Some people become part of The Walt Disney Company and leave an indelible mark, making history and honoring Walt Disney’s dreams and ambitions. Walt Disney knew that the people designing his theme parks and their attractions would be so much more than just inventors, so he made up his own name for them — Imagineers. Imagineers like Bob Gurr, Tony Baxter, Mary Blair, Rolly Crump, and Joe Rohde have become a huge part of Disney history, with many of them being elevated to the status of Disney Legend.
Related: The Winding Path to Becoming a Walt Disney Imagineer
Then, in a rare instance, there is an entire family that creates Disney magic for generations.
In 1939, Harvey Toombs joined Walt Disney Productions as an animator and quickly began working on a number of projects, including Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), Cinderella (1950), Peter Pan (1953), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and more, eventually becoming lead animator. In 1947, he met and married fellow animator Leota Wharton, and they had a daughter named Kim.
Now, the name Leota Toombs will probably sound familiar to many Disney fans, and there’s a good reason for it. Ms. Toombs served as the facial model for Madame Leota in Disney’s iconic attraction, the Haunted Mansion. She also served as the voice of “Little Leota,” telling guests to “hurry back” at the end of the ride, and of course, Disney chose to use her name for the character!
Related: 5 Famous Phantoms from the Haunted Mansion
Harvey and Leota would go on to have two children, one of whom — Kim — would go on to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a dedicated Disney Imagineer. Kim would also marry into Disney royalty, becoming the daughter-in-law of Dick Irvine, Walt Disney’s right-hand man and the first executive VP and COO of WED Enterprises (what would become Walt Disney Imagineering).
Kim graduated from high school in 1970 and took a summer job at WED, where she made hats for bears, put feathers on birds in Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and painted mock-ups. And that was just the beginning of her long and storied career at The Walt Disney Company.
A career that, after 55 years, is now coming to an end.
Related: Discovering What Disney Imagineers Really Do
According to reports, Kim Irvine is officially retiring from Disney after more than five decades. Over the years, she has served in a number of roles with the company, including Director of Concept Design and Executive Creative Director.
Ms. Irvine’s mom left a lasting legacy in the Haunted Mansion, and her daughter followed in her footsteps and left her own mark on the attraction. Ms. Irvine provided the new voice of Madame Leota in Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland and even made a cameo in the fun Halloween film, Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021).
Most recently, Ms. Irvine worked on updates to the Rivers of America scenes, working on the reimagined Jungle Cruise scenes, updating Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, and adding new characters to “it’s a small world.
We thank Kim Irvine for all of her years and dedication to The Walt Disney Company and the magic that she created.
What is your favorite attraction that Kim Irvine was a part of? What do you think of her amazing family legacy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
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