Amazingly, Walt hired Max’s son Richard to direct ’20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’. “Why do you want me?” Richard asked Disney. He answered, “I saw the movie you directed with (child actor) Bobby Driscoll. If you can make an actor out of him, then you must be good.” One wonders, if that was the real reason or was Walt making amends.
However, in the commentary of 20,000 Leagues DVD, Fleisher said:
“Well, there was more to it than that. I later found out that Walt had shown five movies by different directors. I was one of them. Everyone at the studio voted that my movie, The Narrow Margin, was the best.
Before accepting Walt’s offer, Richard asked his father’s permission to work for Disney. “You don’t need my permission,” Max said, “Just tell Walt he has a great taste in directors.”
When Max and his wife came to Los Angeles, Disney invited them to lunch at the studio. Max was able to meet many of his ex-employees and talk old times. His son said it was a wonderful time, though ‘bittersweet’.
On his death bed, Max’s daughter handed him a copy of Life Magazine with Disney on the cover. “Look Pa, it’s your old friend.”
Max whispered, “That son-of-a-bitch.”
Disney acted with the cartoons in his shorts? ;-)
That's the first I've heard of the Fleischer brothers. But then, I haven't followed the movies like you have. I do remember all of those cartoons and of course, the Looney Tunes.
Walt Disney always portrayed himself as a fatherly man, but I suspected a hard businessman underneath that persona. Certainly true here, with a little remorse for what he had done.
I like the way you ended it with Max Fleischer's last words.
Ron