DEC 29 Disney History

2001:

According to today's issue of Billboard Magazine, the top 10 video rentals in the USA include Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (at number 5) and Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in The House of Mouse (at the number 7 spot).

1865:

Hollywood character actor Otis Harlan is born in Zanesville, Ohio. He will go on to supply the voice for Happy in Disney's classic 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

1954:

The Disneyland television series airs the short film "Beaver Valley" and

footage from the upcoming adventure "The African Lion" (shot by

famous animal photographer Alfred G. Millote).

1955:

Today is Circus Day on the ABC-TV series The Mickey Mouse Club.

1974:

Attendance at Walt Disney World in Florida hits a record 74,597...

forcing the Magic Kingdom to close to outside visitors for 4 hours.

2006:

Donny Osmond appears at Disney Outfitters - a shop in Disney's Animal

Kingdom. Osmond signs copies of Disney's Mulan DVD and Soundtrack (for which he is the singing

voice of Shang) and his latest CD "What I Meant to Say" (his 54th studio album).

1941:

Time magazine features a review of Disney's recently released animated feature Dumbo. The report includes the review and a paragraph focusing on animator's Bill Tytla's work.

1968:

Vladimir Peter Tytla (known as "Bill" Tytla), one of the original Disney animators and considered by many to be the best character animator working during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation, passes away at age 64. Best known for animating Grumpy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Chernabog in the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence from Fantasia, Tytla also worked for Terrytoons and Paramount Pictures. His last work on a feature film with full personality animation was The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), a comedy mixing live action and animation.

1956:

The 7th of 8 installments titled "My Dad, Walt Disney," by Diane Disney Miller a told

to Pete Martin (a "celebrity friendly" writer) appears in the Saturday Evening Post.