MAY 23 Disney History

2006:

Disney releases High School Musical Encore Edition on DVD.

The release contains two versions of the Disney Channel movie - Original Version and Sing Along Version. High School Musical is the highest-rated original programming in the history of the network.

A one-of-a-kind 100-foot high Mickey Mouse hot-air balloon makes

an appearance in downtown Salt Lake City during an 11-week North

American tour to promote Disneyland's 50th anniversary.

1989:

Today is Guest Day on Disney Channel's MMC.

Singer-actress Reba McEntire appears as herself.

2005:

The Alex Theatre in Glendale, California presents the documentary Dream On Silly Dreamer (which features the story of artists who were affected most by Disney's decision to close its animation facility in Florida).

The beta version of Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom opens to the public.

Also known as VMK, it is a free massive multiplayer online game run by

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online. Launched as part of the Happiest

Celebration on Earth (the promotional campaign to commemorated fifty

years of Disney theme parks) VMK is a representation of the actual

Disneyland and Magic Kingdom theme parks.

1910:

Character actor, singer & dancer Scatman Crothers - the voice of Scat Cat in Disney's 1970 release The Aristocats - is born in Terre Haute, Indiana. (TV fans may remember him as a regular on the 1970s series Chico and the Man.)

1922:

Walt Disney incorporates his Kansas City cartoon company, Laugh-O-gram Films, Inc. (Unfortunately, Disney will sell his one-reel cartoons for less than it cost to produce them, and Laugh-O-grams will go belly-up.)

1931:

Actress & author Barbara Barrie - the voice of Alcmene in Disney's animated Hercules - is born in Chicago, Illinois. Her Disney credits also include the 1978 TV episode "Child of Glass" as Emily Armsworth.

1955:

Fourteen-year-old actor Tim Considine is signed to a $400-a-week

contract to play Spin in Disney's Spin and Marty TV serial.

1958:

Comedian-actor Drew Carey, star of Disney's 2000 TV special Gepetto and the Disney-MGM attraction Sounds Dangerous, is born in Cleveland, Ohio. Carey also appears in the 1995 TV version of Freaky Friday.

1983:

Disneyland continues with the grand re-opening of the new Fantasyland.

The children of the original kids that first crossed the drawbridge in 1955 are

the first to re-enter twenty eight years later. In the presence of Mrs. Walt Disney, the drawbridge of Sleeping Beauty Castle is lowered for only the second time

in the park's history! New attractions include Pinocchio's Daring Journey.

Tokyo Disneyland welcomes its 1-millionth guest.

(The park has only been opened for less than 2 months!)

Composer & Disney Legend George Bruns passes away in Portland, Oregon at age 68. Among his musical accomplishments - Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me) (co-written with Xavier Atencio & used in the Disney theme park attraction Pirates of the Caribbean and the movies based on that ride), The Ballad of Davy Crockett (co-written with Thomas Blackburn), and Love (for the Disney

animated film Robin Hood).

1996:

Disney joins McDonald's in a 10-year multinational marketing alliance linking McDonald's restaurants to Disney theatrical releases, theme parks and home video releases.

1997:

The Disneyland parade Light Magic debuts.

2001:

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin soar to life at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

2002:

It is reported that Home Depot and the Walt Disney Co. have agreed in principle on a three-year, $100 million cross-platform deal. It includes ad spending across assorted Disney media properties ABC, ESPN & Lifetime. Part of the deal will also include the development of The Disney Paint Program, an exclusive room decorating program featuring a line of Disney-brand children's paint.

2003:

Herman's Hermits featuring Peter Noone perform at Epcot as part of the Flower Power concert series. They will play 3 shows a day throughout the Memorial Day weekend. (Playing keyboards as a member of Noone's road Hermits is the webmaster of

This Day in Disney History!)

Winnie-the-Pooh's

name was hyphenated in the A.A. Milne books, but lost its hyphens in the Disney incarnation!

1936:

Actor Charles Kimbrough is born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He supplies the voice of Victor, one of the three gargoyles in Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame. (TV fans know Kimbrough for playing the straight-faced anchor Jim Dial on Murphy Brown.)

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