Former Disney Imagineer and animator Xavier “X” Atencio died on Sunday at the Age of 98. Also known as X Atencio, he was responsible for bringing some of the most iconic Disney park rides to life including “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Haunted Mansion.” He was also worked as an animator that worked on the classic films Pinocchio and Fantasia.

Atencio was born in Walsenburg Colorado on September 4, 1919 and moved to Los Angeles in 1937. He attended Chouinard Art Institute and after some encouragement from his instructors, he submitted a portfolio to Disney and got a job at the age of 18.

He first worked on the 1940 animated classic Pinocchio and was then promoted to assistant animator for another would-be Disney classic Fantasia the same year. He left temporarily to join the Army Air Corps but returned in 1945 and worked on animated shorts inlcuding Plunk and Boom which won an Oscar in 1953. His other credits included stop motion animated sequences featured in live-action Disney pics The Parent Trap, Babes in Toyland, and Mary Poppins.

Story by: Dino-Ray Ramos
Source: Deadline