William Cottrell

“Born 1906 South Bend, Ind., of English parents. Learned to speak English in 1910. Went abroad in 1920. Sentenced to salt mines in Siberia for soaping royal wind shield of Czar Nicholas’ carriage. Escaped to California in 1923. Attended Occidental College in 1920. Awarded consistent freshman medal 1926, ‘27, ‘28, which included a paid vacation at Lincoln Heights, the third year. Two years behind the crank at Disney’s camera and has never been in focus yet.” -published in the June 20, 1931 edition of The Motion Picture Daily

Bill Cottrell, nicknamed “Uncle Bill” by his colleagues, was the first president of what is today known as Walt Disney Imagineering, the design and development arm of the Company. During the planning and construction phases of Disneyland, Walt relied heavily on Bill’s creativity, wisdom, and foresight to make his dream come true. Fellow Disney Legend Marvin Davis once said, “It was Walt who said, ‘Let there be Disneyland,’ like the good Lord said, ‘Let there be a world.’ But it was Uncle Bill who was Walt’s counselor and right-hand man.”