A Half Hour Chat with David Bossert

A Half Hour Chat with David Bossert

After reading and reviewing David Bossert’s book, Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life I had the distinct pleasure of a half hour phone call interview with him. I expected this to be a conference call with other Disney bloggers and Disney Fan sites on the line. I HOPED to get one question asked. Instead I was the only person on the call with David! When I found out I was to be the only one interviewing David at this time I was surprised and yes a little nervous.

Here is what I came away with from my half hour chat with David Bossert.

PP:       Thank you David for sharing your Memories and Photos of Roy E. Disney.

David:  You’re welcome. People are telling me it is an easy read.

PP:       How did you get involved with Disney?

David:  While still going to Massapeque High School I knew I wanted to be involved in art. After I graduated High School I went to a local art collage. Then I heard about CalArts in Valencia and the Animation program there started by Walt Disney. I applied for a Disney Scholarship and received it. After graduating I worked at a small animation studio doing special effects for 8 months. Then a friend of mine called me and said the Disney Studio was looking for special effects animators. So I applied and started working on the Black Caldron on special effects.

PP:       Why do you feel it is so important to write a book about Roy E Disney?

David:  Nothing had been written about Roy E. Disney and how he saved the company. I was talking to my friend, Don Hanh about the lack of a book about Roy E. and he encouraged me to write the book. I call myself an accidental author. I never planned on writing a book. Now I have several other books in the works.

            I also wanted to give back to Roy E. As stated in my book I had a Disney Scholarship and from the first time I met Roy I did my best to pay back. I felt I owed it to him and the Disney family.

PP:       What was the most interesting project you worked on with Roy E?

David:  “Destino” was the most interesting project. (Destino was started by Walt Disney and Salvador Dali in 1945.) John Hench originally worked on the project. John Hench was in his 90’s and he came in and helped us to complete the film the way it was originally intended to be made. It was nominated for an Oscar and I got to go to the Oscar’s with Roy E. Disney.

PP:       You mentioned in your book that you and Roy E. shared a love of sailing. What made that topic so special to both of you?

David:  As I said in the book I’m a day sailor. I enjoy being out on a sail boat for a day in calm seas. Roy on the other hand loved to race. He loved to be in strong winds and being keeled over. He could share his enjoyment of sailing with me because I understood the language. I knew what he meant when he said he tacked or that he put up a particular sail. We understood each other when we talked about sailing where other people did not understand the language.

PP:       I noticed when I read the book you handled privet matters in a sensitive manor. You gave just enough to let the reader know there was a problem but never went into details. Thank you!

David:  We all have things that are privet. Some of the family was concerned about how I would cover things like the divide be Walt and Roy O.’s families and Roy E.’s divorce and second marriage. Some things are nobody’s business and I wished to respect Roy E. and the entire Disney Family. As stated in my book Diane Miller Disney and Roy E. did start communicating and things healed some.

Thank you David Bossert for taking the time to talk to me. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. I wish to thank Laura at Disney PR for getting the book to me to review and setting up this interview.

Again I say get the book Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life by David. It is an AMAZING read. It is an easy read and is more like a scrapbook with extensive captions to the photos. Sometimes the words paint the picture for you.

David asked me to say that if you read his book please review it. Let people know how you like it.

If you would like to read my review of David's book, "Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life" click the link below:

http://pixiepranks-panstinkerbell.blogspot.com/2013/09/review-remembering-roy-e-disney.html

My Christmas book, “An Angel Remembers 25 Voices of Christmas” is available!!

This is a collection of 26 short Christmas stories that together bring the amazing events of Christ’s birth alive. It is my hope that this will help encourage families to spend 10-15 minutes a day together during the busy holiday season remembering the true reason for the season.

You can find it for ALL eReader formats and PDF at:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94784

For your Nook the link is:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-angel-remembers-25-voices-of-christmas-carolyn-hoagland/1106912931?ean=2940032802624

It is also available at the iTunes book store and many other ebook seller sites.

The only big site not carrying my book is Amazon.

You can download a Kindle version from Smashwords.com

Review ~ Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life By David A. Bossert

Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life

By David A. Bossert

I was excited to get an email from Disney Publication asking me to review this book. I said yes right away and waited for the book to arrive in the mail. I got the book at 12:30 pm Saturday and by 5 pm the same day I had finished it! That included several breaks necessary because my dear husband kept interrupting me! Yes the book is that good! At 208 pages and full of wonderful pictures it is an easy and engaging read.

Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life is well titled. The book is a collection of stores told by David Bossert and those he asked to share their stories and memories of Roy E. Disney. It is a collection of photos that show snapshots of an amazing and complex life. This book revels the multifaceted person that was Roy E. Disney. It shows both his dedication to his family’s legacy, the art of animation and his passion for life lived to the fullest.

David Bossert came onto the Disney Animation staff at a time in Disney Studio history when change was needed and leadership lacking. Roy E. Disney stepped up and took charge and brought the studio back to its former glory. David shares his memories of Roy E. both at the studio and out. Throughout the book David’s great respect and love for Roy E. shines through. The relationship both personal and professional was a long and deep one. They worked together on many wonderful movies such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, Pocahontas, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Time Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, Hercules, and many others. He helped Roy E. Disney work on Fantasia 2000 and even worked on finishing a project that Walt Disney started in the 1940’s with Salvador Dali, called Destino. In his role as Producer, Creative Director and Head of Special Projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios he is currently overseeing numerous other projects for various divisions across The Walt Disney Company globally.

The book is humorous and pungent. It makes you laugh at Roy E.’s antics and cheer when you read the stories of how he saved Disney Animation Studio not once but twice. I know I also wanted to cry when I read about his battles to save his father’s and uncle’s legacy. I did cry when David shared Roy E.’s valiant fight with cancer.

These stories were shared with class and dignity. This book was reviling and yet respectful of Roy E., Patricia Disney (Roy’s 1^st wife) and Leslie (Roy’s 2^nd wife) along with the entire Disney family.

I highly recommend this book for any true Disney fan. It is a glimpse into the history of the Disney Studio, Disney Family and mostly Roy E. Disney. 

This book is available at all book seller sites and stores.

In the next 2 weeks I hope to interview David Bossert and will share that interview here on my blog.

Here is a link to my interview with David Bossert:

http://pixiepranks-panstinkerbell.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-half-hour-chat-with-david-bossert.html