, and Rolly Crump definitely had it. It is just that his story-telling wasn't "kind of cute" like I was hoping....
And the other downside is that unfortunately I've read this book in my Kindle, which is one of the old generation -no color- so I could not appreciate all his art like I had to.
I liked to read how much he loved Walt Disney and how he was inspired by him. The one thing I didn't like so much (sorry for all the Rolly Crump's fans out there) is how it was all ME, ME, ME. I get it, he was a genius, with a lot of imagination and a great sense of humor (just not my kind of humor), but I got tired reading once and again how everybody liked him, even people who didn't like other people, and how he designed everything and was everywhere. Or if he designed something for somewhere and didn't make it at the end (like his ideas for Haunted Mansion) he was "it was such a great idea but they didn't use it and the final result was MEH".
I also wish the structure of the story was better done. I had no idea how old he was in some chapters; in one chapter he was married with an adult son; next chapter he was young and single. When he went to visit the Sultan and the Sultan brought him 5 girls, was he married or still single??
I get that an artist has a big ego, and Rolly Crump definitely had it. It is just that his story-telling wasn't "kind of cute" like I was hoping....
And the other downside is that unfortunately I've read this book in my Kindle, which is one of the old generation -no color- so I could not appreciate all his art like I had to.
August 7, 2021
This isn't a book I would have ever considered reading, but my bestie lent it to me and I'm so glad he did as it was delightful. You don't have to be a Disney fan to get into this book, but if you're into creativity and productivity then this book will not disappoint. Rolly's autobiography is lighthearted in its treatment of a substantial, artistic career. He comes at life with an ambition that is balanced by his sort of sanitized, rose-colored glasses attitude about life and people. From theme parks and condom packaging to art galleries and body painting, this book covers a lot of weird and creative ground. A recommended read for any weird artists out there.
December 8, 2024
If you’ve seen the Disney documentaries and watched/heard Rolly speak, this books makes all the sense in the world. He is having a conversation, somewhere, quietly, because you asked him what his working life was like. It’s not a biography, it’s not a Walt tell all and it’s not as awful as *one * review claims.
This is a really sweet and genuinely cute story about one weird art dude’s journey into the magical world of Disney. I absolutely loved the morsels of inside information and found this to be a really, really thoughtful retelling of Rolly’s experiences.
I’m glad I have this in my Disney History collection!
This is a really sweet and genuinely cute story about one weird art dude’s journey into the magical world of Disney. I absolutely loved the morsels of inside information and found this to be a really, really thoughtful retelling of Rolly’s experiences.
I’m glad I have this in my Disney History collection!
January 28, 2022
Very delightful read - and a nice, little glimpse behind the scenes! I only wish there was a little more to it in each of the chapters. Still, I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Rolly's work!
May 17, 2024
Even though Jeff Heimbuch wrote the book, Rolly’s voice comes through. I appreciate the honesty and transparency.
Disney books, especially those told through official corporate figures, too often ring with political correctness and fakeness. Bob Iger, Michael Eisner, Marty Sklar, John Hench, Jim Cora, Dick Nunis, and so many others have written under the official auspices of Disney Publishing, but they never tell the truth from the trenches. They reek of a thin veneer, culled by the fine-toothed comb of a corporate legal department fearful of litigation and libel. They say so little with many words.
Rolly’s book has no such veneer. He details each of his conflicts with Dick Irvine, John Hench, Marty Sklar, Cousteau, and others, often criticizing ego, yes-men, and bureaucracy where he encountered it. A Disney lifer, he still left and returned twice, and conducted projects for other companies on his own. As such, his perspective isn’t tinted through rose-colored lenses, and he shares both the benefits of working with Disney as well as what led him to leave each time.
It’s clear he misses the early days where he could set move projects forward without an endless stream of approvals and managerial command.
On learning:
"Overall, I felt that a lot of things about art you had to learn on your own. No one can teach you talent, let alone what looks good for your particular style." (19)
"I had no formal training, so if anything, I learned from The School of Eric Larson." (30)
"The Disney Studios had this incredible library filled with tons of books, so I did jut that. I read everything I could on Calder, mobiles and kinetic sculptures. All of a sudden, I started building mobiles on the weekends when I had time off from my second job!" (33)
"Well, what I realized in night school was you don’t learn color. It comes to you. If you paint or draw and start using color, the more you use it, the more you get used to it. It was kind of interesting to not really learn anything else at the school." (35)
"The best thing you can do is some research. Go get a book out of the library about the Gods of the Pacific." (59)
On leadership:
"Every student is different. You have to talk to them differently because everyone has different styles. You don’t want to intimidate young artists. You find what they like doing most, and let them explore that. Don’t make them do a project that would be hard for them to grasp. You have to get their confidence up first, and then nudge them along into these new areas. (19)
"You really have to believe in the people that work for you and just turn them loose. I’m a big believer in that. You get a much better end product when you’re not just some dictator to your team. Let them be creative, and explore stuff that may or may not work." (126)
On Walt:
"They really quizzed everyone about the characters and scenes. Walt would read those damn things and, if there was some suggestion in there that he felt was really worthwhile, he’d have us go back and reanimate it. Obviously, that cost a bit of money, not to mention took more time, but to Walt, it was worth it. (29)
"But that whole thing just showed me how beautiful the Old Man [Walt] was. He was always open to these crazy ideas, and he worked with you to make them work." (91)
"If Walt hadn’t passed, I’m convinced that the Museum of the Weird would have been built.
Like everything else at Imagineering, ideas never die; they just get put away for a while." (91)
"You have to remember the electricians. You have to remember the Maintenance guys. You have to work around them, because you can’t ignore them," [Walt] told us. "They’re supporting what you are doing, so you have to support them. Listen to them." He was right, and it was probably the best advice he ever gave me. I think that’s why a lot of people at other companies at the time failed. They didn’t understand what the big picture was, and that hurt them in the end." (173)
(Rolly details how many of his other designed projects failed for other companies like the Cousteau Marine World, or how they still persist like in Omar or the Golden Nugget.)
"Walt was great because he never told you what to do. Instead, once you got started, he just directed you a little bit. He was very sweet about it. If there was something he didn’t like, he never said flat out that he didn’t. He took a different approach to it." (173)
On Disneyland:
"Disneyland was a gorgeous salad because of the ingredients. There is a little bit of something in there for everyone. The attention to detail is one of the most important pieces of it, because there is so much in there." (39)
"Everything that we’ve replaced in the past five years, we never threw out. We put it in the boneyard." (53)
"Grad Nite was going to start at 7 PM, so I had to worry about getting my store ready for business.
Funny enough, around 3:30 PM, some carpenters showed up. Then the electricians. Then the artistic guys. It was almost like looking at time-lapse photography with all these people showing up. In three hours, they built this damn hat shop.
I was amazed! You wouldn’t get something done like that today. It would take months just to draw up the plans and engineering, and then weeks to get everything approved. You’d be lucky if something was up in 3 months, let alone 3 hours. That just shows you what a different environment Disney was back then." (57)
"That was what was so great about the Company back then. Everything was hands-on at all times, from start to finish." (61)
For example, there was one letter from Australia that stated, "The koala bears that you have in the Island section would die climbing those palm trees because they live off eucalyptus leaves. We would like to see eucalyptus leaves in the koala’s paws."
… But believe it or not, real eucalyptus leaves were put in the koalas’ paws in case that guest ever came back. (82)
Funny enough, not too much later after that, we got another letter from the same person asking, "Where’s the little Jewish boy?" We took a picture of the doll, photocopied my research, and mailed the entire package back to the concerned guest. (83)
I liked how hands-on Rolly got with the front line work at the parks. He never delegated important tasks without knowing how to do them first himself. He felt like both a people manager, a leader, and a front-line task worker at the same time. He got his hands dirty, and routinely met his colleagues like electricians and mechanics in the middle of the night to set up parts of the park. You could feel his appreciation oozing through the page.
He knew the materials of which everything was made, and why they chose certain elements, from fiberglass for the Tiki statues, to replace rotting wood, to paper to materials, Pyre-Cure paper for fire effects like the Pirates of the Caribbean, aerosol cans for spreading scent, and Mylar for shimmer in the Enchanted Tiki Room, mirrors for scale & effects in the Haunted Mansion. Rolly knew how everything worked with a rare intellectual curiosity, and clearly inherited from Walt a respect for the front-line crew: maintenance, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, painters, everyone in the Cast. John Hench was a master designer, but Rolly implemented so much from scratch that he passes along in this book.
My only question after reading his work was why Rolly never seemed to get the true respect of anyone higher up other than Walt. Sure, his colleagues knew him and respected him, but he never ascended the corporate ladder to become that suite executive. He never pouts or mentions why, and though I applaud him for his design influence and mentorship in spite of that, it makes me wonder whether it is possible to truly reach director-level leadership coming from his roots and staying so grounded and hands-on with his work. I want to do the same.
Disney books, especially those told through official corporate figures, too often ring with political correctness and fakeness. Bob Iger, Michael Eisner, Marty Sklar, John Hench, Jim Cora, Dick Nunis, and so many others have written under the official auspices of Disney Publishing, but they never tell the truth from the trenches. They reek of a thin veneer, culled by the fine-toothed comb of a corporate legal department fearful of litigation and libel. They say so little with many words.
Rolly’s book has no such veneer. He details each of his conflicts with Dick Irvine, John Hench, Marty Sklar, Cousteau, and others, often criticizing ego, yes-men, and bureaucracy where he encountered it. A Disney lifer, he still left and returned twice, and conducted projects for other companies on his own. As such, his perspective isn’t tinted through rose-colored lenses, and he shares both the benefits of working with Disney as well as what led him to leave each time.
It’s clear he misses the early days where he could set move projects forward without an endless stream of approvals and managerial command.
On learning:
"Overall, I felt that a lot of things about art you had to learn on your own. No one can teach you talent, let alone what looks good for your particular style." (19)
"I had no formal training, so if anything, I learned from The School of Eric Larson." (30)
"The Disney Studios had this incredible library filled with tons of books, so I did jut that. I read everything I could on Calder, mobiles and kinetic sculptures. All of a sudden, I started building mobiles on the weekends when I had time off from my second job!" (33)
"Well, what I realized in night school was you don’t learn color. It comes to you. If you paint or draw and start using color, the more you use it, the more you get used to it. It was kind of interesting to not really learn anything else at the school." (35)
"The best thing you can do is some research. Go get a book out of the library about the Gods of the Pacific." (59)
On leadership:
"Every student is different. You have to talk to them differently because everyone has different styles. You don’t want to intimidate young artists. You find what they like doing most, and let them explore that. Don’t make them do a project that would be hard for them to grasp. You have to get their confidence up first, and then nudge them along into these new areas. (19)
"You really have to believe in the people that work for you and just turn them loose. I’m a big believer in that. You get a much better end product when you’re not just some dictator to your team. Let them be creative, and explore stuff that may or may not work." (126)
On Walt:
"They really quizzed everyone about the characters and scenes. Walt would read those damn things and, if there was some suggestion in there that he felt was really worthwhile, he’d have us go back and reanimate it. Obviously, that cost a bit of money, not to mention took more time, but to Walt, it was worth it. (29)
"But that whole thing just showed me how beautiful the Old Man [Walt] was. He was always open to these crazy ideas, and he worked with you to make them work." (91)
"If Walt hadn’t passed, I’m convinced that the Museum of the Weird would have been built.
Like everything else at Imagineering, ideas never die; they just get put away for a while." (91)
"You have to remember the electricians. You have to remember the Maintenance guys. You have to work around them, because you can’t ignore them," [Walt] told us. "They’re supporting what you are doing, so you have to support them. Listen to them." He was right, and it was probably the best advice he ever gave me. I think that’s why a lot of people at other companies at the time failed. They didn’t understand what the big picture was, and that hurt them in the end." (173)
(Rolly details how many of his other designed projects failed for other companies like the Cousteau Marine World, or how they still persist like in Omar or the Golden Nugget.)
"Walt was great because he never told you what to do. Instead, once you got started, he just directed you a little bit. He was very sweet about it. If there was something he didn’t like, he never said flat out that he didn’t. He took a different approach to it." (173)
On Disneyland:
"Disneyland was a gorgeous salad because of the ingredients. There is a little bit of something in there for everyone. The attention to detail is one of the most important pieces of it, because there is so much in there." (39)
"Everything that we’ve replaced in the past five years, we never threw out. We put it in the boneyard." (53)
"Grad Nite was going to start at 7 PM, so I had to worry about getting my store ready for business.
Funny enough, around 3:30 PM, some carpenters showed up. Then the electricians. Then the artistic guys. It was almost like looking at time-lapse photography with all these people showing up. In three hours, they built this damn hat shop.
I was amazed! You wouldn’t get something done like that today. It would take months just to draw up the plans and engineering, and then weeks to get everything approved. You’d be lucky if something was up in 3 months, let alone 3 hours. That just shows you what a different environment Disney was back then." (57)
"That was what was so great about the Company back then. Everything was hands-on at all times, from start to finish." (61)
For example, there was one letter from Australia that stated, "The koala bears that you have in the Island section would die climbing those palm trees because they live off eucalyptus leaves. We would like to see eucalyptus leaves in the koala’s paws."
… But believe it or not, real eucalyptus leaves were put in the koalas’ paws in case that guest ever came back. (82)
Funny enough, not too much later after that, we got another letter from the same person asking, "Where’s the little Jewish boy?" We took a picture of the doll, photocopied my research, and mailed the entire package back to the concerned guest. (83)
I liked how hands-on Rolly got with the front line work at the parks. He never delegated important tasks without knowing how to do them first himself. He felt like both a people manager, a leader, and a front-line task worker at the same time. He got his hands dirty, and routinely met his colleagues like electricians and mechanics in the middle of the night to set up parts of the park. You could feel his appreciation oozing through the page.
He knew the materials of which everything was made, and why they chose certain elements, from fiberglass for the Tiki statues, to replace rotting wood, to paper to materials, Pyre-Cure paper for fire effects like the Pirates of the Caribbean, aerosol cans for spreading scent, and Mylar for shimmer in the Enchanted Tiki Room, mirrors for scale & effects in the Haunted Mansion. Rolly knew how everything worked with a rare intellectual curiosity, and clearly inherited from Walt a respect for the front-line crew: maintenance, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, painters, everyone in the Cast. John Hench was a master designer, but Rolly implemented so much from scratch that he passes along in this book.
My only question after reading his work was why Rolly never seemed to get the true respect of anyone higher up other than Walt. Sure, his colleagues knew him and respected him, but he never ascended the corporate ladder to become that suite executive. He never pouts or mentions why, and though I applaud him for his design influence and mentorship in spite of that, it makes me wonder whether it is possible to truly reach director-level leadership coming from his roots and staying so grounded and hands-on with his work. I want to do the same.
August 8, 2017
IT'S KIND OF A CUTE STORY is a very appropriate title for this book. It is rather a cute story. Several of them, in fact.
Rolly Crump is a Disney Legend and very talented artist who worked with Disney at various times in his career. In this book, he tells stories about what it was like to work with Walt, as well as his experiences with other Disney Legends, Marion Knott (of Knott's Berry Farm), the Cousteau Society, and even the sultan of Oman!
It is fascinating to read about Rolly's experiences in this book. (There's also an audio companion,More Cute Stories, Volume 1, where you can listen to Rolly tell even more stories. I haven't listened to this yet, but I own the CD and will be enjoying it soon.) My favorite part, though, is reading the story and seeing the artwork that he's talking about side by side. He is an amazing artist. His work spans a variety of styles (and not all of it will appeal to everyone, to be sure), but if you've been to Disneyland then I can assure you that you've seen Rolly's work. Heck, if you've even SEEN pictures of Disneyland there's a 90% chance that some of what you saw was Rolly's. (The Enchanted Tiki Room and it's a small world are some of his most well-known collaborations.)
Because of the artwork, I would recommend getting a physical book. In addition to the book version, I have also purchased the Kindle version. I was having trouble actually reading the book, because every time I picked it up I would get distracted by the art and not read the text. The pictures were less distracting on the eBook version. However -- they look so much better in print than on the screen. Having the two together makes a nice pairing. I can focus on the text with the one version, and get absorbed in the pictures with the other.
Of the stories themselves, it should be no surprise that my favorites are those featuring Walt Disney. It is a true pleasure to hear stories about Walt-the-man instead of Walt-the-myth. Walt Disney was a great man, but he was a man and I love hearing stories from one of the men who worked with him about what that was like. I hope Rolly tells even more cute stories. It has been a wonderful experience to read the stories he's told so far.
Rolly Crump is a Disney Legend and very talented artist who worked with Disney at various times in his career. In this book, he tells stories about what it was like to work with Walt, as well as his experiences with other Disney Legends, Marion Knott (of Knott's Berry Farm), the Cousteau Society, and even the sultan of Oman!
It is fascinating to read about Rolly's experiences in this book. (There's also an audio companion,More Cute Stories, Volume 1, where you can listen to Rolly tell even more stories. I haven't listened to this yet, but I own the CD and will be enjoying it soon.) My favorite part, though, is reading the story and seeing the artwork that he's talking about side by side. He is an amazing artist. His work spans a variety of styles (and not all of it will appeal to everyone, to be sure), but if you've been to Disneyland then I can assure you that you've seen Rolly's work. Heck, if you've even SEEN pictures of Disneyland there's a 90% chance that some of what you saw was Rolly's. (The Enchanted Tiki Room and it's a small world are some of his most well-known collaborations.)
Because of the artwork, I would recommend getting a physical book. In addition to the book version, I have also purchased the Kindle version. I was having trouble actually reading the book, because every time I picked it up I would get distracted by the art and not read the text. The pictures were less distracting on the eBook version. However -- they look so much better in print than on the screen. Having the two together makes a nice pairing. I can focus on the text with the one version, and get absorbed in the pictures with the other.
Of the stories themselves, it should be no surprise that my favorites are those featuring Walt Disney. It is a true pleasure to hear stories about Walt-the-man instead of Walt-the-myth. Walt Disney was a great man, but he was a man and I love hearing stories from one of the men who worked with him about what that was like. I hope Rolly tells even more cute stories. It has been a wonderful experience to read the stories he's told so far.
December 13, 2013
Picked this up for our personal Disney library - and I'm glad I did! In this short, image-packed book, Rolly Crump spins tales of his life as an artist, and includes a wealth of visual material in the form of photographs, sketches, models and completed artwork.
Presented in roughly chronological order, Crump reflects on his career so far, starting with the scrapbook of childhood drawings his mother kept. He provides some personal family history, including growing up in a single parent family, but keeps things fairly light.
Crump shares several “cute stories” of working in the animation department at the Disney Studios, where he was hired in 1951, and how his tinkering hobby of building mobiles and kinetic sculptures led to Walt selecting him to join the spin-off company that built Disneyland - WED Enterprises. He continues his "cute stories" regarding his involvement with such attractions as The Haunted Mansion, The Enchanted Tiki Room as well as "it's a small world".
Crump became a little disillusioned with the Disney company during the development of the Florida park in the 1970's; feeling they were moving too far away from Walt’s original vision, so he went off on his own. Some projects he was involved in include a dark ride for Knott's Berry Farm, working with casino magnate Steve Wynn on some show elements for his properties, and also with the Cousteau Society to design an Ocean Center. He even worked with the government of Oman to create an exhibit that presented the history of Oman.
Crump’s admiration for his former boss, Walt Disney, shines through, and it seems Walt thought pretty highly of him as well, in part because Rolly wasn’t afraid to disagree with him. At first glance, this slim, coffee-table sized book, may not look like much, but once you open its colorful cover and glance inside, I’d imagine you’ll find it very hard to put down! The artwork itself is worth the cover price, and the stories themselves are gems.
Presented in roughly chronological order, Crump reflects on his career so far, starting with the scrapbook of childhood drawings his mother kept. He provides some personal family history, including growing up in a single parent family, but keeps things fairly light.
Crump shares several “cute stories” of working in the animation department at the Disney Studios, where he was hired in 1951, and how his tinkering hobby of building mobiles and kinetic sculptures led to Walt selecting him to join the spin-off company that built Disneyland - WED Enterprises. He continues his "cute stories" regarding his involvement with such attractions as The Haunted Mansion, The Enchanted Tiki Room as well as "it's a small world".
Crump became a little disillusioned with the Disney company during the development of the Florida park in the 1970's; feeling they were moving too far away from Walt’s original vision, so he went off on his own. Some projects he was involved in include a dark ride for Knott's Berry Farm, working with casino magnate Steve Wynn on some show elements for his properties, and also with the Cousteau Society to design an Ocean Center. He even worked with the government of Oman to create an exhibit that presented the history of Oman.
Crump’s admiration for his former boss, Walt Disney, shines through, and it seems Walt thought pretty highly of him as well, in part because Rolly wasn’t afraid to disagree with him. At first glance, this slim, coffee-table sized book, may not look like much, but once you open its colorful cover and glance inside, I’d imagine you’ll find it very hard to put down! The artwork itself is worth the cover price, and the stories themselves are gems.
September 28, 2014
I loved this book! I'm glad I found this book to open up my mind about how the design process at Disneyworld was. I've been to Walt Disney World a few times and fell in love with all the attractions, and shops, everything! Now, this book changed entirely the way I see the Parks. Now I can look beyond the attractions... I know there is a lot of work behind all I see. A lot of hard work from Designers, from Maintenance, and from Walt himself who had those crazy and original ideas.
First, about Walt. I didn't know much about the way he used to work with his team. He was so creative, and he had so many ideas. I felt so bad when he passed... so many projects were abandoned and it was a difficult time for all the team, included Rolly who had to leave Disney. Now I can appreciate the efforts that employees and Disney's family did to keep the Parks running, to never stop innovating and to keep Disney's dreams alive.
I didn't have the chance to visit Disneyland, I'm so in love with WDW! As Rolly said, Walt wanted the Parks to be cozy. I have to admit, I felt cozy even at WDW where everything is so big and wide. The attractions, the music, the employees are what make this place cozy, just as Walt wanted!!
Second, about Rolly... it's a pleasure to read about someone who never failed chasing his dreams. He wanted to be a designer, so he became a designer. And what he designed lives among us. I loved reading about all the jokes at WED, and about his relationship with Walt. I felt really bad when some of his projects were changed! But so proud because failed projects didn't let him down! He kept designing, moving forward, even if it meant leaving Disney.
As for Jeff, I think he did a wonderful job putting all these stories together. Reading this book was like being with Rolly seated next to me! Great writing and a great mix of pictures all along the book. Congratulations!
First, about Walt. I didn't know much about the way he used to work with his team. He was so creative, and he had so many ideas. I felt so bad when he passed... so many projects were abandoned and it was a difficult time for all the team, included Rolly who had to leave Disney. Now I can appreciate the efforts that employees and Disney's family did to keep the Parks running, to never stop innovating and to keep Disney's dreams alive.
I didn't have the chance to visit Disneyland, I'm so in love with WDW! As Rolly said, Walt wanted the Parks to be cozy. I have to admit, I felt cozy even at WDW where everything is so big and wide. The attractions, the music, the employees are what make this place cozy, just as Walt wanted!!
Second, about Rolly... it's a pleasure to read about someone who never failed chasing his dreams. He wanted to be a designer, so he became a designer. And what he designed lives among us. I loved reading about all the jokes at WED, and about his relationship with Walt. I felt really bad when some of his projects were changed! But so proud because failed projects didn't let him down! He kept designing, moving forward, even if it meant leaving Disney.
As for Jeff, I think he did a wonderful job putting all these stories together. Reading this book was like being with Rolly seated next to me! Great writing and a great mix of pictures all along the book. Congratulations!
March 9, 2015
The only other book I'd read by an Imagineer before was Marty Sklar's Dream It Do It.
I really enjoyed both of these books!
Sklar's book was more about leadership and the creative process. It felt more like a business leadership book, disguised as a very entertaining memoir. I loved it!
Rolly Crump's book was also very good, but VERY different. It felt less formal - there was cursing, nudity in some drawing and photos, discussion of drug culture, and even quite a few poorly disguised sexual double-entendres.
This is not the book to give to your 13-year old who wants to become an imagineer.
This is more for the lifelong Disney Parks fan who wants a frank, realistic depiction of what it was like to work with Walt, as well as others during the career of an off-beat, hilarious, creative designer.
The stories about the creation of The Enchanted Tiki Room, The Haunted Mansion, EPCOT's Land Pavilion, and It's A Small World were very memorable.
His stories about working on non-Disney projects, such as attractions for Knotts Berry Farm, Ringling Brothers, The Cousteaus, and The Sultan of Oman
were fascinating!
The chapters and stories are very short. There are lots of drawings and photos from Rolly's career, making the book feel shorter than it is. It was short, and a very quick read - it could have been 50 pages longer. Some of the photos were a bit hard to see on the Kindle without zooming in. Many of the photos or drawings are in colour, so it's worth checking them out on the Kindle app if you have a black & white device like me!
RECOMMENDED SOUNDTRACK:
50s and 60s Jazz went really well with this book, especially for the earlier scenes where Rolly was working at WED.
I found that Ike Quebec's album It Might As Well Be Spring went REALLY well with this book. It captured the period of many of the stories.
I really enjoyed both of these books!
Sklar's book was more about leadership and the creative process. It felt more like a business leadership book, disguised as a very entertaining memoir. I loved it!
Rolly Crump's book was also very good, but VERY different. It felt less formal - there was cursing, nudity in some drawing and photos, discussion of drug culture, and even quite a few poorly disguised sexual double-entendres.
This is not the book to give to your 13-year old who wants to become an imagineer.
This is more for the lifelong Disney Parks fan who wants a frank, realistic depiction of what it was like to work with Walt, as well as others during the career of an off-beat, hilarious, creative designer.
The stories about the creation of The Enchanted Tiki Room, The Haunted Mansion, EPCOT's Land Pavilion, and It's A Small World were very memorable.
His stories about working on non-Disney projects, such as attractions for Knotts Berry Farm, Ringling Brothers, The Cousteaus, and The Sultan of Oman
were fascinating!
The chapters and stories are very short. There are lots of drawings and photos from Rolly's career, making the book feel shorter than it is. It was short, and a very quick read - it could have been 50 pages longer. Some of the photos were a bit hard to see on the Kindle without zooming in. Many of the photos or drawings are in colour, so it's worth checking them out on the Kindle app if you have a black & white device like me!
RECOMMENDED SOUNDTRACK:
50s and 60s Jazz went really well with this book, especially for the earlier scenes where Rolly was working at WED.
I found that Ike Quebec's album It Might As Well Be Spring went REALLY well with this book. It captured the period of many of the stories.
April 9, 2014
A great book full of stories about one of the early Disney Imagineers and his work at Disney and beyond.
As a self-styled "Student of Imagineering" I had to add this book to my Imagineering library, and I'm glad I did. While the book doesn't delve into details around design process and principles that some Imagineering books do (the stuff I like most), it does provide a higher-level look at the Imagineering process, and for that alone it's valuable to anyone interested in understanding the art and craft of Imagineering.
This book is in essence a series of stories told by Rolly Crump, one of the first generation of Disney Imagineers. Rolly worked on many classic Disneyland attractions, including the Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World, and the Haunted Mansion. These stories trace the path of Rolly's professional life working for Disney (starting in Animation and later moving to WED/Imagineering), as well as his work outside of Disney, including projects for Circus World, Knott's Berry Farm, Steve Wynn, the Cousteau Society, and others.
This book really showcases the breadth of Rolly's portfolio, and it's clear that he's done an amazing amount of work in the themed entertainment world, including some of the better know Disney attractions.
Much of this book is based on some of the stories that originally appeared in "A Walk in the Park" an audio tour of Disneyland in which Rolly talks about the various projects he worked on at Disneyland, but this book elaborates on most of those stories. I also recognized several stories from an interview Rolly did with his co-author (Jeff Heimbuch), but again, the book expands on many of those stories.
I recommend this book to any serious Disney park fan and fans of Imagineering and themed entertainment.
As a self-styled "Student of Imagineering" I had to add this book to my Imagineering library, and I'm glad I did. While the book doesn't delve into details around design process and principles that some Imagineering books do (the stuff I like most), it does provide a higher-level look at the Imagineering process, and for that alone it's valuable to anyone interested in understanding the art and craft of Imagineering.
This book is in essence a series of stories told by Rolly Crump, one of the first generation of Disney Imagineers. Rolly worked on many classic Disneyland attractions, including the Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World, and the Haunted Mansion. These stories trace the path of Rolly's professional life working for Disney (starting in Animation and later moving to WED/Imagineering), as well as his work outside of Disney, including projects for Circus World, Knott's Berry Farm, Steve Wynn, the Cousteau Society, and others.
This book really showcases the breadth of Rolly's portfolio, and it's clear that he's done an amazing amount of work in the themed entertainment world, including some of the better know Disney attractions.
Much of this book is based on some of the stories that originally appeared in "A Walk in the Park" an audio tour of Disneyland in which Rolly talks about the various projects he worked on at Disneyland, but this book elaborates on most of those stories. I also recognized several stories from an interview Rolly did with his co-author (Jeff Heimbuch), but again, the book expands on many of those stories.
I recommend this book to any serious Disney park fan and fans of Imagineering and themed entertainment.
November 5, 2013
Full review at That Dis Family
It’s a rare thing when you sit down to write a book review with a Disney topic, turn on your Nook, and the first words that pop up on the screen are:
"Some of my other doper posters"
This autobiography by Rolly Crump, as told to Jeff Heimbuch, was not starting out like the others.
But I think that’s what makes not just this book, and not just its topic, but the entire history of the Walt Disney Company, so incredibly unique. That the same person who designed the Tower of the Four Winds and the exterior facade of “it’s a small world,” a supervising Art Director at Disneyland, who worked on the original designing of The Enchanted Tiki Room, EPCOT Center, and even designed an entire theme park about circuses, also painted what he liked to call “doper posters.”
With candid, humorous stories about not just Imagineering but designing for Knott’s Berry Farm, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and even Jacques Cousteau, It’s Kind of a Cute Story isn’t only for Disney fans. But on any must-read list for the Disneyphile, this book must be near the top of the list. It will take you up close and personal with the Imagineers, and Walt Disney, who made the dreams a reality.
It’s a rare thing when you sit down to write a book review with a Disney topic, turn on your Nook, and the first words that pop up on the screen are:
"Some of my other doper posters"
This autobiography by Rolly Crump, as told to Jeff Heimbuch, was not starting out like the others.
But I think that’s what makes not just this book, and not just its topic, but the entire history of the Walt Disney Company, so incredibly unique. That the same person who designed the Tower of the Four Winds and the exterior facade of “it’s a small world,” a supervising Art Director at Disneyland, who worked on the original designing of The Enchanted Tiki Room, EPCOT Center, and even designed an entire theme park about circuses, also painted what he liked to call “doper posters.”
With candid, humorous stories about not just Imagineering but designing for Knott’s Berry Farm, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and even Jacques Cousteau, It’s Kind of a Cute Story isn’t only for Disney fans. But on any must-read list for the Disneyphile, this book must be near the top of the list. It will take you up close and personal with the Imagineers, and Walt Disney, who made the dreams a reality.
November 27, 2012
A collection of stories of the life of Rolly Crump, who was involved in the design of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, the Tiki Room, Epcot's The Land, a ride at Knott's Berry Farm, as well as many other fascinating projects. He worked with Walt Disney, and Walt appears in many of the stories.
The storytelling is amazing, I was hooked by the first page and read the book in one sitting. I was sad that the book had to end. The artwork, from drawings to models to finished, in-park photography, was great support for the stories. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Disney history, theme park design, or who just wants to hear some good stories. You won't be disappointed.
The storytelling is amazing, I was hooked by the first page and read the book in one sitting. I was sad that the book had to end. The artwork, from drawings to models to finished, in-park photography, was great support for the stories. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Disney history, theme park design, or who just wants to hear some good stories. You won't be disappointed.
May 5, 2016
This book is... rambling. It has no direction at all, and often it's free flowing format which makes it obvious it was dictated can be a bit confusing. But a few chapters in you stop noticing and start loving it because goddamn it the author is just so charming! It's sweet and cute and charming and above all happy. I'd definitely recommend it to any fan of Disney.
It feels like your grandfather is telling you stories all over again.
It feels like your grandfather is telling you stories all over again.
August 26, 2013
What a joyous read. While I may be biased in my love for Walt Disney (I was fortunate to have worked at WED, now WDI) I must say I can whole heartedly recommend this book. Rolly's genuine passion, humility and whimsical humor add to his abilities to share fantastic stories of his days with Disney. Rolly also shares the trials and tribulations of designer's world outside of Disney - stories filled with honesty, humor and realistic optimism. I am so very glad to own this book!
December 31, 2013
Rolly is a Disney Imagineer. He's pretty famous for it. This book is simply his recollections of his time designing fun things, at Disney and away from the Mouse. The stories are indeed cute. The style is quaint in a captivating way. It sounds corny, but it does feel as if he's sitting there just telling you these stories. It's a delightful read.
Don't read it looking for dirt on the inner workings of Disney. It's not that kind of book.
Don't read it looking for dirt on the inner workings of Disney. It's not that kind of book.
September 5, 2013
This was kind of a cute story. If you love reading about the history of the Disney parks, and other theme parks as well, you'll love this. At the end of the book, there are pictures of Rolly with his self-designed gypsy wagon. After reading this book, I felt like this was symbolic of his career, as he never tied himself down to one company or even one thing. I give kudos to Jeff Heimbuch, who had the daunting (but obviously enjoyable) task of gathering Rolly's stories into a cohesive book.
July 13, 2014
This a great book if you are interested in Disneyland history, and the Walt Disney Company, through the eyes of a legendary Imagineer and artist.
Rolls Crump comes across as humble, brilliantly creative, and just a normal guy. He's worked on some of the most famous amusement park attractions in the world, namely It's a Small World and The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.
This is a must read for Disney fanatics. It's a pretty fast read, with a lot of great info.
Rolls Crump comes across as humble, brilliantly creative, and just a normal guy. He's worked on some of the most famous amusement park attractions in the world, namely It's a Small World and The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.
This is a must read for Disney fanatics. It's a pretty fast read, with a lot of great info.
January 2, 2015
This was a quick read. Lots of stories about the early days of The Disney Company, working with Walt, and fun facts about the parks. Crump also describes a variety of other projects he worked on, which are all as interesting as his stories about Disney. Along the way, he gives valuable advice and creates "lessons" for many of his stories, which makes this book more than just a Disney retrospective.
January 16, 2013
This book is beautiful, informative and so entertaining. Even the new printing technique they used for the cover makes it feel nice. This book shows you the real Rolly Crump and his wonderful talents. Reading this book is just like you are there listening to him. A must have for any Disney collection.
August 7, 2013
All serious Disney fans should read this book. If you are a fan of Walt Disney, Disneyland, and/or Walt Disney World, you owe it to yourself, to Rolly Crump, and to Walt Disney himself to read this. Chock-full of Disney history, life lessons, and just plain good stories, It's Kind of A Cute Story is a must-read.
July 20, 2013
Wonderful photos and concept art accompany this engaging narrative that begins at a time when Disney was introducing us to a new world of entertainment--the theme park. Over the years, Rolly takes us across the country and around the world, recounting a variety of his key theme park projects. His conversational tone throughout the book makes this a delightfully easy read! Well done!
December 29, 2013
I gave this book four starts, but I really did love it. The only reason it only got four stars is, as a Disney fan, I wanted a little more "never before heard" stories of working with Walt and the other Imagineers of the time, but there definitely were some, and the full-color, plentiful pictures throughout the book made it a treat to read
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