JULY 22 Disney History

1986:

Floyd Gottfredson, the man who gave Mickey Mouse his comic strip personality,

passes away at his Southern California home. He will be named a Disney Legend in 2003.

2004:

The Walt Disney Company honors some of the most creative teachers across the

country with the annual DisneyHand Teacher Awards. Thirty-nine talented

educators are recognized during a 4-day event at the Disneyland Park.

Christy Carlson Romano (the current Belle in Disney's Broadway show Beauty and

the Beast) takes part in "Broadway at Bryant Park" in New York City. The event includes

casts from other Broadway shows as well.

1939:

Actor Terence Stamp - who portrays Ramsley in Disney's 2003 The Haunted Mansion - is born in London, England. Movie fans will recognize this veteran award-winning actor from such features as Get Smart, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Alien Nation, and Superman.

1943:

Bobby Sherman, singer-actor turned EMT officer for the L.A. Police Department, is born in California. He will perform at Disney-MGM Studios as part of The Teen Idols tour in 1998.

1947:

Actor-writer-director-comedian Albert Brooks, the voice of Marlin

in the 2003 Finding Nemo, is born in Beverly Hills, California.

Multi-talented Brooks directed six short films for the first season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, and created such features as The Muse, Mother, Defending Your Life, and Lost In America.

1949:

Academy Award-winning songwriter Alan Menken, known for his work on

such Disney classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules, and Pocahontas, is born in New Rochelle, New York. Menken's large song catalogue includes

"Under the Sea" & "Kiss The Girl" from The Little Mermaid, "Beauty and the Beast" & "Be Our Guest" from Beauty

and the Beast, "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, and "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas.

1955:

At Disneyland, the Candy Palace opens on Main Street. Over in Tomorrowland, Rocket to the Moon presented by TWA debuts. A simulated ride to the moon, guests seated in a theater view their journey on screens. An iconic rocket, the Moonliner, stands outside, towering over the attraction building.

Actor Willem Dafoe, the voice of Gill in the 2003 Finding Nemo, is born in Appleton, Wisconsin.

1967:

Irene Bedard, the voice of Pocahontas in Disney's 1995

animated film, is born in Anchorage, Alaska.

1994:

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction opens on Sunset Boulevard at

Disney World's Disney-MGM Studios. A simulated freefall thrill ride, it is

themed after the popular television series The Twilight Zone, hosted and

created by Rod Serling. The television anthology series originally ran for 156 episodes between 1959-1964.

Clic2003:

Walt Disney Records releases the soundtrack to the hit Disney Channel original animated series Kim Possible.

2006:

In celebration of its 10th birthday, Radio Disney presents a concert at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. This Radio Disney Totally 10 Birthday Concert features Jesse McCartney, Bowling For Soup, The Cheetah Girls, Aly & AJ, and Everlife.

1963:

Tex Beneke and his orchestra - featuring Ray Eberle, Paula Kelly, and The

Modernaires, perform at Disneyland for the first of a six-day engagement. Beneke, the

most popular member of Glenn Miller's pre-World War II orchestra, is known for his performances on songs such as

"Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree."

At 199 feet,

The Twilight Zone

Tower of Terror is one of the two tallest attractions on Walt Disney World property!

"I fell in love with the park when I went there with my parents on my 12th birthday." - Bobby Sherman on Disneyland

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Hollywood Tower Hotel."

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension. A dimension of sound. A dimension of sight. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into ... The Twilight Zone." -Rod Serling

1992:

Actress and singer Selena Gomez, one of the stars of Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place, is born in New York City. Raised in Texas, her first role will be on Barney & Friends. This will lead to work with Disney and appearances on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Hannah Montana.