A Disneyland performer who spent 33 years entertaining millions as a member of the iconic Dapper Dan Quartet claims Disney pushed him aside in favor of younger performers and “blackballed” him after he was falsely accused of making comments about a coworker’s sexuality, according to a new lawsuit.
Bill Lewis, who began working at Disneyland in 1992 in the “Goofy Tunes Up” show before becoming a longtime member of the Dapper Dan Quartet and the Bootstrappers Pirate Band, alleges his hours were slashed after the park reopened following the COVID-19 shutdown.
When Disneyland resumed operations in April 2021, Lewis says he learned through a group text that the Bootstrappers had returned to the stage without him.
Disneyland performer Bill Lewis claims he was fired after decades of service because Disney hired younger performers. Facebook/@bill.lewis.9655
Lewis (center) started at the park in 1992, eventually becoming part of the world-famous Bootstrapper’s Pirate Band. Facebook/@bill.lewis.9655
Lewis, who turned 65 that July, claims Disney excluded him and several of its oldest regular performers while replacing them with substantially younger musicians, according to the lawsuit obtained by The California Post.
After management told him full-time cast members were being prioritized over “casual regular” employees, Lewis alleges he discovered one of the younger musicians who took over his pre-pandemic work held the same “casual regular” status as he did, the lawsuit said.
Lewis performed on stage with actor David Arquette. (Eddy Chen) Facebook/@bill.lewis.9655
The Dapper Dans perform in front of the fire station on Main Street, USA inside Disneyland. (MediaNews Group RM) MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Lewis also claims he was “blackballed” after another cast member allegedly spread rumors that he made comments about a park director’s sexual orientation. The lawsuit says the allegation was never substantiated, and no witness ever came forward claiming to have heard Lewis make the remark.
As a result, Lewis says his hours kept disappearing, preventing him from earning benefits. He worked 287 hours in 2023 and just 74 hours in 2024, a 74% decrease.
Lewis only worked 14 hours in 2025, according to the lawsuit.
After 34 years with the company, Lewis was “forced from the position he had devoted his adult life to under a cloud of false accusations and professional isolation causing lasting damage to his reputation, dignity, and legacy within the Disneyland entertainment community,” the documents said.
Lewis says he had “no reasonable alternative except to retire” and sent an email “constructively terminating his position” on March 2, 2026.
He is now seeking special and exemplary damages along with attorney fees.
The Walt Disney Company was contacted for comment.
The Walt Disney Company did not return The California Post’s request for comment. GC Images
Lewis also claims he was “blackballed” after another cast member was “bad mouthing” him. Facebook/@bill.lewis.9655
Lewis says he had “no reasonable alternative except to retire” and sent an email “constructively terminating his position.” Facebook/@bill.lewis.9655
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