2004:
Walt Disney Pictures releases Miracle, starring Kurt Russell, in theaters.
1859:
Elias Disney (the future father of Walt Disney) is born to Kepple Disney II and Mary Richardson in Bluevale, Ontario, Canada. While still in his teens, Elias will move with his family to the United States and eventually settle in Ellis, Kansas. As an adult, he will find employment as a construction worker for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago - a likely source of inspiration for his son Walt many years later! As a a general contractor, he will open his first contracting office in 1895. Elias will be later honored with a Main Street window on Disney World's Magic Kingdom that reads:
Elias Disney
Contractor
Est. 1895
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.
When Ronald Reagan became governor of California in 1966, one of the things he did was to
eloquently promote through correspondence with the Postmaster General of the United
States the creation of a commemorative Walt Disney stamp.
1914:
Voice actor/singer Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice behind many of Disney's
animated characters (Shere Kahn in The Jungle Book, the Knight in
The Sword in the Stone, and the Captain in One Hundred and One
Dalmatians) is born in Norfolk, Nebraska. As a member of the vocal group The
Mellomen, Thurl can be heard on countless Disney television shows, records and theme park attractions (such as the Haunted Mansion). He also took part in Disneyland's opening day as an announcer for many of the events.
(You may recognize Thurl from his singing on the TV special How The Grinch Stole Christmas! and as the voice
of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger.)
1928:
Disney's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon The Ol' Swimmin' 'Ole is released.
1938:
The music from Disney's Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs is nominated for an Academy Award.
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. Released through RKO, it will earn 3 Academy Award nominations.
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. (TV fans will recognize him from his role of Jason on the 1970s series The Waltons.)
Animator Floyd E. Norman is issued his Walt Disney Productions employee identification card (# 6935). Norman will continue to work there through 1966, the last year of Walt's life.
1957:
Actress Kathy Najimy, who portrayed Dr. Feemis in Walt Disney World's (now retired) Alien Encounter attraction, is born in San Diego, California. She is the voice of Mary in Disney/Pixar's 2008 WALL-E, the voice of Thespis on Disney's 1998 TV series Hercules and even has appeared on episodes of Disney Channel's That's So Raven and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
(TV fans will recognize her from the series Numb3rs.)
1959:
The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs "Elfago Baca: Attorney at Law." It is the 5th episode of the Baca serial starring Robert Loggia. Mouseketeer Annette Funicello plays the role of a teenager whose father Baca must defend.
1962:
Roy Atwell, the voice of Doc in Disney's 1937 animated feature Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs, passes away in New York City.
1984:
At EPCOT's Future World, Astuter Computer (an attraction that debuted with the rest of the park in 1982) becomes Backstage Magic.
1985:
Disney and Lucasfilm reach an agreement for Lucasfilm to develop new attractions for Disney's theme parks.
1986:
Walt Disney Productions officially changes its name to The Walt Disney Company.
2006:
Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward and Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Jerome "The Bus" Bettis appear in a victory parade at Disney World's Magic Kingdom along with football legend Emmitt Smith.
George Millay, a theme-park visionary who founded SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild and pioneered Orlando, Florida's tourism business, passes away at age 76 in San Diego, California. Often referred to as "the father of water parks", Millay opened the original SeaWorld (in California) in 1964. He was a great admirer of Walt Disney and the company he built.
2005:
The infamous "I'm Going to Disney World!" television advertising
campaign does not take place at Super Bowl XXXIX for the first time since it
started at Super Bowl XX in 1987. Instead Disney runs an ad several times
during the game showing several players from both teams practicing the
catch-phrase. (The New England Patriots defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21.)
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2007:
The new Disney.com opens to the public.
Walt Disney Pictures releases Cinderella III: A Twist in Time direct-to-video. The sequel features Tami Tappan as the singing voice of Cinderella.
Walt Disney World is the largest supporter of the
compassion program.
Disney provides over 50,000 tickets
a year and special services
for terminally ill children
and their families.
FEB
1988:
Actress Allison Holker, one of the Cheerleader Dancers
in High School Musical, is born in Minnesota.
1931:
Actor Rip Torn is born in Temple, Texas. His Disney credits include the 1999 TV movie Balloon Farm as Harvey H. Potter, and the voice of Zeus in the 1997 animated feature Hercules. (You may recognize Torn from the Men in Black film series and from TV's The Larry Sanders Show.)
1965:
The DGA Award (presented by Directors Guild of America) is presented at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, and the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Mary Poppins, nominated for Best Picture, is edged out by My Fair Lady.
1960:
Ben-Hur wins the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, beating out twelve other films including Disney's
The Shaggy Dog (directed by Charles Barton).
1971:
Actor Brian Stepanek, best known for his comedic role of Arwin the misfit hotel
janitor on the Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, is born
in Cleveland, Ohio. You may also recognize him from the TV commercials for Advil.
1975:
Disney's live-action comedy The Strongest Man in the World starring Kurt Russell is released. It is the third Disney film to feature Russell as Dexter Reilly, a brainy but charismatic and popular college science major who gets himself into crazy adventures. The Strongest Man in the World features an all-star comedic cast including Joe Flynn (as Dean Higgins), Eve Arden (as Harriet), Cesar Romero (as AJ Arno), Phil Silvers (as Krinkle), and Dick Van Patten (as Harry).
2009:
The exhibit Disney: The Music Behind the Magic makes its
California debut at the Western Center Museum in Hemet.
Organized by the Experience Music Project, Seattle, the exhibition tells the story of how Disney has used
music to engage audiences, drive its timeless narratives, and succeed in cartoons, television, theme parks,
live-action films, on Broadway and the Billboard charts. Disney: The Music Behind the Magic will be on
display through May 10.
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FEBRUARY 6
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FEBRUARY 06
THIS
SITE MADE
IN THE USA
Thurl Ravenscroft born
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