Mouse cleaning
Schneider now Disney Studio prexy
He will report directly to chairman Joe Roth, who made the announcement with Walt Disney Co. chairman and CEO Michael Eisner.
Additionally, high-ranking sources said that Schneider's second-in-command for animation and legit, exec VP Tom Schumacher, would take Schneider's place as president of feature animation and theatrical productions. That announcement is expected to be made today.
Among the power elite
The corporate shift puts Schneider among the power elite at Disney. Roth's contract will lapse later this year, and insiders are pointing to Schneider as a potential replacement for Roth, if the Disney chairman chooses not to reup or is forced out of the studio.
Schneider, who was responsible for such animation and legit successes as "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," will oversee creative development, production, marketing and distribution of all Disney-branded entertainment products. These include feature animation, live action, TV animation, Sunday night movies and theatrical productions.
He will also consult on all live entertainment at Disney theme parks worldwide.
"He gets to consolidate all the creative content operations in one," said Roth. "Feature animation, which is clearly the most important and singularly economic part of the whole sits on top of the studio, which is where it should be."
Problems at BV
At the same time, some insiders pointed to Schneider's assumption of live-action feature oversight as a direct response to occasional criticism from producers on the lot about the newly minted Buena Vista film production and development topper David Vogel.
Vogel was named to his post -- combining Touchstone, Disney and Hollywood film companies -- in the fall of 1998, displacing former Touchstone prexy Donald De Line. Vogel will now report to Schneider and Roth.
Indeed, live-action has been a sore point for Disney execs for the last year, despite successful theatrical runs for "Armageddon," "The Waterboy" and "The Horse Whisperer."
In a letter to the shareeholders, Eisner said: "In too many instances, profits did not materialize from the revenues achieved by our films."
Cook not affected
The appointment of Schneider is not expected to affect Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Motion Picture Group.
Studio sources said that Schneider, 48, was placed in the new position by Eisner, who has long praised the exec's performance with animation and legit.
"Peter has delivered outstanding performances in every endeavor he has undertaken since joining the company in 1985," Eisner said. "While the breadth of his new responsibilities will be wide, he has consistently demonstrated the creative and management capacity to handle the broad range of duties he will now shoulder."
Consolidation under Roth
"With this promotion," Eisner continued, we are consolidating all Disney Studio operations under Joe Roth. Over the last four years, Joe has skillfully taken on an increasing amount of responsibility, including TV production, home video and music. The studio change is part of our continuing effort to simplify and streamline our organizational structure worldwide."
Schneider joined Disney in 1985 as head of animation, working closely with Disney vice chairman Roy E. Disney.
Under Schneider, Disney created and released such animated hits as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Toy Story," "Mulan" and "A Bug's Life."
"Beauty" was the first animated film to receive a best picture Oscar nomination, "Toy Story" was the highest-grossing film of 1995, and "The Lion King" proved the most successful release in Disney history.
Before joining Disney, Schneider was associate director of the Los Angeles Olympics Arts Festival.
Earlier in his career, Schneider directed plays in New York at the WPA, Playwrights Horizon and Circle Repertory Theater. He also produced more than 60 dramatic and musical plays as managing director at St. Nicholas Theater.
