There are a handful of great books that detail the fall of Ron Miller as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company and his replacement by Michael Eisner. These chronicles often include the role of Roy E. Disney in Miller’s removal and his chosen successor. These books often put Eisner front and center. What has really been missing is a book that outlines Miller’s career, the obstacles he sought to overcome, and the state of the Company during his time as CEO. Would it be cliche to say, until now?
After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America’s Favorite Media Company by Neil O’Brien provides a study of Disney's corporate history through the Miller era. The text focuses heavily on animation and meets one of O’Brien’s stated goals of developing an oral history of Disney animation during this period. O’Brien walks us through the origins of Miller and Roy E. Disney, who were never close despite externally being seen as the faces of the company after the deaths of Walt and Roy O. Roy E. Disney early on leaves the stage as he sought to create new opportunities for himself creatively and in investments. Miller was faced with the challenge of leading a company in transition as the older animators that Disney films were based on aged but saw no one in-house to fill their creative leadership. The company then fostered the creation of a new Character Animation department at CalArts to mentor a new future Disney animation cadre, with members of that first class including legends like Brad Bird, Jerry Rees, and John Musker. The text gives us a case study, as we watch the old guard and new artists interacting in the development of animated features, especially the stalled The Black Cauldron. The book also discusses how Miller led the company and his attempt to evolve the studio, especially around live-action films with the creation of Touchstone Pictures which would allow more hard-hitting storytelling. Finally, the book discusses Roy E. Disney’s move to resign from the Board and leverage his shares to install Eisner and Frank Wells into Disney leadership. The book ends with the author noting the changes that went into effect during the Miller period, especially the training of new animators, which pushed forward an animation renaissance both internally and externally.
I have one minor gripe, the cover gives us the impression that this is a story of MIller vs Roy E. fighting for the soul of Disney. It’s really not, as Disney removed himself for much of this period as an employee. The real focus in this book is on culture and day-to-day under Miller. A more fitting cover to communicate what will occur in the book might have been Gurgi from The Black Cauldron as much of the tension around staffing, leadership, and storytelling are told through the lens of developing this movie It was the “Author’s Note” at the end that even more clarifies this, as O’Brien notes his desire to write an oral history of animation and his interest in the Lloyd Alexander stories. I will raise my hand and admit that I am of an age and fandom to have also been pulled into those books. I also find myself wanting to know more about why the film I wanted to see so badly didn’t work. So the recurring film and its development helped keep me engaged in Miller’s struggle in running a company and legacy left to him by his beloved father-in-law. But the story is not a duel between two businessmen, that I felt the cover provided me.
The discussion about The Black Cauldron is so strong, that I didn’t even mention the rise of Don Bluth’s star at the studio. This just shows that for readers there is not just one engaging story in this volume, but levels of complexity.
This really is a well-written and sourced book. I will argue that it’s also very well-balanced. While I did find a lot to admire about Miller as I read the book, I also felt like O’Brien didn’t attempt to romanticize him. And I personally think Miller, Eisener, and Roy E. are all figures that should be respected as Disney Legends as while they may not have always worked well together, they did all three leave important contributions to the company. They were people, and this is what O’Brien gives us, interesting people ranging from corporate leaders, to directors like Joe Hale, to even struggling animators like Glen Keane who lived through these interesting times of change. This is the type of story that reminds us that change happens, people are part of it, and we are people.
After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America’s Favorite Media Company by Neil O’Brien is one of my favorite Disney history books of 2025. O’Brien gives us a story about real people, with real feelings as they transition through changes in corporate culture and American storytelling. The use of The Black Cauldron as a story focus, really helped me stay engaged as it’s a movie release that confused me in its failure as someone who loved the Alexander stories as a child. And it allows the author through it’s long development to talk about the changing Disney corporate landscape. And I think best of all, it gives readers a well-balanced picture of Ron Miller who is often a quick note in Disney's corporate leadership history, hidden by the shadow of Walt Disney, Bob Iger, and Eisner.
Review Copy Provided for Review
