This Day in Disney History

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October 9

1919:
Walt Disney, who has served as a Red Cross volunteer in France, arrives back in the United States. Aboard the SS Canada, he pulls into New York Harbor after a long slow trip.

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October 10

1900:
Legendary actress Helen Hayes, who starred in Disney's 1977 Candleshoe, is born in Washington, D.C.

1931:
The Mickey Mouse short The Barnyard Broadcast is released.

1961:
Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid and Barbie in Toy Story 2, is born Jodi Marzorati in Illinois.

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October 11

1959:
The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction closes in Disneyland's Frontierland.

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October 12

1986:
The Golden Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland's Frontierland
officially closes. The show, written by Wally Boag and
Donald Novis, has been running since July 1955!

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October 13

1940:
Disney Legend Dave Smith, official Disney historian-author, archivist, and the ultimate authority on all things Disney, is born in Pasadena, California.

1993:
The Nightmare Before Christmas opens in New York City.

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October 14

1938:
Disney's Silly Symphony cartoon Farmyard Symphony is released.

1952:
Actor/magician Harry Anderson - who appears in such Disney TV
specials as the 1994 Circus of the Stars Goes to Disneyland, the
1988 Magic in the Magic Kingdom, and the 1989 The Disney-MGM
Studios Theme Park Grand Opening - is born in Newport, Rhode Island

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October 15

1932:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Touchdown Mickey is released through United Artists.

1943:
The Disney short Figaro And Cleo, distributed by RKO, is released. It is the first appearance of the kitten and goldfish since their debut in the 1940 feature Pinocchio.

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October 16

1925:
Actress Angela Lansbury, the voice of Mrs. Potts in Disney's Beauty and The Beast, and the star of the live-action Bedknobs and Broomsticks (as Miss Price), is born in London, England.

1973:
Walt Disney Productions celebrates its 50th anniversary!

1977:
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer is born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His version of the classic song "Route 66" appears on the 2006 soundtrack for the Disney/Pixar Cars.

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October 17

1998:
The Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown, starring Debbie Reynolds, Judith Hoag, Kimberly J. Brown, Joey Zimmerman, and Emily Roeske, first airs.

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October 18

1927:
Actor George C. Scott, the voice of McLeach in Disney's 1990 film The Rescuers Down Under, is born in Wise, Virginia.

1935:
Actor Peter Boyle is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He will portray Mr. Whittle in Disney's live-action The Santa Clause, and Father Time in both The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3.

1967:
Disney's 19th animated feature film The Jungle Bookhas its general release. Rudyard Kipling's classic tale of the jungle is the last animated feature personally supervised by Walt Disney.

1987:
Actor Zac Efron, the star of Disney Channel's 2006 High School Musical, and its sequels, is born in San Luis Obispo, California.

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October 19

1989:
Body Wars begins sending guests through the human blood stream at EPCOT's new Wonders of Life pavilion. Also debuting on this day at the pavilion is the attraction Cranium Command and the film Goofy About Health.

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October 20

1935:
Actor Jerry Orbach, the voice of Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, is born in The Bronx, New York.

1965:
As Disney has secretly purchased much of the land needed to build a new Florida theme park/resort, news of the project is leaked to the Orlando Sentinel.

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October 21

1911:
Artist & Disney Legend Mary Blair is born Mary Browne Robinson in McAlester, Oklahoma.

1962:
The NBC-TV series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs "Man is His Own Worst Enemy."

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October 22

1942:
Actress/singer & Disney Legend Annette Funicello is born in Utica, New York.

1961:
The NBC-TV series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs "The Hunting Instinct."

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October 23

1941:
Disney's 4th animated feature film, Dumbo premieres.

1985:
The Nine Dragons Restaurant opens in EPCOT's China pavilion.