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Francis Xavier "X" Atencio was an American former Imagineer, writer, lyricist, and animator.

He joined Disney in 1938 as an animator. In 1941, he left the studio to serve in World War II with the United States Army Air Forces, returning to Disney after the war ended.[1]

In 1965, Atencio became an Imagineer. He wrote the scripts for several Disney theme park attractions, most notably Adventure Thru Inner Space, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion, as well as the lyrics to the theme songs of the latter two, "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" and "Grim Grinning Ghosts", respectively. He also wrote the lyrics of "Bear Band Serenade" for Country Bear Jamboree and "It's Fun to Be Free" for World of Motion. Another brief voice-over Atencio provided was for the Submarine Voyage Thru Liquid Space, where he is addressed as "Bridge." He also wrote the lyrics to Buddy Baker's music for the retired Magic Kingdom attraction If You Had Wings.

His voice can be heard as the Talking Skull at the beginning of Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as the drunken pirate on the bridge heckling the auctioneer. In the Haunted Mansion, his voice emanates from the coffin in the conservatory and in the emergency safety spiel when the ride comes to a halt.[2]

He was referenced in the Goofy short How to Dance as a dance school bears his name.

He was recognized as a Disney Legend in 1996.

Atencio died on September 10, 2017, six days after his 98th birthday.

Animation filmography[]

Year Film Position
1940 Fantasia Assistant Animator - uncredited
1953 Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom Animator
1955 The Mickey Mouse Club "Circus Day" - Layout
1956 A Cowboy Needs a Horse Layout Styling
1956 Jack and Old Mac Character Styling
1957 The Truth About Mother Goose Layout
1959 Noah's Ark Character Movement/Styling
1959-1968 The Magical World of Disney Layout Artist
Writer
1959 The Shaggy Dog Title Designer
1961 The Parent Trap Title Animation
1961 Babes in Toyland Toy Sequence animator
1962 A Symposium on Popular Songs Story
1962 Bon Voyage Title Designer
1964 The Misadventures of Merlin Jones Title Animation
1964 Mary Poppins Designer: nursery sequence
1966 Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree Story
1977 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Story

Disney Role[]

Gallery[]

References[]


v - e - d
Walt Disney Animation Studios - Transparent Logo
1920s—1970s
Disney's Nine Old Men: Milt KahlFrank ThomasOllie JohnstonLes ClarkJohn LounsberyMarc DavisWard KimballEric LarsonWolfgang Reitherman

Animators: Bill TytlaArt BabbittLee BlairPreston BlairFred MooreShamus CulhaneCy YoungDon LuskNorman FergusonHal KingJack HannahDick KinneyHal AmbroKen O'BrienJudge WhitakerBill JusticeDon BluthGary GoldmanCharles A. NicholsBlaine GibsonJohn EwingWalt StanchfieldRolly CrumpFred HellmichAmby PaliwodaWilfred JacksonXavier AtencioBen SharpsteenEarl HurdDale OliverEric CleworthDavid HandFred SpencerJulius SvendsenJack BradburyKenneth MuseRudolf IsingHugh HarmanFriz FrelengWalt KellyLeo SalkinJohn DehnerRetta ScottDavid SwiftMel ShawJack CuttingGrant SimmonsArt StevensFrank TashlinWathel RogersTyrus WongJohnny Cannon
Visual Development, Layout, Background Artists and Character Designers: Gustaf TenggrenMary BlairMarjorie RalstonLillian BoundsJoe GrantMel ShawClaude CoatsDon DaGradiJohn HenchEyvind EarleKen O'ConnorThor PutnamAlbert HurterJohn HubleyHerbert RymanDon GriffithBasil DavidovichJack BoydPeter EllenshawRuthie TompsonEarl DuvallRetta DavidsonUb IwerksVance GerryHazel SewellJames BodreroLance NolleyGrace BaileyMaurice NobleDale BarnhartAndy EngmanEustace LycettJohn EmersonJoe Hale
Storyboard Artists and Writers: Bill PeetRalph WrightDick HuemerFloyd NormanYale GraceyTed SearsErdman PennerJoe RinaldiWinston HiblerOtto EnglanderWilliam CottrellBill BergAl BertinoT. HeeHomer BrightmanTed OsbourneLarry ClemmonsHarry ReevesJesse MarshChuck CouchWebb SmithDick Sebast
Directors: Clyde GeronimiHamilton LuskeJack KinneyTed BermanRichard RichGeorge ScribnerRiley ThomsonDick LundyJack KingBurt GillettJames AlgarBill RobertsLarry Lansburgh
Producers: Walt DisneyRon MillerKen AndersonDon DuckwallPerce PearceMargaret J. Winkler

1980s—present
Renaissance Directors: Rob MinkoffRoger AllersGary TrousdaleKirk WiseChris SandersMark DindalJohn Musker

Story Trust Directors: Ron ClementsChris BuckByron HowardDon HallChris WilliamsRich MooreStephen J. AndersonNathan GrenoFawn Veerasunthorn
Producers: Peter Del VechoClark SpencerRoy ConliDorothy McKimDon HahnShane Morris
Chief Creative Officer: Jennifer Lee
Associated Figures: Bob IgerRoy Edward DisneyMichael EisnerJohn LasseterEd CatmullJeffrey KatzenbergBob Chapek
Signature Voice Actors: Jim CummingsAlan TudykKatie LowesJohn DiMaggioMaurice LaMarcheJodi BensonDavid Ogden StiersJesse CortiPaul BriggsRaymond S. PersiPhil JohnstonFrank WelkerBill FarmerBrian Cummings
Signature Musicians: Robert B. Sherman Richard M. Sherman Alan Menken Kristen Anderson-Lopez Robert LopezLin-Manuel MirandaHoward AshmanTim RicePhil CollinsStephen SchwartzMarc ShaimanDanny Troob
Supervising Animators: Glen KeaneAndreas DejaEric GoldbergMark HennJohn PomeroyRandy HaycockDale BaerTony BancroftTom BancroftTony FucileAnthony DeRosaRuss EdmondsRandy HaycockBruce W. SmithDuncan MarjoribanksRuben AquinoNik RanieriRon HusbandRick FarmiloeTom SitoTony AnselmoWill FinnKathy Zielinski
Visual Development & Storyboard Artists: Dean DeBloisClaire KeaneBrittney LeeJin KimShiyoon KimRyan Green

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