Roy O. Disney's epitaph reads:
"A great and humble man
who left the world a better place."
1924:
Funnyman Charlie Callas, the voice of Elliott in Disney's 1977 Pete's Dragon,
is born in Brooklyn, New York.
McKim will be instrumental in the design of various areas of Disneyland, as
well as being the creator of the very first souvenir map of the park.
2003:
A Mickey Mouse Celebration airs on ABC-TV.
1908:
Actor/singer Dennis Morgan, who in in 1958 will host Disneyland's very first evening Candlelight Processional Parade, is born in Prentice, Wisconsin. In 1961, he will be the very first celebrity to narrate Disneyland's new Candlelight Processional event in Town Square. (A leading man with Warner Bros. in the 1940s, Morgan appeared in such features as Christmas in Connecticut, God Is My Co-Pilot, and The Desert Song.)
1937:
Walt Disney is interviewed on the radio by film legend Cecil B. DeMille. They discuss the upcoming Los Angeles premiere of Snow White.
1941:
Original Mouseketeer Tommy Cole - who will remain with The Mickey Mouse Club for all 4 years - is born in Burbank, California.
1955:
The Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Guest Star Day.
1958:
Disneyland presents its first Candlelight Processional Parade. Narrated by actor
Dennis Morgan (on his birthday), it is performed on Main Street and in Town Square. The event
features Christmas carols and the re-telling of the birth of Jesus through the gospels.
1968:
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day is released along with the live-action feature The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit. Disney's 2nd Pooh short, it will win an Academy Award.
1971:
Roy O. Disney, (one of) Walt's older brothers, business partner, and co-founder
of The Walt Disney Company, passes away at the age of 78 of a cerebral
hemorrhage in Burbank, California. Roy served as the company's chief executive officer
(1929–1971) and president (1945–1971). With both Walt and Roy Disney gone, the board of directors for the first time will have to turn outside the Disney family for leadership. (Donn Tatum will become chairman of Walt Disney Productions and Card Walker president of Walt Disney Productions.)
1974:
Disney releases Winnie the Pooh & Tigger Too along with the live-action The Island at the Top of the World. It is Disney's third animated short featuring Pooh (and it will be nominated for an Oscar). The Island at the Top of the World tells the story of four turn of the century explorers who embark on an airship expedition to the high artic to find a lost colony of Vikings. The film features the brilliant work of production designer and special effects designer Peter Ellenshaw
(who will be nominated for an Academy Award® for Art Direction).
1980:
Starting on this day, classic Disney cartoons are shown at Walt Disney World's Fantasy Theater (one time home to the Mickey Mouse Revue attraction).
1991:
The Disney Vacation Club opens at Walt Disney World.
Touchstone Pictures (a film division of The Walt Disney Company) releases Father of
the Bride starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams, and Martin Short.
Disney's animated feature Beauty and the Beast is released in the Philippines
and Mexico.
1998:
The first international production of The Lion King opens in Tokyo, Japan at the Shiki Haru Theatre. (It will become the longest-running show in Tokyo history.)
2002:
Ariel's Grotto, a restaurant located at Paradise Pier in
Disney's California Adventure, opens for business.
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2006:
The 89th Tournament of Roses Queen, Mary McCluggage & her Royal Court
visit Disneyland Park to take part in the 9:45 a.m. performance of Disney Princess
Fantasy Faire. Eighteen-year-old McCluggage, a resident of Pasadena, will reign over the 2007 New Year's
Day festivities, culminating with the 118th Rose Parade themed Our Good Nature & the 93rd Rose Bowl Game.
1893
1971
There is a Roy O. Disney Suite in the main
building of
Walt Disney
World's
Grand
Floridian Resort & Spa and on both of Disney's cruise ships.
1909:
Animator Ambrozi "Amby" Paliwoda is born in Cleveland, Ohio. He will work for Walt Disney Studios from 1935 to 1960. While at Disney he will help organize the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, Local 839 IATSE. (After leaving Disney he will work for many other studios, including Hanna-Barbera, and Filmation.) In 1985, Paliwoda will receive the Animation Guild's Golden Award - for his lifetime of work in the animation field.
1988:
A ceremony is held at the Main Street Train Station to dedicate a new poster representing Delta's participation as the official airline of Walt Disney World.
DEC
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2007:
At Disneyland, a 75-foot-tall crane hoists the first of the new Mark VII monorails from a flatbed truck onto the beam way track. The five-car burnt-burgundy train is the first of three new monorails expected to go into service at the Anaheim park starting in February 2008. Three years in the making, the all-new bullet-nosed monorails were designed by Disney, built in Rhode Island and
assembled in Vancouver, Canada. This first Mark VII monorail, Red, won't go into service until July 2008.
1907:
Singer-songwriter Al Rinker is born. Originally a member of the Rhythm Boys with Bing Crosby, Rinker wrote the song "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat" for Disney's 1970 animated feature The AristoCats.
DECEMBER 20
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Today is Go Caroling Day
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THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
DECEMBER 20
Walt & Roy O. Disney
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