[5] Disney politely declined (he didn't want to attract attention to himself) and told Smith to write to the studio and request an autograph.

[6] Once graduated, Smith spent time working in the manuscript department at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California.

[7] While at UCLA, he authored several bibliographies, including ones on the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor ironclad warships as well as Jack Benny.

[8] After six months of deliberation, the proposal was accepted and Smith joined the company full time on June 22, 1970, as Disney's first archivist.

[3] Remarking on Smith's death, Disney CEO Bob Iger said, "He was the unsung hero of Disney's history who, as our first archivist, spent 40 years rescuing countless documents and artifacts from obscurity, investing endless hours restoring and preserving these priceless pieces of our legacy, and putting them in context to tell our story.

Dave was a true Disney Legend, and we are indebted to him for building such an enduring, tangible connection to our past that continues to inspire our future.