Dave Smith

David Rollin Smith (October 13, 1940 – February 15, 2019) was the founder and chief archivist of the Walt Disney Archives, the corporate archive of The Walt Disney Company.

Early life and education Smith was born on October 13, 1940, and raised in Pasadena, California, the son of librarians and educators.

Smith met Walt Disney once at Disneyland and asked Disney for his autograph. Disney politely declined (he didn't want to attract attention to himself) and told Smith to write to the studio and request an autograph. Once graduated, Smith spent time working in the manuscript department at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. While at UCLA, he authored several bibliographies, including ones on the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor ironclad warships as well as Jack Benny. The company was impressed with Smith's skills and requested his services as an archival consultant in 1969. He was also a member of the Society of California Archivists. According to Disney fans and historians, Smith was regarded as the final authority on the topic of Disney history. After retirement, he continued to work for Disney as a consultant.

Death and legacy Dave Smith died on February 15, 2019, in Pasadena, California. The window is located above the entrance of the Fortuosity Shop.

Written works Smith wrote and co-wrote many books on Disney history, including Disney A to Z, the official company encyclopedia, as well as The Ultimate Disney Trivia Books. He also wrote short pieces and columns in publications like Starlog, Manuscripts, American Archivist, and The California Historical Quarterly. Smith's "Ask Dave" article was printed in Disney Magazine and Disney Channel Magazine, and continued online on the D23 website and Disney Insider when the magazine was discontinued in 2001.

As author Walt Disney: Famous Quotes (1994) Disney A to Z (1996) Disney A to Z, second edition (1998) The Quotable Walt Disney (2001) Disney A to Z, third edition (2006) Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered (2012) Disney A to Z, fourth edition (2015) Disney Facts Revealed: Answers to Fans' Curious Questions (2016) Disney A to Z, fifth edition (2016)

As co-author The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book (1992)—with Kevin Neary The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 2 (1994)—with Kevin Neary The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 3 (1997)—with Kevin Neary Disney: The First 100 Years (1999)—with Steven Clark The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 4 (2000)—with Kevin Neary Disney: The First 100 Years, updated edition (2002)—with Steven Clark Disney A to Z, sixth edition* (2023)—with Steven Vagnini

posthumous release