John Devereaux "Jack" Wrather, Jr. (May 24, 1918 - November 12, 1984), was a petroleum millionaire who became a television producer and later diversified by investing in broadcast stations and resort properties. He is best known for producing The Lone Ranger, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, and Lassie television series in the 1950s as well as marrying actress Bonita Granville.
His first wife, Mollie O'Daniel, was the daughter of Texas Governor Wilbert Lee O'Daniel (who served from 1938-1942) and later as U.S. Senator. He was a flour baron with a radio show and sang with 'The Light Crust Doughboys'. He was played by Charles Durning in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000).
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Walt Disney personally convinced Wrather to build the Disneyland Hotel when Disney could not raise the money to do so -- his credit was all tied up in building the theme park itself. After the phenomenal success of Disneyland, Disney attempted to buy the hotel, but Wrather steadfastly refused to sell. Long after Wrather's and Walt Disney's death, the Disney Company bought the Wrather Corporation and, with it, acquired the Disneyland Hotel, plus the Queen Mary & Spruce Goose attractions in Long beach, California, as well as the rights to The Lone Ranger (1949) TV series, among other properties.
$300,000
