Alice Davis, famed costumer for Disney theme park attractions, films and television series, died Thursday at her Los Feliz home in Los Angeles. She was 93.
Named a Disney Legend in 2004, Davis was known for her costume designs for the landmark “It’s a Small World” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” rides at Disneyland.
She was married to animator Marc Davis — one of Disney’s “Nine Old Men” known for designing such classic characters as Tinker Bell and Cruella de Vil — from June 1965 until his death in January 2000.
In 1963, Walt Disney recruited Davis to work on the “It’s a Small World” attraction for the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York. She and her husband collaborated with art designer Mary Blair in researching and designing over 300 costumes for the ride’s animatronic dolls.
In addition to “It’s a Small World” — which was transferred to California’s Disneyland in 1966 — Davis designed costumes for another Disney attraction at the World’s Fair: General Electric’s “Carousel of Progress.” Her husband was the lead designer on the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride, while she designed and supervised the creation of the pirates’ costumes.
Alice May Estes was born on March 26, 1929, in Escalon, Calif. Her father, Bishop Estes, was a public school principal, and her mother, Naomi McGrew, was an art teacher and craftswoman.
She went to high school in Long Beach, Calif., and in 1947 earned a four-year scholarship from the Long Beach Art Association to study costume design at Chouinard Art Institute. There, she audited night school animation classes taught by her future husband.
After graduating from Chouinard in 1950, Davis went to work for Beverly Vogue & Lingerie House in Los Angeles, where she eventually managed two factories.
In 1954, she received a job offer from Marc Davis, who needed a costume designed for actor Helene Stanley to wear while posing as the model for “Sleeping Beauty’s” Briar Rose, a pseudonym used by Princess Aurora in the 1959 film.
A pioneer at WED Enterprises, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering, Davis received a commemorative window in her honor in 2012, which was installed on a storefront right beside Marc’s window along Disneyland’s Main Street.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and adopted family members.
