Xavier Atencio
- Known for
- Visual Effects
- Born
- September 4, 1919
- Died
- September 10, 2017
- Birthplace
- Trinidad, Colorado, USA
He was a Disney artist from 1938 until 1965, when he became an Imagineer to help design the Disneyland Railroad's Primeval World diorama segment. He then contributed to various Disney attractions. He wrote the script for both Adventure Thru Inner Space and Pirates of the Caribbean, for which he also penned the lyrics to the theme song, "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" and provided the voice of the talking skull early on in the attraction. He also wrote the script for the Haunted Mansion, including the lyrics to that attraction's theme song, "Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song)." His voice can also be heard emanating from the coffin in the Haunted Mansion's conservatory ("Hey! Let me out of here!") and, in the Disneylandmansion, when the attraction comes to a temporary halt it is his voice which announces, "Playful spooks have interrupted our tour. Please remain seated in your Doom Buggy" as well as other emergency spiels. Another brief voice-over he provided was for the Submarine Voyage Thru Liquid Space where he is addressed as "Bridge." "Bridge: Aye, aye, all ahead one third. Stand by the mooring lines." He also wrote the lyrics to Buddy Baker's catchy music for the retired Walt Disney World attraction If You Had Wings. Atencio served as a photo interpreter in the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1941 to 1945 during World War II, reaching the rank of captain in the 2nd Photo Tech Squadron. Stationed in England, he was part of team that would analyze aerial surveillance for military intelligence. He retired from The Walt Disney Company in 1984 and was named a Disney Legend in 1996. -Wikipedia Entry
Filmography
Haunted Mansion | Disneyland Resort 2025
Lyricist
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Story Behind the Masterpiece 1996
as Self - Storyman
The Dream Called EPCOT 1981
Music
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 1977
Story
Disneyland: From the Pirates of the Caribbean to the World of Tomorrow 1968
as Self (uncredited)
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree 1966
Story
Cri-Cri the Singing little cricket 1963
Animation
A Symposium on Popular Songs 1962
Story, Production Design
Backstage Party 1961
Animation
Babes in Toyland 1961
Visual Effects
The Parent Trap 1961
Title Graphics
Noah's Ark 1959
Animation
The Shaggy Dog 1959
Title Designer
The Truth About Mother Goose 1957
Layout Supervisor
A Cowboy Needs a Horse 1956
Layout
Jack and Old Mac 1956
Characters
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom 1953
Animation
Credits from TMDB.