This just in from Jim Korkis:

[The Big Bamboo was a small little bar near Walt Disney World that was home to many Disney cast members over the years and a favorite of late Disney Legend Ralph Kent. More information on the place can be found here: http://www.bigbamboolounge.com/.

It was decorated with artwork and artifacts from those who opened WDW back in 1971 and although it looked a little frightening stuck back off 192, there were some strict rules including that if you bothered a woman there you were only given one warning and then kicked out. It was also near the fabled "Snow White Village" where the first WDW college students were housed until housing was built at Vista Way. Unfortunately, the hurricanes in 2004 caused such damage that the place closed and never re-opened. However, apparently the legend will still live on when next month the new version of the Big Bamboo will open. More information can be found here: www.nubamboolounge.com. This project is spearheaded by a WDW character artist who was trained by Ralph Kent and who has obtained some memoribilia (including the recipes for one of the famous drinks served at the original lounge) to utilize at the new location that is right across the street from the memory of the original lounge.]

Imagineer and Disney Legend Ralph Kent passed away. Jim Korkis has sent me the following message concerning his career and his funeral:

[You should probably link to Lou Mongello's tribute to Ralph Kent. Lou did a terrific job summarizing Ralph's career. While Ralph's passing was not unexpected, it is still tragic and he seemed much too young to be leaving all of us.

Ralph was an incredible person. He was genuinely modest, talented beyond all imagination, funny, patient and unfortunately in his later years plagued by health problems that eventually had him in a wheel chair. At last year's NFFC convention in Orlando, he seemed frail but still full of fun and it was clearly apparent how much he and his wife loved each other.

I knew Ralph for about ten years and in fact, before he got really ill, he had talked with me about collaborating with him on a book. We would cover the Fab Five characters decade by decade. He would do the drawings and I would do the text. He was upset when he saw merchandising that had a 40s Mickey with a 50s Goofy and such. So the purpose of the book was to show how the character should be drawn step by step, what the personality was, how they interacted with the other Fab Five characters, their "key" films of that period etc. as a guide primarily for the merchandising but also for the general public. That dream will never come to pass unless I hook up with Alex Maher or Brian Blackmore who were trained by Ralph as his successors at the Disney Design Group. I hope one day Alex and Brian will share some of the many stories they heard from Ralph over the years. I had some notes from previous talks with Ralph in preparation for a longer interview that never came to pass that I will eventually put together for Walt's People once I locate them and organize them.

I believe there is an interview with Ralph in Tomart's DISNEYANA but it focuses primarily on his work in merchandising. Ralph's impact will be felt for at least another generation through all those artists that Ralph trained.

Ralph's wife Linda called with the following arrangements - so far:
* Ralph will be cremated at the Grissom Funeral Home, 803 W. Emmett Street, Kissimmee, on Thursday. TIME TBD
* The funeral will be on Saturday in the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall, 1525 Mill Slough Road in Kissimmee . TIME TBD
* In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jehovah Witness, 1525 Mill Slough Road, Kissimmee (407-933-7547) ]