Disney Board Gets Tougher With Eisner

[Nineinchnailsmk]

"Relations have become increasingly strained between Disney Chairman Michael Eisner and two of Disney's board members, Roy E. Disney and Stanley P. Gold of Shamrock Holdings as the company's stock fell to its lowest point since 1994, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Thursday), citing sources close to the board. "The board is getting to the point where it is less likely they are going to be as passive as they have been historically," Jeffrey Logsdon, an analyst with investment banking firm Gerard Klauer Mattison, told the Times. The newspaper observed, however, that the board has no plans to oust Eisner. "There's no coup going on," one unnamed Disney director commented. Shares in Disney continued their retreat in mid-morning trading today, falling to $13.68. They have fallen 48 percent during the past year. "

I saw this on IMDB.com

What does everyone think? It could get interesting. I personally have no idea what will happen. Would it be a good move to remove eisner? is there anyone else that disney could bring in? Any family members? Im not sure what has happened in the past, if someone could enlighten me i would appreciate it!

The only thing im confused about is, did Roy have control of the company?

Anyway....

:veryconfu

 

[wdwcrazy]

I think it's time for Eisner and Pressler to say goodbye! :sohappy:

 

[cm1988]

Disney Leadership

Originally posted by Nineinchnailsmk
...did Roy have control of the company? ...
:veryconfu

Back in 1984, Roy E. Disney (who owns Shamrock Holdings) was a key figure in bringing in Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. You might look for "Storming the Magic Kingdom" in your local library for more details.

Roy E. is President of Walt Disney Feature Animation (a unit of the Walt Disney Company). He is Walt's nephew, Roy O. Disney's son.

Roy O. Disney (Walt's brother and long-time business partner) took over leadership of Walt Disney Productions when Walt passed away in the mid-60's. Roy remained president until his passing just two months after Walt Disney World opened.

 

[cymbaldiva]

Originally posted by Hyperion93
Meh, I could care less. Just as long as nothing happens to the parks.

But perhaps someone else could restore the parks to the way they were before the cutbacks...that would be awesome!

 

[iluvepcot]

I read a book called "Disney's World" and in it, it seemed that Roy E Disney and Walt Disney disliked each other very much, so much to that point that Roy E never wanted Walt's name in Walt Disney World. Is this hatred between the two a fact, and if it is, how come?

 

[MonorailBlack]

I have dne a lot of research on Walt, and while I never knew either one of them, the message I took away was Roy was the business man trying to make all of Walt's ideas actually work-finacially....Hatred seems so strong and unlikely, but I dont know. This is news to me if it is the case.

 

[mickeyfanatics]

After the death of Roy O, Several of Walt's top people took over the company. One of them was Card Walker. He was responsible for completing EPCOT Center and making the deal with the Oriental Land Company for Tokyo Disneyland (a big mistake that the company only gets 10 % of) but the company was almost bankrupt from EPCOT. Also, animation had slowed to almost nothing.

Amidst hostile takeover bids that would have dismantled the company and sold it off in pieces, Roy E mounted his own takeover brigning Eisner and Well in. He also stressed that Animation, what Walt had built the company on, would thrive again.

Roy E is very soft spoken and did have several arguments with Uncle Walt, however, hatred did not drive him from the company. The first person to hear Walt's version of Pinnochio was Roy E, sick in bed. Roy left the company in the late 70's because he was unhappy with the leadership that had developed and the path they had chosen.

 

[bgraham34]

So long, and now maybe we can get some really good animated cartoons again.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Lilo & Stitch was a great movie!

(granted, not on the level of B&B and LK...but it was a heck of a lot better than Atlantis and Emperor's New Groove)

(sorry, I don't mean to offend people who like those movies...just my opinion)

 

[rmforney]

I'm really glad to see the board cracking down a bit. But I doubt Eisner will go any place too soon.....

 

[JLW11Hi]

It seems to me that when Roy saw the company doing poorly in the 70's, he left, but came back with Frank Wells and because of some lawsuit between Roy and the DIsney company, they made a deal to make them members of the board and replaced Ron Miller with Mike.

I don't know much about buisiness stuff, but if Roy and his colleagues had the power to do that before, wouldn't they be able to do it again?

 

[stingrock23]

I think Eisner has done many good things for the company, but his recent decisions have not been so good. I just think it's time for him to go and for someone else to take over.

 

[kwt10]

I would have to echo sticgrock23 comments. In the past I think that the management at Disney was doing a wonderful job. But over the last few years it seems to have slipped and made some wrong moves. Lets hope that if a change is not made that the decisions made will once again improve. But in looking at other management when the job starts going south it is very hard to right the ship with that leader.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Theres a lot of comparisons to be found outside Disney for changes at the top. Look at sports teams that dominate, the ones that build dynastys have a rolling programme for changes to keep things fresh. The Govt of britain in the 80s Thatcher was in power too long and she lost sight of her objectives.

While it would be easy to make excuses about the world economy and Sep 11 you have to examine the buisness decisons (in my opinion the bad far outsrip the good) and the obvious neglect of the theme park division and associated resorts.

Its been over 20 years since I studied economics and commerce but it seems strange to me a company with one of the worlds top brands, fanatical repeat customers, a company that has been used by nmany as THE benchmark and a history of being inventive should be struggling largely due to aquisitions outwith its historical areas of success.
To me its simple stick to what your good at.