OCT 23 Disney History

1941:

Disney's 4th animated feature film, Dumbo (directed by Ben

Sharpsteen) world premieres at the Broadway Theater in New York City. Walt Disney

and his wife Lillian are in attendance. The 64-minute film, released by RKO Pictures, will win the Oscar for

Best Score for a Musical Film and "Baby Mine" (the song that plays during Dumbo's visit to his mother's cell)

will be nominated for Best Song.

2005:

Walt Disney World announces that all theme parks and water parks will be closed tomorrow due to the effects of weather related to Hurricane Wilma.

1925:

The Iris Theater in Los Angeles, California previews Disney's Alice comedy short Alice in the Jungle featuring Virginia Davis. (The film will be generally released December 15.)

1942:

Disney's Goofy cartoon How To Swim is released. Directed by Jack Kinney, it features the voice of George Johnson as Goofy.

1957:

The Disneyland TV series airs the Donald Duck episode "Duck for Hire,"

directed by Jack Hannah.

1959:

The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs episode 129 - "The Birth of the Swamp Fox," the first of an 8-part mini-series starring Leslie Nielsen. Based on a real-life colonial soldier named Francis Marion, 'Swamp Fox' is another effort to duplicate the success of the Davy Crockett episodes.

1960:

Walt Disney Presents airs "All About Magic" on ABC-TV.

1964:

The first five-acre lot for the Walt Disney World project is purchased by the Ayefour Corporation. Ayefour (a spin on the name Interstate 4) is one of many puppet companies set up by Disney to secretly buy land in Florida. If news of Disney's new resort leaks out, the land prices will soar.

1982:

At Disney World's new EPCOT Center, the first World Showcase evening

show, Carnival de Lumiere debuts. It celebrates world festivals with fountains,

film, music, and other special effects.

The night before the park's official dedication,

Disney's television series airs the episode

EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration. Hosted by

Danny Kaye, the program also features actress

Drew Barrymore, singer-guitarist Roy Clark, author

Alex Haley, singer-actress Marie Osmond, newsman

Eric Sevareid, and space traveler Alan Shepard.

1997:

John Lefante launches his "Save Mr. Toad" website the day after The Orlando Sentinel reports that Walt Disney World is going to replace the classic attraction with one featuring Winnie the Pooh.

2001:

Disney releases Dumbo on video and DVD (in celebration of the film's 60th

anniversary) and the direct-to-video "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale."

Disney Online launches Main Street Merchants (www.disney.com/mainstreet), a

virtual shopping center. Similar to Disney's Main Street, USA, the on-line Main

Street offers general and Disney-themed products.

The soundtrack for Disney's Monsters, Inc., featuring the

music of Randy Newman, is released.

2003:

The first ever ESPN Zone Limited Edition Santa Claus Pin is released.

Walt Disney Concert Hall, the new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry) has its gala opening.

1985:

The Nine Dragons Restaurant opens in EPCOT's China pavilion.

1999:

The fourth annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival begins.

Like Dopey in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs,

Dumbo never utters

a single word!

1953:

Disney's animated short Rugged Bear is released. The 6-minute cartoon features Humphrey the Bear (voiced by James Macdonald) and Donald Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash).

2007:

Meet the Robinsons is released to DVD (with bonus features).

The Best of Both Worlds Tour, starring Miley Cyrus (as both herself and in character as Disney Channel's Hannah Montana) and featuring Jonas Brothers, play the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

"What's the matter with his ears? I don't see nothin' wrong with 'em. I think they're cute." - Dumbo's Timothy Q. Mouse (voiced by Edward Brophy)

Here is a baby with eyes of blue, straight from heaven, right to you.

"It's like 64 minutes, and it's so concise in its storytelling. I learned a lot from it, as a student at CalArts and a young animator at Disney." -Pixar's John Lasseter on Dumbo

1954:

Walt Disney appears on the cover of this week's TV Guide. He is pictured in a "cartoon" TV set surrounded by Mickey, Goofy, Bashful, Donald, and Pluto. The issue includes the article "Why Disney Changed His Mind About TV."

2008:

Singer Lance Bass and professional dancer Lacey Schwimmer (one of the last 7 remaining couples on the seventh season of Dancing With The Stars) visit the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.