Roger Allers, Co-Director of 'The Lion King,' Dies

Roger Allers, the Disney director and co-creator of 'The Lion King,' has passed away at the age of 76. He also worked on films such as 'Aladdin,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' and 'The Little Mermaid.'

Dave Bossert, visual effects supervisor at Walt Disney Company, announced his death, emphasizing that Allers was 'an extremely talented artist and director' and a 'true pillar of the Disney animation renaissance.'

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, paid tribute to Allers, noting that he was 'a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will remain for generations to come.'

Born in New York in 1949, Allers studied fine arts at Arizona State University and began working at Disney in 1978.

He co-directed 'The Lion King,' a film that was a huge box office success, grossing approximately $979 million worldwide. He also adapted the screenplay for the Broadway musical, 'The Lion King.'