It is with immense sadness that I learned that Dave Smith passed away earlier today. The 5th volume of They Drew As They Pleased, which will be released in August is dedicated to him and Michael Barrier, the two men without whom Disney history would not exist as a serious field of research.

I first met Dave when I was a teenager, still living in Geneva, Switzerland. I cannot believe that he is gone. I had heard from him by email just 6 weeks ago, when he sent me his comments on the manuscript of Walt's People - Volume 22. This is devastating news.