Jim Korkis Disney and Jim Korkis death

Publish date: 2024-05-09

Remembering Disney Historian Jim Korkis and His Legacy

The Disney community lost a beloved icon and treasured historian this week with the passing of Jim Korkis at the age of 72. Over his prolific career, Korkis authored over 30 books about Disney history and lore, cementing his reputation as one of the foremost experts on all things Disney. His inquisitive spirit and passion for storytelling leaves behind an immense legacy that has preserved pivotal details about the company's past.

Early Life and Career

Korkis was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but spent his childhood in Glendale, California. He later returned to his home state to earn his bachelor's degree in theatre arts from the University of Tulsa. After graduating, Korkis moved back to California where he worked as a middle school teacher in theatre and English for 20 years before relocating to Orlando, Florida in the mid-1990s.

Even from a young age, Korkis had a fascination with the magic behind Disney. During his teaching career, he started writing about Disney history while also working under the pseudonym Wade Sampson at Disney World as a merlin in the Sword in the Stone ceremony, a prospector in Frontierland, and in visitor relations at Epcot, the Disney Institute, and Pleasure Island.

Pioneering Disney Historian

When Korkis began chronicling Disney history in the 1980s, the rich stories of the company's past were not well documented. At the time, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World were still relatively young, having only been open for a few decades. Korkis recognized the need to preserve these important tales before they were lost and made it his mission to interview Disney Legends while compiling comprehensive books on topics like deleted Disney film scenes and the history behind famous park attractions.

Deb Wills, former owner of Disney fan site AllEars.net that featured Korkis' writings, shared how he stood out for his approachability and depth: "I told him a few times that Walt must look kindly on him as one of the people who’s keeping his legacy alive. He was the greatest storyteller of all time. He just had a crystal clear way of imparting knowledge and information."

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Generous Mentorship

In addition to his own writings, Korkis was dedicated to mentoring fellow Disney historians and encouraging new researchers. Didier Ghez, author of the "Walt's People" book series, recalled how Korkis supported anyone interested in learning more Disney history:

"He wrote well, and he also wrote in a way that was easy access for people. A book by Jim would make people of all ages go 'Wow, this is exciting. I’m so into what he’s saying.' He was always nudging us to do something with the knowledge we gather and to put it shape and share it. The idea of teaching other people was always crucial to him."

Disney Library of Interviews and Archives

Korkis valued accuracy in his writings. To achieve this, he conducted extensive interviews with former Disney employees, animators, and Imagineers over the years, meticulously recording and transcribing the conversations by hand. He amassed a vast “library” of taped interviews that fellow historians could consult with him to verify obscure facts and details.

Mark Goldhaber, former chief operating officer of MousePlanet that published Korkis' “Korkis Korner” column, shared how Korkis' archives were invaluable for their comprehensiveness: "He was very interested in how Walt would have handled things. He recorded the interviews on tape and transcribed them by hand. So when I needed to check something, I’d ask him and he’d go to his library."

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Over 30 Books on Disney History

While working for Disney, Korkis published under the Wade Sampson byline. But after being let go in 2009, he started releasing books under his own name. Jason Surrell, a fellow Disney historian and attractions author, said Korkis was remarkably prolific during this period:

"He was probably writing for ten or fifteen different publications on a regular basis. Because of the sheer breadth of things that he covered and documented, his work is priceless. That's now ours in perpetuity. It's not going to go away."

Some of his most popular book titles include:

Passing the Torch

Even after decades of research and writing, Korkis' passion for Disney never wavered. He continued to chronicle new tales and mentor emerging historians right up until the end, passing on his spirit of curiosity. As Goldhaber put it, “He embodied Walt’s spirit and spread it far and wide.”

While Korkis may be gone, the legacy he leaves behind is monumental. Surrell explained how Korkis' books ensure important details of Disney history will always be remembered:

"Once it's gone, it's gone. So much of the fundamentals of themed entertainment are passed down verbally from one generation to the next. Because of the sheer breadth of things that he covered and documented, that's now ours in perpetuity. That's not going to go away."

There will be a memorial service for Korkis at a later date. He is survived by his brothers, Michael and Chris Korkis, who will deeply miss him. Jim Korkis' contributions to recording Disney history are unparalleled and his presence in the Disney community will be sorely missed though his spirit and works will live on.

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