2004:
"Celebrate Mickey: 75 InspEARations" - a collection of Mickey Mouse statues first displayed in Walt Disney World last November 2003 - begins a U.S. tour.
Walt Disney Records releases the "That's So Raven" television soundtrack.
Disney's live-action Miracle is released on DVD and video.
The much anticipated DVD Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrowland: Disney in Space and Beyond is released. The set features the "science factual" space television shows from the 1950s.
1911:
Disney Legend Larry Lansburgh, one of Walt Disney Studio's premier directors,
is born in San Francisco, California. In the mid-1930s, he will enter the world of motion picture production as a "gofer’’ for the Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Lansburg will work in and with the studios until the late 1960s, and work personally with Walt Disney, as cameraman, producer, director and in many other capacities. Among the 18 TV and feature productions he will go on to direct will be the Academy Award-winning The Wetback Hound and The Horse with the Flying Tail.
1941:
Miriam Margolyes - the voice of the Matchmaker in Disney's 1998 Mulan and The Glowworm/Aunt Sponge in Disney's 1996 James and the Giant Peach - is born in England. (You may recognize her voice from films like Babe: Pig in the City and Cats & Dogs.)
1951:
Disney's Mickey and Pluto cartoon Plutopia is released.
1962:
Actor Nathaniel Parker - who portrayed Master Gracey in Disney's 2003 The Haunted Mansion - is born in London, England.
1989:
Episode 19 of MMC airs on the Disney Channel. Today is Party Day!
1993:
The hit TV series Full House goes to Disney World in part 2 of "The House Meets the Mouse."
1995:
Gene Autry's California Angels baseball club and Disney reach an agreement for Disney to acquire a 25 percent interest in the team and to assume the role of managing general partner.
1997:
Today is the last day Epcot guests hear non-classical music accompany Illuminations 25.
King David opens at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. The show's producers include Disney Theatrical Productions. This musical features the work of Alan Menken and Tim Rice. (It will run for just six performances.)
2001:
Animation design legend Maurice J. Noble, co-director of the Academy Award winning animated short subject Dot and the Line and many other cartoon classics, passes at the age of 91. His work ranged from Disney's Snow White to Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who.
2003:
Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo premieres in Hollywood, California.
1999:
The soundtrack to Disney's animated Tarzan is released on Walt Disney Records. It features the music of Phil Collins.
Artist, toy designer &
collector Mel Birnkrant's
home and personal
museum - in upstate New
York - is packed with
thousands of vintage
Mickey Mouse items!
MMC
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2007:
Disney Channel airs the Hannah Montana episode "My Best Friend's Boyfriend" for the first time. Larry David (famous for co-creating Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm) appears as himself!
1904:
Actor Fred Shields, the narrator of Disney's 1942 Saludos Amigos and 1944 The Three Caballeros, is born in Kansas City, Missouri.
1935:
The Pan-Pacific Auditorium first opens at 7600 West Beverly Boulevard in the
Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California. Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of
Wurdeman and Becket, it is considered to be one of America's finest examples of Streamline Moderne
architecture (a branch of the Art Deco style). Over the years, the Pan-Pacific will host the Ice Capades, the
Harlem Globetrotters, and even Elvis Presley! The landmark venue will also serve as the home of the Los
Angeles Monarchs of the Pacific Coast Hockey League. (Unfortunately a fire will destroy the Pan-Pacific in
May 1989.) Today a nearly full-scale and stylized replica of the Pan-Pacific's facade lives on in Florida ... as
the main entrance to the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
"Noble had the confidence and knowledge to create a world where animation could flourish. ... He never showed off, but he did show up every layout man or art director I have ever known. ... Without him, a great many of my films could not have been made." -animator Chuck Jones on Maurice J. Noble
1990:
The Little Mermaid becomes the tenth "Walt Disney Classic" to be released on video.
1992:
Actor and musician Spencer Breslin is born in New York City. His credits include Disney's The Kid, The Santa Clause 2, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, The Shaggy Dog, and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. Breslin also supplies the voice for Cubby in the 2002 Return to Neverland.
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MAY
MAY 18
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MAY 18
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
Finding Nemo premieres
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1910:
Imagineer Dorothy Halt Redmond is born Dorothea Halt in Los Angeles, Calfornia. An illustrator and production designer, she will help Walt Disney design a private apartment in Disneyland's New Orleans Square. Redmond will also design the interior and exterior settings of many restaurants and shops in New Orleans Square. (One of the first woman to work in the male-dominated field of motion-picture production design, her credits will include Gone With the Wind, The Best Years of Our Lives and The Ten Commandments.) She will be named a Disney Legend in 2008.
2009:
Christmas comes to the Cannes Film Festival courtesy of Disney when Jim Carrey and director Robert Zemeckis arrive in a horse-drawn carriage to show off the first footage from their 3-D digital version of A Christmas Carol,
due in theaters November 6.
Disney Legend, voice actor, sound effects editor and foley artist for Walt Disney Studios, Wayne Allwine passes away at age 62. Best known as the official voice of Mickey Mouse for three decades (and only the 3rd person to ever voice the famous mouse) Allwine was married to
Russi Taylor, the current voice of Minnie Mouse.
Tarzan soundtrack released
"Wayne not only gave voice to the character of Mickey but gave him a heart and soul as well. He did an incredible job bringing emotion, humor and appeal to the character, and superbly carried on the tradition originated by my Uncle Walt, and later by sound effects wizard Jimmy Macdonald." -Roy E. Disney
"Wayne dedicated his entire professional life to Disney, and
over the last 32 years, gave so much joy, happiness and
comfort to so many around the world by giving voice to our
most beloved, iconic character, Mickey Mouse. Wayne’s great
talent, deep compassion, kindness, and gentle way, all of
which shone brightly through his alter ego, will be greatly missed."
-CEO Robert Iger
