Richard Kraft

Richard Kraft is an American talent agent, also known for his extensive private collection of Disney memorabilia, ranging from animation cels to theme park props and vehicles.

Collection
Kraft began collecting Disney and Disneyland memorabilia in 1993, in memory of his brother, David, who suffered from Crohn's disease and passed that year. According to Richard's August 2018 appearance on Podcast: The Ride, Richard and David visited Disneyland annually as children, and Richard found reminiscence of his late brother in visiting Disneyland. Thus, Richard sought to bring Disneyland into his own home, and began collecting memorabilia from the park itself. 25 years later, Richard had amassed a collection of nearly every single attraction poster, countless pieces of original Imagineering concept art, and vehicles and props from attractions such as Disneyland's Skyway, PeopleMover, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Rocket Rods, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Submarine Voyage and the Magic Kingdom's Star Jets, among many others. Kraft and his son Nicholas would be featured in the Fall 2003 issue of The "E" Ticket magazine, featuring his massive private collection.

In August 2018, Kraft partnered with the Van Eaton Galleries to auction off his collection, with portions of the proceeds benefiting the Coffin-Siris Syndrome Foundation and Chime Institute: Early Education Programs. The collection was placed on display in a free exhibition from August 1-24, 2018, in a two-story space previously occupied by a Sports Authority store in Sherman Oaks, California, called That's from Disneyland!.

Trivia

 * Through his talent agency, Kraft-Engel Management, Kraft serves as the talent agent for Disney Legends Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, and Richard Sherman, as well as Steve Bartek, Christophe Beck, John Debney, Mark Isham, Henry Jackman, Christopher Lennertz, and Marc Shaiman.