A Friday Visit with Jim Korkis: The Richard F. Irvine Boats
By Dave Shute
Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians and author of Jim’s Gems in The easy Guide, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.
THE RICHARD F. IRVINE BOATS AT DISNEY WORLD
By Jim Korkis
When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat plied the Rivers of America in Frontierland. It was joined in May 20, 1973 by the Richard F. Irvine Riverboat.
The primary difference between the two ships was that the Fowler had two smokestacks, while the Irvine only had one. They both had three decks and a capacity of roughly 450 guests. They were actually functioning steamboats, propelled by their enigines, although they were guided by an I-beam underwater.
The original Fowler riverboat was damaged during a refurbishment at a backstage dry dock in 1980. It was broken up for scrap and the Irvine Riverboat in 1981 became the sole operating riverboat. In December 1982 the bell from the Fowler ship was installed on the Roy O. Disney engine on the Walt Disney World railroad.
In 1996, the Irvine was completely refurbished and returned to service as the renamed Liberty Belle Riverboat. The name change was to make its theme more closely to Liberty Square and make the name easier to remember.
Subsequently in 1999, one of the ferries that transported guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom was re-christened Richard F. Irvine so as to continue to honor the late Imagineer’s contributions while the other was rechristened the Admiral Joe Fowler. (The third was a tribute to General Joe Potter.)
The Irvine riverboat had been named after Richard Irvine who was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 5, 1910. He moved with his family to Southern California in 1922.
He was the son of a prominent Los Angeles ophthalmologist, Alexander Irvine, who was Walt Disney’s personal eye doctor for years and was given a window on Disneyland’s Main Street.
“Dick” became an art director at 20th Century Fox and was hired by Walt in 1952 to act as liaison between Walt Disney Productions and an architectural firm that was being considered for designing Disneyland.
He had previously worked at the Disney Studios as an art director on Victory Through Airpower (194) and The Three Caballeros (194) so he knew how Walt worked and the Disney culture.
Imagineer John Hench recalled, “Because Dick had worked with movie set designs, creating structures and settings, he understood our needs more than standard architects.”
Dick headed design and planning for all Disneyland attractions, including significant contributions to the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. He also guided the creation of attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, including the it’s a small world attraction.
He went on to help shape the master plan and attractions for Walt Disney World and, in 1967, was appointed executive vice president and chief operations officer of WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering).
Concerning Walt Disney World, Irvine told author Bob Thomas, “I often wonder how things would have been done differently if Walt had been alive. You know darn well, it would have been entirely different from what we did do.”
Before his death, Walt had put WED in charge of developing the theme park while he assembled a different group for the Epcot concept. Irvine was also involved in the creation and opening of California Institute of the Arts.
Irvine’s heart condition and resulting illness prevented him from attending the opening of Walt Disney World. He retired in 1973 and passed away March 30, 1976.
Irvine’s daughter Maggie Irvine Elliot became the Senior Vice President of Creative Administration at WDI. Dick’s son married Kim Thomas (now Kim Irvine, who currently is an art director at WDI) who is also Imagineer Leota Toombs’s daughter.
* * * * *
Thanks, Jim! And come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!
In the meantime, check out his books, including Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew
, which reprints much material first written for this site, and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
0 comments
Comment by typing in the form below.
Leave a Comment | Ask a Question | Note a Problem