"I loved to watch Donn in action. He was an excellent communicator and deft in his ability to handle the myriad of questions posed by stockholders." - Roy E. Disney Donn Benjamin Tatum was an American businessman and the first non-Disney family member to be an executive of Walt Disney Productions, where he held senior leadership positions 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.
Tatum was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated magna cum laude from Stanford University and earned two law degrees from Oxford University. He passed the California bar in 1938 and became involved in entertainment law where he served as counsel for RCA, NBC and ABC. He became general manager of KABC-TV in Los Angeles and Western television director for ABC.
In 1956, Tatum joined The Walt Disney Company as production business manager and later executive vice president of Disneyland, Inc. After 1960, he returned to the Studio where he was vice president of television sales and vice president of administration. Over time, Tatum became a trusted employee to Walt and Roy O. Disney rose higher in the company's ranks. He was appointed to the company's three-member executive committee in 1964, the same year he was elected to the board of directors, became vice president, and administrative assistant to Roy. In 1968, he was elected President, replacing Roy who would remain CEO and Chairman until his death in 1971 following the opening of Walt Disney World Resort. The choice of Tatum as Chairman was part of a succession plan set in place by Roy in 1967.
Tatum stepped down as president of the company to accept his role of CEO and Chairman, leaving Card Walker to replace him as president. The duo played a major role in the the creation of Epcot and Tokyo Disneyland. He was well known by stockholders for his adeptness in handling the corporate annual meetings. He served as CEO until November of 1976 with Walker taking over the position. On June 3, 1980, he retired as Chairman, turning over the company completely to Walker. However, Tatum remained on the Disney board as executive committee chair until his resignation in 1992. He also became chairman of the executive committee from 1980 to 1983.
Outside of the company, he served as CalArts board Chairman and President of the Disney Foundation as was lending his leadership skills to various public service committees in the Los Angeles area such as California Broadcasting Assn., The Stanford Club of Los Angeles, The Huntington Library, California State Fair and Exposition, and Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
Tatum died on May 31, 1993, of cancer at his home in Pacific Palisades. He posthumously named a Disney Legend that same year and was later honored with a Main Street window above Crystal Arts in Magic Kingdom.
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