Disneyland Windows > Xavier Atencio
Location: The Mad Hatter, Town Square - Main Street USA, Disneyland.
Xavier Atencio, then a student at Los Angeles' Chouinard Art Institute, submitted his portfolio to Walt Disney Studios. He was hired in 1938 and was promoted to Assistant Animator within three years. In 1941 Atencio enlisted and was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. As part of the 2nd Photo Tech Squadron, he earned the rank of Captain. In 1945, X returned to Walt Disney Studios and won an Academy Award for his work on the animated short, Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom.
Atencio worked as an animator until 1965, when he moved to Walt Disney Imagineering. As an Imagineer he developed stories, dialogue and music for Disney attractions.Working with composer George Bruns, Atencio co-wrote the lyrics to the Pirates of Caribbean theme song - Yo Ho Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me,and with composer Buddy Baker, wrote the lyrics to the ghoulish Grim Grinning Ghosts for the Haunted Mansion.
X Atencio retired from the Walt Disney Company in 1984. In 1996, he was inducted as a Disney Legend (Animation & Imagineering).