Dave Hollis, Former Disney Distribution Chief, Dies at 47
J. Kim Murphy Dave Hollis, a former Disney executive who served as the company’s president of worldwide distribution until resigning in 2018, died Saturday night at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 47 years old. Hollis had been recently hospitalized for heart-related health issues, though no exact cause of death has been determined. Hollis’ became Disney’s theatrical distribution chief in 2011, taking the reins from a retiring Chuck Viane. Hollis’ tenure coincided with several of the largest box office successes in the studio’s history, shepherding titles from Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and Pixar, as well as live-action remakes of animated classics and new animated features. The resounding achievements that came with Hollis’ leadership made his 2018 resignation from the company all the more surprising. Well-liked within the industry and an affable ambassador for Disney, Hollis left Disney (and California) to become CEO of Chic Media, a production company founded by Hollis’ wife at the time, Rachel Hollis. The two divorced in more recent years.