A Disneyland performer who spent 33 years entertaining hundreds of thousands as a member of the enduring Dapper Dan Quartet claims Disney pushed him apart in favor of youthful performers and “blackballed” him after he was falsely accused of creating feedback a couple of coworker’s sexuality, in response to a brand new lawsuit.
A Disneyland performer who spent 33 years entertaining hundreds of thousands as a member of the enduring Dapper Dan Quartet and different Disney acts claims the corporate pushed him apart in favor of youthful performers and a nasty rumor he was accused of creating a couple of coworker’s sexuality, in response to a brand new lawsuit.
Invoice Lewis, who started working at Disneyland in 1992 within the “Goofy Tunes Up” present earlier than turning into a longtime member of the Dapper Dan Quartet and the Bootstrappers Pirate Band, alleges his hours had been slashed after the park reopened following the COVID-19 shutdown.
When Disneyland resumed operations in April 2021, Lewis says he discovered by way of a gaggle textual content that the Bootstrappers had returned to the stage with out him.
Lewis, who turned 65 that July, claims Disney excluded him and several other of its oldest common performers whereas changing them with considerably youthful musicians, in response to the lawsuit obtained by The California Submit.
After administration instructed him full-time solid members had been being prioritized over “informal common” staff, Lewis alleges he found one of many youthful musicians who took over his pre-pandemic work held the identical “informal common” standing as he did, the lawsuit stated.
Lewis additionally claims he was “blackballed” after one other solid member allegedly unfold rumors that he made feedback a couple of park director’s sexual orientation. The lawsuit says the allegation was by no means substantiated, and no witness ever got here ahead claiming to have heard Lewis make the comment.
Consequently, Lewis says his hours stored disappearing, stopping him from incomes advantages. He labored 287 hours in 2023 and simply 74 hours in 2024, a 74% lower.
Lewis solely labored 14 hours in 2025, in response to the lawsuit.
After 34 years with the corporate, Lewis was “compelled from the place he had devoted his grownup life to below a cloud of false accusations {and professional} isolation inflicting lasting harm to his status, dignity, and legacy inside the Disneyland leisure group,” the paperwork stated.
Lewis says he had “no affordable various besides to retire” and despatched an e-mail “constructively terminating his place” on March 2, 2026.
He’s now looking for particular and exemplary damages together with legal professional charges.
The Walt Disney Firm was contacted for remark.
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