Animator, screenwriter, and director Roger Allers, known for his work in the Disney renaissance, died on Saturday, January 17, 2026. He was 76 years old.

Allers co-directed The Lion King with Rob Minkoff and he co-wrote the libretto for the Broadway adaptation of The Lion King. He was a part of several Disney successes in the ‘80s and ’90, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lilo & Stitch.

He was born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York, then he grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. Allers studied fine arts at Arizona State University, and he moved to Boston where he worked at Lisberger Studios. He was a preproduction concept artist on Tron under director Steven Lisberger and was an animator on Sesame Street and The Electric Company.

Allers was art director and animator on Animalympics, then got his first job with Disney as a storyboard artist on Oliver & Company. That was followed by storyboard work on The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, and The Prince and the Pauper. Then he was the story supervisor on Beauty and the Beast and worked on the story for Aladdin.

He was an artist and animation director for The Mind’s Eye video series and worked on the story for The Emperor’s New Groove and Brother Bear. Allers directed The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride video game, was story supervisor for Lilo & Stitch, directed Open Season, and was the director-writer on The Prophet.