NOV 18 Disney History

1928:

Sunday

Mickey Mouse stars in Steamboat Willie, the first commercially

successful animated cartoon to use synchronized sound. Disney's third Mickey short (but the

first with sound) debuts as a sneak preview at Universal's Colony Theatre - located at Broadway & 53rd Street in New York City. It is shown before the feature film Gang War. Steamboat Willie is co-directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and features the first appearance of Minnie Mouse. It is animated by Ub Iwerks, Wilfred Jackson and Dick Lundy. The short also features the work of inbetween artist Les Clark (who will go on to be one of "Walt's Nine Old Men"). Walt himself supplies the voices for all the characters - although there isn't any real spoken dialogue just whistling, grunts, laughter and other vocal sounds. Walt and his music director Carl Stalling sit nervously at the rear of the theater to gage the audience's reaction. To their delight, the Colony echoes with laughs and giggles throughout the short! Steamboat Willie will be shown every night for 2 weeks. (Despite the fact that this is not the first Mickey cartoon made or released, it is still considered Mickey Mouse's true debut ... and birthday!)

1988:

Disney's animated feature Oliver & Company is released in U.S. theaters.

This film features the voices of 12-year-old Joey Lawrence, singer-songwriter Billy Joel, comic-actor Cheech Marin, and funny-man Dom DeLuise. Six supervising animators and a team of over 300 artists and technicians worked for over two and a half years to create the feature film. To give the backgrounds a contemporary and hard-edged look, Xerographic overlays are used, the first time for this approach since 101 Dalmatians.

Mickey’s birthday is celebrated as 5,500 underprivileged children from across the

United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan are treated to a three-day visit to

Disneyland to assist Mickey in celebrating his day.

1978:

A commemorative plaque is installed at the Broadway Theater - site of the former Colony Theater - at 1681 Broadway (W. 53rd St.) in New York City, marking the 50th anniversary of the premiere of Disney's Steamboat Willie.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City holds a birthday party for Mickey Mouse, showing Steamboat Willie at noon, fifty years after its first public debut!

Over on the west coast, in honor of his 50th anniversary, Mickey

becomes the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood

Walk of Fame. The star is located on 6925 Hollywood Blvd.

2003:

Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child) joins the Broadway cast of Disney's Aida. The 23-year-old Williams takes over the lead role from Toni

Braxton. (Williams will appear in Aida for ten weeks.)

The Magic Kingdom in Florida unveils 75 6-foot tall

statues of Mickey Mouse in honor of his 75th birthday.

Disney Channel is launched in Japan.

1932:

Walt Disney is given an honorary Oscar "For the creation of Mickey Mouse" by

the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences at the 5th Annual Academy

Awards (held at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles). It is only the second

honorary Oscar yet awarded by the Academy (the first one went to Charlie

Chaplin). Disney's Flowers and Trees takes home the Oscar for Best Short

Subjects, Cartoon.

Disney's Parade of Academy Award Nominees, an animated color short made

especially for this day's ceremony is screened. It features caricatures of those

nominated in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories. (The film marks

Mickey Mouse's first on screen appearance in color!)

1955:

The Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Talent Round-Up Day.

1957:

A color, full-page advertisement for Insurance by North America appears in LIFE magazine. The ad features a photo of a family of four standing in front of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle and the entrance to Fantasyland.

1958:

The LP record Firehouse Five Plus Two - Around the World!

is released on the Good Time Jazz label. The Dixieland group is led by Disney animator & trombonist Ward Kimball.

1960:

Actress Elizabeth Perkins, the voice of Coral in Disney's 2003 Finding Nemo, is born in Queens, New York.

1962:

At Disneyland, the Swiss Family Treehouse attraction opens in

Adventureland. The opening ceremony is hosted by Walt Disney, and Hayley

Mills (star of The Parent Trap and Pollyana), John Mills (Hayley's father and

star of Swiss Family Robinson), and Kevin Corcoran (who appears in both

Pollyana and Swiss Family Robinson).

The NBC-TV series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs part 1 of "The Magnificent Rebel."

1968:

Actor Owen Wilson, the voice of Lightning McQueen in the 2006 Cars,

is born in Dallas, Texas.

1993:

The "Partner's Statue" Dedication is held at Disneyland.

Jack Lindquist, the President of Disneyland (who officially retires this same day) officiates the ceremony which includes Roy Disney unveiling the statue of Walt and Mickey Mouse (sculpted by Blaine Gibson).

At Disney World, the Audio-Animatronic robot of U.S. President Bill Clinton first performs in the Hall of Presidents attraction.

1997:

The Walt Disney World Info Line (407-824-4321) begins to inform people that the Mr. Toad attraction is "definitely closing."

The CD The Lion King - Original Broadway Cast Recording is released worldwide.

2001:

The Wonderful World of Disney airs "The Facts of Life Reunion,"

a gathering of the stars from the 1979-1988 sitcom.

2006:

The five-thousand square foot interactive exhibit "Too Small to See" opens at Epcot's Innoventions. Developed by Cornell University and supported by the National Science Foundation, the exhibit surrounds visitors with things at the atomic scale and exposes them to some important concepts in nanotechnology.

The Buster Keaton 1924 film The Navigator and his 1928

Steamboat Bill, Jr. were the inspiration for Disney's Steamboat Willie.

Happy B-day Mickey!

1929:

Walt Disney sends the first six Mickey Mouse comic strip to King Features.

The first Disney movie with attitude.

2007:

Kenny Ortega, director of Highs School Musical and High School Musical 2 is

honored as Best Director, Comedy/Musical at the 15th annual Diversity Awards,

held at Universal Studios' Globe Theatre.

Meanwhile over at the 35th American Music Awards, High School Musical 2 wins

Favorite Soundtrack.

2008:

Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers, a new book published by Disney's Hyperion, is released. It chronicles the band's latest tour, with exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of Kevin, Joe, and Nick.

Walt Disney Records releases the original soundtrack for Walt Disney Pictures' animated comedy adventure BOLT. The recording features a score written by Grammy-nominated composer John Powell and two original songs: "I Thought I Lost You" performed by the film's stars Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, and "Barking at the Moon" by Jenny Lewis.

The Disney-Pixar animated feature Wall-E is released to DVD for the first time.

1995:

A lottery to determine who will have the opportunity to buy the first 474 houses and apartments in Disney's new Florida community Celebration, is held.

In 1939 Disney's Fantasia will premiere in New York at the Broadway Theatre ... previously known as Universal's Colony Theatre!

TEA announces the 15th Annual Thea Award recipients during the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attraction's annual conference at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Walt Disney Imagineering captures four prestigious Thea Awards:The Muppet Mobile Lab, currently at Hong Kong Disneyland, wins the Award for Outstanding Achievement - Technical; The Legend of Mythica at Tokyo DisneySea and Finding Nemo – The Musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom each win an Award for Outstanding Achievement - Live Show; and Epcot receives the Thea Classic Award.

(The actual awards will be handed out at a black-tie dinner held at the Disneyland Hotel, March 7, 2009.)