Roy Disney, nephew of Walt Disney Co. founder Walt Disney and a longtime executive for the company, has died, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website on Wednesday.

The Times reported that Disney, who had been ill with cancer, died on Wednesday morning at the age of 79.

Representatives for the Walt Disney Co. could not immediately be reached for comment.

Roy Disney, who was born in Los Angeles and began working for the company in the 1950s, is best known for leading a shareholder revolt to remove then-chairman and CEO Michael Eisner.