2005:
The Walt Disney Company donates several Disneyland objects to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Among the donated items are vehicles from two of Disneyland's opening year attractions: "Dumbo the Flying Elephant" and the "Mad Tea Party."
1902:
In Chicago, Elias and Flora Disney baptize their son Walter at the St. Paul Congregational Church. The Disneys are loyal members of the congregation - Flora plays the
organ and Elias, a carpenter by trade, has helped build the church.
1917:
Walt Disney graduates from Benton Grammar School in Kansas City, Missouri. (The Disneys moved to Kansas City after their Marceline farm failed.) Walt graduates this day from seventh grade, and surprises his parents by delivering a patriotic speech to his fellow graduates. (Walt will enroll in Chicago's McKinley High School in the fall of 1917. But he will attend high school for only a year before volunteering as a Red Cross ambulance driver and being sent to France.)
1925:
Actor Charles Tyner, who portrays Merle in Disney's 1977 Pete's Dragon, is born in
Danville, Virginia. (First appearing on Broadway in 1959 with film star Paul Newman in Sweet Bird of
Youth, Tyner's film credits include Cool Hand Luke, The Longest Yard, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.)
1927:
Legendary funny man - and half the comedy team of Stiller & Meara - Jerry Stiller is born in New York City. His Disney voice credits include The Lion King 1 1/2 as Uncle Max and Teacher's Pet as Pretty Boy. (TV fans know him best from his roles on Seinfeld and The King of Queens.)
1944:
Mouseketeer Don Grady is born Don Agrati in San Francisco,
California. Besides being a member of TV's Mickey Mouse Club in 1957,
he has also written music for game animation for Disney's Lilo and Stitch, Return to Neverland, and The Santa Clause. The actor-turned-award-winning-composer also wrote 56 minutes of original music for the games featured on the limited edition release of Beauty and the Beast DVD-set. (Fans of classic TV will recognize him as Robbie Douglas on the classic My Three Sons series - for which he appeared on for 11 years.)
1984:
Donald Duck and Clarence Nash (the voice of Donald) host the opening of a Donald Duck film festival in New York. The festival is in celebration of 50 years since Donald's film debut.
1989:
Today is Party Day on Disney Channel's MMC.
1996:
The MTV Movie Awards are held at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
2001:
Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire opens in Los Angeles and
New York theaters.
The Disney Channel Original Movie Jett Jackson: The Movie premieres as does the Lizzie McGuire episode "Random Acts of Miranda".
2003:
Disney-MGM Studios' Great Movie Ride reopens after a
lengthy refurbishment.
Arlo Guthrie closes out the 2003 Flower Power Concert series with a final show at Epcot.
2004:
Walt Disney Records releases the soundtrack to the
Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon: Z3.
2006:
Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone kick off 4 days
of performances at Epcot. (On keyboards is the webmaster of This Day in Disney History!)
Disney's El Capitan Theatre (in Hollywood, California) holds a special midnight screening of the new Disney/Pixar animated feature Cars.
1997:
Walt Disney Records releases the soundtrack to Mary Poppins. This CD
is part of Walt Disney Records' Classic Soundtrack series.
The Walt Disney Studios
in Burbank, California,
is the only major film/animation studio not
to run backlot tours.
1951:
Disney's Donald Duck short Test Pilot Donald (also featuring Chip 'n' Dale) is released. It is the 100th Donald Duck cartoon short.
1962:
McDonnell Douglas (a major American aerospace manufacturer) begins sponsorship of Disneyland's Rocket to the Moon attraction.
1956:
Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase is released. Based on a true story
from the American Civil War, the movie stars Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York, and John Lupton.
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2007:
A pre-release screening of Ratatouille takes place at Pixar Animation
Studios. At $250 per ticket, the proceeds go to the Emery Ed Fund.
Disney Channel debuts a weekly program called Road To High School Musical
2. The series, which will lead up to the premiere of High School Musical 2,
offered viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the sequel.
JUNE
1969:
Actor J.P. Manoux - best known to Disney Channel fans as both Curits the caveman & Vice Principal Neil Hackett on the series Phil of the Future - is born in California.
He also appears in the 2008 adventure-comedy-sci-fi Disney Channel Original Movie Minutemen. Manoux's voice credits include The Emperor's New School & The Replacements.
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JUNE 8
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JUNE 8
THIS SITE MADE
IN THE
USA
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Designed primarily by Kem Weber under the supervision of Walt & Roy Disney, the Burbank Disney Studio buildings are the only studios to survive from the Golden Age of film.
Mouseketeer Don Grady born
"Never go for the punch line. There might be something funnier on the way." -Jerry Stiller
