1958:
Walt Disney uses the cast of his new TV series Zorro for the
second of a 3-day cross promotion with live appearances at
Disneyland. In addition to parades each day, the stars - Guy
Williams, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon and Britt Lomond -
also appear in four live daily shows. Three of the shows feature a running battle between Zorro and Monastario on the rooftops of Frontierland, with his foes ending up in the river. The fourth show each day is held in Frontierland's Magnolia Park, with Williams appearing as Don Diego. (The reaction will be so positive that a third series of appearances will be held November 27-30 for Thanksgiving weekend.)
1967:
Site preparation begins in Florida on the Walt Disney World project,
requiring swamp drainage, clearing of land, and removal of trees.
(It will take 1,584 days and $400 million to Opening Day.)
2005:
Today is Memorial Day.
The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all
Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on
Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor
those who have died in service to the nation.
1908:
Mel Blanc, "The Man of a 1000 Voices," is born in San Francisco, California. He will become famous for his work at Warner Brothers, Hanna-Barbera, and Disney. He will supply the hiccup sound effect in the 1940 Pinocchio and voice Cousin Orville for Walt Disney World's Carousel of Progress. Blanc will also occasionally take part in early Disney radio projects such as The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air.
(He will always be remembered as the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat,
and hundreds of other cartoon favorites!)
1927:
Walt Disney's 51st Alice Comedy film, Alice's Channel Swim premieres at the Paramount Theater in New York City.
1932:
Disney Legend Dick Nunis is born in Cedartown, Georgia. From 1967-74, he will serve as
chairman of the Park Operations Committee, and in 1968, be bumped up to vice president of operations. By 1971,
Nunis will be named executive vice president of Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
1936:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Thru The Mirror is released. It is based on the "Alice Through the Looking Glass" story.
1941:
Disney's Pluto cartoon Canine Caddy is released.
1953:
Disney releases the animated Donald Duck short Don's Fountain of Youth.
1956:
The Disneyland TV series airs episode 47 - "Behind the Scenes with Fess Parker." Parker is the star of Disney's Davy Crockett and will later portray TV's Daniel Boone as well.
1989:
Actress Tempestt Bledsoe (of The Cosby Show) appears on the 27th episode of Disney Channel's MMC. Today is Guest Day!
2003:
The Disney/Pixar animated feature Finding Nemo is generally released. The underwater adventure, directed by Andrew Stanton, features the voices of Alexander Gould as Nemo, Albert Brooks as Marlin, Willem Dafoe as Gill, Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, and John Ratzenberger as Fish School.
The Disney Channel debuts the That's So Raven episode "Driven to Insanity."
2006:
Sarah Litzsinger returns to the role of Belle in Disney's Broadway hit Beauty and the Beast. She has the distinction of being Broadway's longest-running Belle!
 | ||||
1965:
The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra - directed By Sam Donahue and featuring Frank Sinatra Jr., Charlie Shavers, Helen Forrest, and
The Pied Pipers, perform at Disneyland.
1995:
Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is released on
Walt Disney Records. The disc features two versions of "Colors of the Wind" - one sung by
Judy Kahn (the voice of Pocahontas) and one performed by Vanessa Williams. The tune, written by
Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, will win an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy!
Walt Disney's plane - the one he flew in while scouting locations for Walt Disney World is on display at Disney's Hollywood Studios' Backlot Tour. Getting the Gulfstream into the park was no easy feat. The resort had to close one of its main thoroughfares, World Drive, for the plane to make its final landing on the street back in October 1992.
ALICE
2007:
It is reported that Disney will release a Chinese-language movie, The Magic Gourd, this summer - its first co-production with the state-run China Film Group. The movie, based on a novel written by the late Chinese children's writer Zhang Tianyi, is about a boy who discovers a gourd that grants him wishes.
1909:
Benny Goodman, often referred to as the "King of Swing," is born in Chicago,
Illinois. His music is featured in Disney's 1946 Make Mine Music.
1971:
Actress Idina Mensel is born in Queens, New York. She appears as Nancy Tremaine in Disney's 2007 feature Enchanted.
advertisement
MAY
MAY 30
| ||||
| ||||||
MAY 30
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
| ||||
| ||||
Site prep begins on WDW project
Pocahontas soundtrack released
2009:
Star Wars Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection Illustrator Signing takes place at
Wicket’s Warehouse in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Illustrator Chris Reiff (a frequent
contributor to Star Wars Insider magazine) is on hand to sign his new book - a collection of blueprint posters.
The winners of the 3rd Annual MiceChat Gumball Rally - sponsored by the popular Disney fan site MiceChat - is Team "Kids Incorporated" made up of Janae Mack, Katie Wakayama and Marissa Manalo of Topanga. The unofficial competition (which draws close to 300 people) began early this morning to see who could ride as many attractions as fast as possible in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.
Marlin: "Now, what's the one thing we have to remember about the ocean?"
Nemo: "It's not safe."
Marlin: "That's my boy."
"If I'm truly tracing the earliest inspiration I had for Nemo, it would be going to the dentist when I was a little boy. He had a fish tank in the wall, and I would stare forever at the fish wondering what they must think of humans looking at each other's teeth." -Andrew Stanton
