Prince of the Magic Kingdom: Michael Eisner and the Re-Making of Disney

One Day Disney's Prince Did Come

In this revised version of his best-selling book, Joe Flower tells the story of the second most important man in Disney history: Michael Eisner. Flower traces Eisner's career, from his privileged youth to his perch atop the Disney empire, in fair, unflinching detail.

The Disney company was in poor shape when Michael Eisner took the keys to the kingdom. The theme parks were stagnating, the animated films had lost their magic, and most important, Walt was gone. The company seemed to be holding its breath as corporate raiders closed in.

Eisner brought the pixie dust, but it was the pixie dust not of a dreamer and a visionary, but of a shrewd, ambitious businessman. Soon, new theme parks were opening, new animated films were setting box office records, and the so-called "Disney Decade" had begun.

Despite the success, Eisner was a polarizing figure. In the eyes of many, his unpardonable sin was that he wasn't Walt.

The birth of the modern Disney company, its transformation from a quaint little enterprise to a global goliath, began when Michael Eisner was anointed prince of the Magic Kingdom.