1930:
Actor Rod Taylor, the voice of Pongo in Disney's 1961 film One Hundred
and One Dalmations, is born in Sydney, Australia. (You may recognize
Taylor from his performances in such classic films as The Birds and The
Time Machine. He even appears in a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone.)
At noon, the very first Mickey Mouse Club gathers at the Fox Dome
Theater in Ocean Park, California. It is the brainchild of Harry W.
Woodin, the theater's manager.
2005:
Disney releases 4 Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites to DVD.
The vintage collections include Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 1 Starring Mickey, Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 2 Starring Donald, Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 3 Starring Goofy, and Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Volume 4 Starring Chip 'n Dale.
1931:
Writer and composer Mary Rodgers is born in New York City. Her novel Freaky Friday will twice be brought to the big screen by Disney. (Mary is the daughter of legendary Broadway and film composer Richard Rodgers.)
1956:
The Disneyland TV series airs episode 37 - part 2 of "When Knighthood Was in Flower" (an edited version of the theatrical release The Sword and the Rose).
1987:
Everyone's favorite VW Beetle returns to television when
The Wonderful World of Disney airs "Herbie Goes Bananas"
(originally released in theaters in 1980).
1990:
Disneyland kicks off its 35th anniversary celebration. On hand for the first
time since 1955 are all three of the original hosts of the park's grand opening
live broadcast. Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan reunite in
front of Main Street station before taking part in the Party Gras Parade.
2001:
A star-studded, high-energy party marks the Grand Opening of the Downtown Disney District at The Disneyland Resort in Southern California. At this one-of-a-kind premiere benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, donors and celebrity guests (like Sylvester Stallone and Paul Glaser) enjoy entertainment, world-class cuisine and unique shopping opportunities in more than two dozen clubs, restaurants and boutiques that make up the new addition to The Disneyland Resort. (The Downtown area will officially open to the public the very next day.)
2002:
Variety reports that Disney will develop a script inspired by its Haunted
Mansion attraction. In "Haunted House," a father who has neglected his
family encounters a ghost while on a job interview. The vision spooks him
into a profound awareness of the importance of his family.
Superstar Limo, a dark ride attraction running since the debut
of Disney's California Adventure, closes.
2003:
Although it will be released directly to home video in 10 days, Disney's 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure has a theatrical premiere.
2004:
The 11th annual Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon
both take place with a record-setting 24,000 participants (15,500 in the
full marathon and 8,500 in the half marathon). Floridians Matthew
Dobson of Jay and Kim Donaldson of St. Petersburg finish in first and
second place (it is the first all-American championship finish in the 11-year history of the race). Clinton Verran, Nicholas Cordes and Brian Sell
(a trio of Michigan runners tuning up for the Olympic Trials) cross the
half marathon finish line together in a record-shattering time of 1:05:43.
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean wins a People's Choice Award for
favorite motion picture at the 30th annual event.
According to Box Office Mojo, Disney's Finding Nemo is #9 in Word Wide
All-Time Box Office Grosses (as of this day) at $821.3 million. Disney's
Pirates of the Caribbean comes in at #18 with $653.4 million.
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During its early
planning stages, the
Space Mountain attraction was referred to as
Space Port.
JANUARY 11
JAN
1958:
Actress, dancer & singer Alyson Reed - Ms. Darbus on Disney Channel's High School Musical - is born. (She grew up in Anaheim, California and as a teen played Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland!)
2008:
Disney announces in a letter from CEO Bob Iger to shareholders that the 2008 annual meeting of shareholders will be held March 6, 2008 at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The syndicated television program Entertainment Tonight features a segment on Disney's newest stage musical The Little Mermaid. ET goes backstage and behind-the-scenes at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre with Sierra Boggess (who portrays Ariel) for an exclusive sneak peek.
1954:
The Hollywood Reporter runs the front page headline: WALT DISNEY PLANS TV SHOW. Roy Disney has announced to stockholders, in a controversial move, that a Disney television show would be "designed not only to produce revenue but also to publicize all of the company's product."
WALT
DISNEY
PLANS
TV SHOW
advertisement
2009:
The 16th Annual Walt Disney World Marathon takes place with Brazilian Adriano Bastos winning for the fifth consecutive year (and sixth time overall). He finishes the 26.2-mile jaunt through all four of Disney's theme parks in 2:20:38. Lisa Mizutani, a 23-year-old medical student from Japan, wins the women's title in 2:46:27.
The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards take place at at The Beverly
Hilton in California. WALL-E wins Best Animated Feature Film.
Director Andrew Stanton accepts the award.
JANUARY 11
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
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Wall-E wins Golden Globe
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