1997:
Bob Penfield, the last original Disneyland Cast Member, puts in his
final day of work. He will be honored with a window on Main Street. Penfield began
working at Disneyland at age 18 in July 1955!
Disney's newest stage musical The Lion King debuts in Minneapolis,
Minnesota at the Orpheum Theatre. (It will open on Broadway the
following November.)
1995:
Disney announces the acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC. As a result of the $19-billion merger, Disney will add the entire ABC television network, key affiliates, ABC radio networks, publishing enterprises, and
much more to its rapidly expanding roster of business units. (Ironically Disney's relationship with ABC began in
1954 when Walt Disney agreed to produce a TV series in return for ABC's investment in Disneyland.)
2005:
The Hong Kong Economic Times reports that Disney plans to open a theme
park in Shanghai in 2012. (Disney will officially break ground in
April 2011 for the Shanghai Disney Resort.)
Disney's On The Record (a touring musical revue) has its final
performance at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. In its
36-week tour, On the Record has performed for over 350,000 people in 24 different U.S. cities.
1934:
Disney files a lawsuit against the United Biscuit Company of America, Sawyer
Biscuit Company, and the Chicago Carton Company. The case involves the unauthorized
use of Disney characters for animal crackers. (The suit will be settled in favor of Disney after four months.)
1946:
Singer/drummer Gary Lewis (son of famed comedian Jerry Lewis) is born in Los Angeles, California. In 1964 he and his group the Playboys performed at Disneyland where they were
discovered by record producer Snuff Garrett (coincidentally a neighbor of the Lewis family).
Gary Lewis and the Playboys went on to have a strings of hits that included This Diamond Ring,
She's Just My Style, and Everybody Loves A Clown. Lewis has performed numerous times over the years at
Epcot, taking part in the Flower Power Concert series.
1955:
The Casey Jr. Circus Train (based on the train of the same name
from the 1941 Dumbo) debuts at Disneyland. Located in the back of Fantasyland next to
1960:
At Disneyland, the Sunkist Citrus House opens on Main Street.
Owned by the Perricone Citrus Company, the Sunkist Citrus House offers guests fresh-squeezed orange
juice, lemonade, lemon meringue pies and orange cheesecakes. (It will remain open until June 1989.)
1967:
Animators Tom & Tony Bancroft are born in California. They were selected to be among the first group of animators to work at Disney-MGM Studios, Florida. Tom is best known for his creation of the Mulan
character, Mushu. He stayed with Disney for about thirteen years, working on such features as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pocahontas. Known for co-directing Mulan, Tony's credits include The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Mary Poppins Returns.
2004:
ESPN holds a 2-day event at the Walt Disney-MGM Studios to celebrate
its 25th anniversary.
From the late 1950s to 1968 Los
Angeles Airways provided regularly
scheduled helicopter passenger
service between Disneyland and Los
Angeles International Airport (LAX)
and other cities in the area. The
helicopters first operated from
Anaheim/Disneyland Heliport, located
behind Tomorrowland. Service later
moved, in 1960, to a new heliport
north of the Disneyland Hotel.
Arriving guests were then
transported to the
Disneyland Hotel
via tram.
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2007:
Buena Vista Home Entertainment releases the Walt Disney Pictures
documentary IMAX movie Roving Mars (originally released to theaters January 27,
2006) on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Narrated by Paul Newman, the film documents the 2003 Mars
Rover mission. This special edition package also includes such bonus features as the 1957 Disney film Mars
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry announces that Disney World has invited the State
of Oklahoma to be the first state-dedicated marketplace experience at this fall's
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The backdrop of the Oklahoma Experience -100
Stories of Oklahoma - will be three Walls of Wonder depicting Oklahoma Trailblazers through photos & stories.
The Walls, which are 12 feet high and 21 feet long, will provide guests with interactive activities.
In order to make way for a new luxury resort, Disney World's Eagle Pines Golf
Course has its last day of operation.
Disney Editions releases Robert Tieman's book The Mickey Mouse Treasures.
The richly illustrated book describes Mickey's life over the decades.
JULY
JULY 31
JULY 31
THIS SITE MADE
IN THE
USA
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1974:
Disney releases the live-action drama The Bears and I starring Patrick Wayne.
Featuring the music of John Denver, a man named Bob Leslie adopts three cub bears and later faces one of
the hardest decisions of his life.
Casey Jr. Circus Train debuts
"In high school my twin brother, Tony, and I drew comic strips for the school paper. That
continued into Junior college where I/we took only life drawing so we could get our portfolios
together to get into art school." -Animator Tom Bancroft
1929:
Disney's ninth Mickey Mouse short The Karnival Kid, directed by Walt
Disney, is released. Mickey sells hot dogs at the fair, heckles rival barker Kat Nipp
and serenades "shimmy dancer" Minnie with the help of two rowdy cat pals. The Karnival Kid
features Mickey speaking his very first words: "Hot dogs!". (Storyman and adult Mouseketeer
Roy Williams will later be inspired by this very short to create the famous Mickey Mouse ears hat!)
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2009:
At Epcot, Captain Sig Hansen, Edgar Hansen, and Matt Bradley - three of the
featured stars of the popular Discovery Channel reality series, Deadliest Catch - sign
autographs and pose for photos inside The Puffin’s Roost at the Norway Pavilion.
The trio will appear through Sunday, August 2.
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1994:
The Disney Channel debuts the Disney Channel Premiere Film The Whipping Boy.
Based on the Newbery medal-winning children's book by Sid Fleischman, first published in 1987, the film tells the
story of bored and spoiled Prince Horace and his 'whipping boy' Jemmy.
July 31
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
"I feel more comfortable with the two companies together." -Michael Eisner
1979:
Actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director B.J. Novak is born in Newton,
Massachusetts. He played the role of songwriter Robert Sherman in Disney's 2013
film Saving Mr. Banks. (He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer for and playing the
role of Ryan Howard on the sitcom The Office.)
2015:
Bunk'd, a new comedy television series created by Pamela Eells O'Connell premieres on Disney Channel with the episode "Welcome to Camp Kikiwaka." A spinoff of the series Jessie,
Emma, Ravi, and Zuri Ross leave New York City and head off to Moose Rump, Maine, to spend the summer at Camp Kikiwaka, where their parents met as teenagers. The Ross kids and their new friends try their best to adapt to the camp, despite it having a horrible reputation. The cast includes Peyton List, Karan Brar, Skai Jackson, and Miranda May.
Also premiering on Disney Channel is the musical fantasy television film Disney's Descendants, directed by Kenny Ortega. The film stars stars Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, and Sofia Carson as modernized depictions of the teenage children based on the villains featured in Walt Disney Studios' animated film franchise. The soundtrack (released on the same day) debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
1989:
Actor-musician Marshall Williams is born in Manitoba, Canada. A contestant on Canadian Idol
in 2007 and 2008, he later starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie How to Build a Better Boy.
1998:
Actor Rico Rodriguez is born in Bryan, Texas. Best known for portraying Manny Delgado on the long-running ABC sitcom "Modern Family," he also made a cameo appearance as himself in "The Muppets" (2011). His Disney Channel credits include guest roles in "Cory in the House," "Good Luck Charlie," and "Austin & Ally" (in which his sister Raini was a featured member of the cast). His voice roles include "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" and "The Lion Guard."
2020:
Upside-Down Magic, a Disney Channel Original Movie and adaptation of the eponymous fantasy book series by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins, debuts on
Disney Channel. Young teen Nory Boxwood Horace (played by Izabela Rose) discovers she can flux into animals, and her best friend Reina Carvajal (Siena Agudong) can manipulate flames. Together, they enter the Sage Academy for Magical Studies, where Reina's expert ability to harness the power of fire lands her at the top of her class. But Nory's wonky magic and proclivity for turning into a "Dritten"-a half-kitten, half-dragon-lands her in a class for those with
Upside-Down Magic.
Disney+ debuts Muppets Now, a new web television series produced by The Muppets Studio. Directed by Kirk Thatcher, the series is an improvisational comedy based on The Muppets franchise by
Jim Henson.
On this same day Disney+ globally releases Black Is King, a musical film directed, written and executive produced by Beyoncé. A young African king is cast out from his family into an unforgiving world. He subsequently undergoes a journey "through betrayal, love and self-identity" to reclaim his throne, utilizing the guidance of his ancestors and childhood love.
Walt Disney Records releases Disney Junior Music: Mickey Mornings, featuring
singer-songwriter Felicia Barton and Mickey Mouse.
1954:
Actor Tyress Allen is born in Salina, Kansas. In 2000 he played the role of Amonasro in Disney's Broadway production of Aida.
2016:
The 2016 Teen Choice Awards ceremony are held in California. Among the winners:
-Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Captain America: Civil War
-Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America, Captain America: Civil War)
-Choice Movie: Breakout Star: Daisy Ridley (Rey, Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
-Choice Movie: Summer: Finding Dory
-Choice Movie Actress: Summer: Ellen DeGeneres (Dory, Finding Dory)
-Choice TV Show: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Once Upon a Time
-Choice TV Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Lana Parrilla (Regina Mills, Once Upon a Time)
-Choice TV Actor: Comedy: Ross Lynch (Austin Moon, Austin & Ally)
-Choice TV: Liplock: Jennifer Morrison & Colin O'Donoghue (Once Upon a Time)
-Choice Music: Female Artist: Selena Gomez
-Choice Summer Music Artist: Female: Selena Gomez
-Choice Instagramer: Selena Gomez
