This Day in Disney History

[tiggerguy]

February 6

1911:
The 40th U.S. president, Ronald Reagan is born in Tampico, Illinois. Besides being immortalized in Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents attraction, Reagan at the time an actor took part in Disneyland's opening day television broadcast in July 1955.

1914:
Voice actor/singer Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice behind many of Disney's animated characters is born in Norfolk, Nebraska.

1943:
Disney's Saludos Amigos, a 42-minute film about Latin America is generally released in the U.S. Made up of four animated segments tied together by live-action footage of the activities of Walt Disney and his artists on their trip, it features Donald Duck, Goofy, and José Carioca.

1956:
Actor-musician Jon Walmsley is born in Lancashire, England. At age 12 he will supply the voice to Christopher Robin in Disney's Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.

1957:
Actress Kathy Najimy, who portrayed Dr. Feemis in Walt Disney World's Alien Encounter attraction, is born in San Diego, California. She is the voice of Mary in Disney/Pixar's 2008 WALL-E.

[tiggerguy]

February 7

1947:
Wayne Anthony Allwine, the third voice of Mickey Mouse is born in Los Angeles, California.

2001:
Die-hard Disney fans begin to line up at 5 p.m. Wednesday, 15 hours before the 8 a.m. Thursday opening of Disney's California Adventure.

[tiggerguy]

February 8

1886:
Actor Charles Ruggles is born in Los Angeles, California. His Disney credits include
Follow Me, Boys!, The Ugly Dachshund, and Son of Flubber.

1932:
Composer John Williams, responsible for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones music heard in Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Paris, is born in New York.

1965:
Julie Andrews receives a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy for her role in Disney's Mary Poppins.

1968:
Disney's live-action feature Blackbeard's Ghost - starring Peter Ustinov, Dean
Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, and Elsa Lanchester - is released. It is based upon
the novel of the same name written by Ben Stahl.

[tiggerguy]

February 9

1940:
Disney's animated feature film, Pinocchio opens in Los Angeles theaters (2 days after premiering in New York). Actor Dickie Jones supplies the voice of the living puppet. The film will win 2 Academy Awards.

1986:
Magic Journeys, a 3D film shown in Epcot's Journey Into Imagination Pavilion, closes.

2001:
"Believe There's Magic in the Stars" returns to Disneyland. This fireworks show, originally staged during Disneyland's 45th anniversary, features some all new pyrotechnics, many low level fireworks and crisscrossing comets.

[tiggerguy]

February 10

1929:
Legendary film composer Jerry Goldsmith - whose musical scores can beheard in the Disney film attraction Soarin' Over California and the 1998 animated feature Mulan - is born in Los Angeles, California.

1951:
Robert Iger is born in Oceanside, New York. After finishing his undergraduate studies at Ithaca College, Iger will begin his career in entertainment media at the American Broadcasting Company, where he will work from 1974 to 1999. In 2005 he will be named President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company.

1978:
Disney releases the live-action Candleshoe, starring Helen Hayes (in her last screen appearance), David Niven, and Jodie Foster.

[tiggerguy]

February 11

2000:
Disney's The Tigger Movie - narrated by John Hurt and featuring five new songs by the team of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman - is released.

2007:
Randy Newman's "Our Town" (from the Disney/Pixar Cars) wins Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media at the 49th Grammy Awards.

[tiggerguy]

February 12

1951:
Disney's Cinderella is nominated for 3 Academy Awards - Best Music, Original Song (for "Bibbidy-Bobbidi-Boo"); Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture; and Best Sound, Recording.

1964:
The live-action Disney feature The Misadventures of Merlin Jones - starring Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, and Leon Ames - premieres in Florida.

[tiggerguy]

February 13

1993:
Lumiere's Kitchen restaurant opens in Fantasyland at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

[tiggerguy]

February 14

1998:
The Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop has its grand opening at the Downtown Disney Marketplace in Florida.

[tiggerguy]

February 15

1899:
Lillian Marie Bounds, the wife of Walt Disney for 41 years, is born in Spalding, Idaho.

1907:
Actor Cesar Romero is born in New York City. His Disney credits include the live-action comedies The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975) - in which he portrays the corrupt but inept villain A.J. Arno. Romero is also Esteban de la Cruz in 4 episodes of Disney's Zorro television series.

1927:
Comedy veteran Harvey Korman is born in Chicago, Illinois. His Disney credits include an episode of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the live-action feature Herbie Goes Bananas, the television serial The Adventures of Gallegher, and the two-part Emil and the Detectives.

1950:
Disney's animated feature film Cinderella is released.

[tiggerguy]

February 16

1904:
Actor James Baskett, Uncle Remus in Disney's Song of the South, is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1945, he will audition for a bit part dubbing one of the animals in the new
Disney feature based on the Uncle Remus stories. Walt will be so impressed with Baskett's talent, that he will hire him on the spot for the lead role of Uncle Remus. As such, he will be the first live actor hired by Disney to play in a feature film

1953:
Newsweek features an article on the Disney Studios and their latest hit Peter Pan.

1991:
The live stage show "Dic k Tracy Starring in Diamond Double-Cross" gives its final performance at Disney-MGM Studios' amphitheater. The show has been running since May 1990.

2003:
The Wonderful World of Disney airs "Meredith Wilson's The Music Man" starring Matthew Broderick.

[tiggerguy]

February 17

1900:
Actress Ruth Clifford is born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She supplies the voice of Minnie Mouse for such shorts as Mickey's Delayed Date (1947), Pluto's Sweater (1949), and Pluto and the Gopher (1950).

1925:
Actor Hal Holbrook - the voice of Amphitryon in Disney's animated Hercules – is born in Cleveland, Ohio.

1934:
Actor-comic Barry Humphries, the voice of Bruce in the 2003 Finding Nemo, is born in Victoria, Australia.

1981:
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the voice of Jim Hawkins in the 2002 Disney feature Treasure Planet, is born in Los Angeles, California.

[tiggerguy]

February 18

1907:
Actor-comic Billy De Wolfe, who appears in the 1973 live-action Disney feature The World's Greatest Athlete, is born in Wollaston, Massachusetts.

1933:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey's Pal Pluto is released. Pluto rescues several tiny kittens from drowning and then becomes jealous of the way they are welcomed into Mickey's home.

2000:
A new fireworks show entitled "Believe ... There's Magic in the Stars," officially debuts at Disneyland. It has been created especially for the park's 45th anniversary.

[tiggerguy]

February 19

1941:
Disney's Technicolor feature Fantasia opens in Chicago, Illinois.

2002:
The annual meeting of shareholders of The Walt Disney Company
is held at the Hartford Civic Center in Connecticut at 10:00 a.m.

[tiggerguy]

February 20

1946:
Actress-dancer-singer Sandy Duncan is born in Henderson, Texas. Her Disney credits include the 1978 film The Cat From Outer Space, the 1976 television program Christmas in Disneyland, and the 1974 TV special Sandy in Disneyland.