Looking Back – Legendary Cast of The Disney Parks: Richard Gerth and His Lasting Impression On Guests

Today, I’m sad to share that legendary cast member Richard Gerth has lost his fight with an illness at an advanced age. Richard was 92 years old, but age was nothing but a number for him and his impact on guests day after day. He was and always will be the face of the Grand Floridian and that welcoming smile that greeted thousands of guests year after year. While this isn’t good news in any way, I share this post for a few reasons. First, I want to create a place where you can share your memories through photos. I don’t want this to be an article that ruins your day, but rather one that makes you remember the memories he helped so many of you create over the years. If you want to share a photo here, feel free to share it with us on social media and we’ll happily add it to the list. Let this be a place to share the moment and create a list that brings a smile to the face of everyone who reads this post.  


Richard truly was an icon of the Grand Floridian and one that has left his mark in so many incredible ways. By helping guests and creating that Disney magic we’ve all grown to love, Richard was a person who embodied what a cast member should be. He was a man that I know Walt would truly appreciate and one that made a difference for so many guests. Many guests thought of Richard as a part of their family and have created traditions centered around simply meeting the man year after year. He was, for lack of a better word, an “attraction” of the Grand Floridian and one that will be completely and entirely missed. 


The second reason I share this post is to share a personal story. If you read one of our recent articles, you likely saw where I touched briefly on this story. In August of last year I shared the original article (listed in full) below. After a couple of hours of the post being live on the site a reader dropped a comment on Facebook mentioning that they were at the Grand Floridian and he happened to be there that day. Then they took things a step farther in what is still one of the more memorable gestures I can recall that any reader has done throughout the life of the site. They took this article and read it aloud to Richard and they happened to mention that he had a smile from ear to ear as they read. It seems so simple but it’s one of the greatest highlights I’ve had in this writing journey. It wasn’t that fact that I happened to get lucky and make a difference to someone, but rather that this community of Disney fans could reach that far and create such a last memory for both me and hopefully the reader along the way. It may have brightened Richard’s day in a little way, but it was completely unexpected that he’d ever even get the chance to see the article. Truth be told, the little moment likely put a larger smile on my face that it did Richard’s. That’s the key to it all though. Richard was a man that created a moment for guests that they would remember and took an incredible pride in doing so day after day. That’s the true spirit of Disney and one of the many reasons his daily presence will certainly be missed. 


Here’s a few photos from our readers and if you want to add yours, send them our way and we’ll get them added to the list. I’m finishing off the article with this because I always want to try and bring a smile to your face when you read these daily (well almost daily) articles. I don’t want this to be a sad part of your day but one where you can remember the memories spent at this place and hopefully those memories will bring a simile to your face! Each of these photos are from our readers, and I can’t thatk you enough for allowing us to use them. Don’t forget to check out the original article featuring Richard below the photos!   

Original Article:

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