Voting Station

Gunther Lessing

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Attorney

The Resume

    (July 20, 1886-September 20, 1965)
    Born in Waco, McLennan County, Texas
    Lawyer for The Walt Disney Company
    Hired by Walt Disney in 1930 to help protect the copyrights of Mickey Mouse

Why he might be annoying:

    He waged an ugly legal battle with Dolores Del Rio after she broke off her contract with him, accusing her of breaking up his marriage and claiming that she was a sexual deviant.
    He encouraged a hard line with Disney employees.
    He was such a pariah at Walt Disney Studios that the animators reportedly called him 'Dopey' behind his back.
    He helped Art Babbitt form the bogus company union, the Federation of Screen Cartoonists, and then orchestrated his firing from the company over his union activity.
    He was blamed for Walt Disney's hard anti-union stance during the 1941 Animators' strike, prolonging negotiations before caving in to their demands.
    Allegedly, the disastrous resolution to the strike undermined his authority at the studio, reducing him to a mere figurehead.
    He advised Walt Disney on his handling of the House Un-American Activities Committee in the late 1940s, resulting in his 'naming names' during anti-Communist Congressional hearings.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was active in the Mexican Revolution.
    He served as attorney for Pancho Villa when a film studio brokered a deal to create a silent film based on his exploits.
    He is credited with suggesting that Walt Disney turn his own name into a trademark to serve as a brand upon which to build his company.
    Walt Disney famously said of him: 'The only Mister we have at the studio is our lawyer, Mr. Lessing.'
    After the Animators' Strike, he remained a spokesperson on most of the studio's important legal matters.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying