Donn B. Tatum (January 9, 1913 – May 31, 1993) was an American businessman and the first non-Disney family member to be an executive of Walt Disney Productions. Tatum held senior leadership positions with Disney for 25 years, becoming president from 1968 to 1971, when he became CEO from 1971 until 1980. His final position was "Director Emeritus" from 1992 until his death. He played a major role in the creation of Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland.
He held a number of co. positions and served as counsel for RCA, NBC and ABC. He became general manager of KABC-TV in Los Angeles and Western television director for ABC.
Walt Disney Company
Tatum joined Disney as production business manager in 1956 and in 1971, became chief executive and board chairman following the death of Roy O. Disney — becoming the first non-Disney family member to head the company. Tatum served as CEO until November 1976 and as chairman.
On June 3, 1980, he retired as chairman and CEO of Disney Productions turning over the company to Card Walker. He stayed on the Disney board as executive committee chair.[2]
He was CalArts board chairman and president of the Disney Foundation, California Broadcasting Assn., United Cerebral Palsy Assn. and Stanford Club of Los Angeles.
Tatum died on May 31, 1993, of cancer at his home in Pacific Palisades. Then Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and President Frank Wells said "He served as a director of the company until his resignation last year, when he was named director emeritus. The world will miss Donn, but we at Disney who looked to him for wisdom, guidance and balance will miss him more."[4][5]
^"FORMER DISNEY CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE DONN TATUM DIES". bloomberg.com. 2 June 1993. Retrieved 5 February 2023. Donn B. Tatum, former president and chairman of the board of The Walt Disney Co., died of cancer at his home in Pacific Palisades on Monday, following a lengthy illness. He was 80.
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