2004:
"Celebrate Mickey: 75 InspEARations" - a collection of Mickey Mouse statues first displayed in Walt Disney World last November 2003 - begins a U.S. tour.
Walt Disney Records releases the "That's So Raven" television soundtrack.
Disney's live-action Miracle is released on DVD and video.
The much anticipated DVD Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrowland: Disney in Space and Beyond is released. The set features the "science factual" space television shows from the 1950s.
1911:
Disney Legend Larry Lansburgh, one of Walt Disney Studio's premier directors, is
born in San Francisco, California. He entered the world of motion picture production (in the mid-1930s)
as a "gofer’’ for the Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Lansburg worked in and with the studios until the late
1960s, and work personally with Walt Disney, as cameraman, producer, director and in many other capacities.
Among the 18 TV and feature productions he directed - the Academy Award-winning The Wetback Hound
and The Horse with the Flying Tail.
1941:
Miriam Margolyes - the voice of the Matchmaker in Disney's 1998 Mulan and The Glowworm/Aunt Sponge in Disney's 1996 James and the Giant Peach - is born in England. (You may recognize her voice from films like Babe: Pig in the City and Cats & Dogs.)
1951:
Disney's Mickey and Pluto cartoon Plutopia, directed by Charles Nichols, is released.
Mickey's on vacation at Camp Utopia, but with trees everywhere and a cat to chase, Pluto thinks it really is utopia!
The short features the voices of Pinto Colvig (Pluto), James Macdonald (Mickey) and Jim Backus (as the cat).
1962:
Actor Nathaniel Parker - who portrayed Master Gracey in Disney's 2003 The Haunted Mansion - is born in London, England.
1989:
Episode 19 of MMC airs on the Disney Channel. Today is Party Day!
1993:
The hit TV series Full House goes to Disney World in part 2 of "The House Meets the Mouse."
1995:
Gene Autry's California Angels baseball club and Disney
reach an agreement for Disney to acquire a 25 percent interest in the team
and to assume the role of managing general partner.
1997:
Today is the last day Epcot guests hear non-classical music accompany Illuminations 25.
King David opens at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. The show's producers include Disney Theatrical Productions. This musical features the work
of Alan Menken and Tim Rice. (A limited run production, it will play for just six performances.)
2001:
Animation design legend Maurice J. Noble, co-director of the Academy Award
winning animated short subject Dot and the Line and many other cartoon classics,
passes at the age of 91. His work ranged from Disney's Snow White and Dumbo to Dr. Seuss' Horton
Hears a Who and many of the classic Bugs Bunny television cartoons.
Disney-MGM hosts the third (of 4) Star Wars Weekends. Celebrity guests include Jeremy
Bulloch (Boba Fett) and Warwick Davis (Wicket & Wald).
2003:
Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo premieres in Hollywood, California. Written by Andrew Stanton
and directed by Stanton and Lee Unkrich, it tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin (voiced by
Albert Brooks) who, along with a regal tang called Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), searches for his abducted
son Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould). Finding Nemo will be generally released May 30.
The 29th Saturn Awards, honoring the best in science fiction, fantasy and horror film and television in 2002, are held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
Among the winners:
-Best Costumes: Trish Biggar - Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
-Best Special Effects: Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll, Ben Snow - Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
-Best Animated Film: Spirited Away
-Best Network Television Series: Alias (ABC)
-Best Television Actress: Jennifer Garner - Alias (ABC)
-Best Supporting Television Actor: Victor Garber - Alias (ABC)
-The Life Career Award is given to actor Kurt Russell.
1999:
The soundtrack to Disney's animated Tarzan is released on Walt
Disney Records. The CD features songs by singer Phil Collins and an instrumental score
by Mark Mancina. It is the first Disney soundtrack to be recorded in multiple languages for different markets, by
original singer Collins. One of the songs "You'll Be in My Heart," will win both an Oscar and a Golden Globe
for best original song.
Artist, toy designer &
collector Mel Birnkrant's
home and personal
museum - in upstate New
York - is packed with
thousands of vintage
Mickey Mouse items!
2007:
Disney Channel airs the Hannah Montana episode "My Best Friend's Boyfriend" for
the first time. Larry David (famous for co-creating Seinfeld and Curb Your
Enthusiasm) appears as himself!
Ten wireless hot spots are opened at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, in the
Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Users with a Nintendo DS and the game Pirates of the
Caribbean: At World's End can download extra content at these hot spots not available anywhere else! Premiering the following day at Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End will open in theaters May 25.
1904:
Actor Fred Shields, the narrator of Disney's 1942 Saludos Amigos and 1944
The Three Caballeros, is born in Kansas City, Missouri. The voice of Bambi's father,
the Great Prince of the forest, in Disney's 1942 Bambi, he also narrated such Goofy shorts as How to
Play Golf and How to Play Baseball.
Animator Art Landy is born Arthur Charles Landmesser in Newark, New Jersey.
Specializing in animation set decoration, he began his career with the Disney Studio in the early 1930s. He was a background artist on such shorts as Figaro and Frankie, Mickey's Delayed Date, Pluto's Blue Note, and Camp Dog. Landy began working for Walter Lantz in 1953 on the popular Woody Woddpecker shorts.
1935:
The Pan-Pacific Auditorium first opens at 7600 West Beverly Boulevard in the
Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California. Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of
Wurdeman and Becket, it is considered to be one of America's finest examples of Streamline Moderne
architecture (a branch of the Art Deco style). Over the years, the Pan-Pacific will host the Ice Capades, the
Harlem Globetrotters, and even Elvis Presley! Unfortunately a fire will destroy the Pan-Pacific in May 1989.
Today a nearly full-scale and stylized replica of the Pan-Pacific's facade lives on in Florida ... as the main
entrance to the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
"Noble had the confidence and knowledge to create a world where animation could flourish. ... He never showed off, but he did show up every layout man or art director I have ever known. ... Without him, a great many of my films could not have been made." -animator Chuck Jones on Maurice J. Noble
1990:
The Little Mermaid becomes the tenth "Walt Disney Classic" to be released on video.
1992:
Actor and musician Spencer Breslin is born in New York City. Discovered by a talent scout in a New York City playground at the age of three, he made his TV debut at age 4 on the ABC sitcom "Soul Man." Since then his Disney credits have included: "Disney's The Kid" (2000) as Rusty, "The Ultimate Christmas Present"
(2000) as Joey, "Teamo Supremo" (2002) as the voice of Crandall, "Return to Neverland" (2002) as the voice of Cubby,
"Mom's on Strike" (2002) as Sam, "The Santa Clause 2" (2002) as Curtis the Elf, "You Wish!" (2003) as Stevie/ Terrance,
"Raising Helen" (2004) as Henry, "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (2004) as Prince Jacques,
"The Shaggy Dog" (2006) as Josh, and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" (2006) returning to the role of Curtis the Elf. As of 2016, Breslin is writing songs for and playing in his band Broken Machine.
MAY 18
Finding Nemo premieres
1910:
Imagineer Dorothea Holt Redmond is born Dorothea Holt in Los Angeles,
California. An illustrator and production designer, she was hired in the 1960s by Walt Disney to design a private apartment in Disneyland's New Orleans Square, as well as the interior and exterior settings of many restaurants and shops. She later designed Fantasyland at Disney World in Florida, as well as portions of Main Street and the mosaic murals in the archway of Cinderella Castle that were implemented there and in Tokyo Disneyland. (One of the first woman to work in the male-dominated field of motion-picture production design, her credits include Gone With the Wind, The Best Years of Our Lives and The Ten Commandments, as well as seven Alfred Hitchcock productions.)
2009:
Christmas comes to the Cannes Film Festival courtesy of Disney when Jim Carrey
and director Robert Zemeckis arrive in a horse-drawn carriage to show off the first
footage from their 3-D digital version of A Christmas Carol,
due in theaters November 6.
Disney Legend, voice actor, sound effects editor and foley artist* for Walt Disney Studios, Wayne Allwine passes away at age 62. Best known as the official voice of Mickey
Mouse for three decades (and only the 3rd person to ever voice the famous mouse full-time) Allwine was
married to Russi Taylor, the current voice of Minnie Mouse.
In Memory of Wayne Allwine (1947-2009)
"Wayne not only gave voice to the character of Mickey but gave him a heart and soul as well. He did an incredible job bringing emotion, humor and appeal to the character, and superbly carried on the tradition originated by my Uncle Walt, and later by sound effects wizard Jimmy Macdonald." -Roy E. Disney
"Wayne dedicated his entire professional life to Disney, and
over the last 32 years, gave so much joy, happiness and
comfort to so many around the world by giving voice to our
most beloved, iconic character, Mickey Mouse. Wayne’s great talent,
deep compassion, kindness, and gentle way, all of which shone brightly
through his alter ego, will be greatly missed." -CEO Robert Iger
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MAY 18
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
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"I could not be more pleased that the company that bears my friend Walt Disney's name and that is also dedicated
to the creation of family entertainment is now a part of the Angels organization." -Gene Autry
2010:
Broadway's Mary Poppins debuts two new Banks children - actors Catherine Missal
and Christopher Flaim (portraying Jane and Michael). They will alternate the roles with two
other sets of young actors - Rachel Resheff and David Gabriel Lerner (who will debut May 25) and Rozi Baker
and Ethan Haberfield (who will begin June 4).
1912:
Singer and television personality Perry Como is born Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como in
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. With a career spanning more than half a century, Como recorded exclusively
for the RCA Victor label beginning in 1943 - selling millions of records and pioneering a weekly musical variety
television show. He recorded primarily vocal pop and was renowned for recordings in the intimate, easy-listening genre pioneered by multimedia star Bing Crosby. Crosby once described Como as "the man who invented casual." In 1949 Como recorded and released versions of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" with the Fontane Sisters. Both songs, originally written for Disney's Cinderella (which wouldn't be released until 1950), were penned by Al Hoffman, Mack David and Jerry Livingston. In December 1979 Como narrated Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. Over the course of his career, Como received a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male (in 1959); five Emmys (from 1955 to 1959); and a Christopher Award (1956). Como passed away on May 12, 2001, at his home in Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida, six days before his 89th birthday. Posthumously, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
(1910-2001)
MAY
The entrance area to Disney's Hollywood Studios and the architecture surrounding the ticket kiosks were inspired by the Pan-Pacific Auditorium, an
arena-venue that served the Los Angeles area for nearly forty years. The Studio's entrance facade recreates that building's own front entrance and
its distinctive four towers. The Pan-Pacific's towers reflected a sleek, aircraft-inspired look, and each was crowned with a high-reaching flagpole
and corresponding flag or pennant (just like in Florida).
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Photo by Bernie at Disney.Rocket9.net
2012:
Starting on this day, the power of the Force and magic of Disney come together for
the first of many Star Wars Weekends of the 2012 season. The event will be held every Friday,
Saturday and Sunday from May 18-June 10 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This weekend's special guests are Ray
Park (Darth Maul - Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace) and Dee Bradley Baker (voice of
Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Cody - Star Wars: The Clone Wars).
Sounds Dangerous!, an audio show at Echo Lake inside Disney's Hollywood Studios starring comedian Drew Carey, closes. Running since April 1999, the presentation took place inside
an ABC soundstage with theater-style seating.
*Foley is the reproduction of everyday sounds for use in filmmaking.
May 18
Learn more about architect Welton Becket's Disney connection HERE.
2015:
Pixar's newest animated film Inside Out premieres at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in France. Released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is set in the mind of a young girl, named Riley, where five emotions -
Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness - try to lead her through life. Inside Out will be released June 19 in the U.S.
2018:
"Once Upon a Time," ABC-TV's fantasy drama series, airs its final episode.
Running for 7 seasons, it starred Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard (although she made guest appearances only in the final season).
Animator and comic artist Fred Peters passes away at age 95 in Massachusetts. Starting his career at the Walt Disney Studios in the mid 1940s, he contributed to many Pluto cartoons and the animated features Bambi and Fun and Fancy Free. In 1949, he became a freelance illustrator and comics artist; mostly working for EC Comics. Peters eventually settled down in Boston, where he worked for the newspaper Boston Globe for 32 years.
2013:
Actor Steve Forrest, who starred in Disney's Rascal and The Wild Country, passes away at age 87 in Thousand Oaks, California. He also narrated the 1972 documentary short The Magic of Walt Disney World. (He was well known for his role of Lt. Hondo Harrelson in the short-lived television series S.W.A.T. which ran from 1975 to 1976.)
1986:
Disney's made-for-television adventure film Fuzzbucket airs for the first time. An invisible creature befriends lonely 12-year-old Chris Hebert (played by Michael Gerber). Of course, no one else can see the hairy creature ... nor believes in him.
1970:
Tina Fey is born Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania.
An actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright, she is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (1997–2006) and for creating the NBC comedy series 30 Rock (2006–2013, 2020). Her Disney film credits include the live-action Muppets Most Wanted (2014) as Nadya, narrating the 2015 documentary Monkey Kingdom, and Pixar's animated Soul as the voice of 22. Fey also lent her voice to a 2011
episode of Phineas and Ferb.
2020:
The Walt Disney Company announces that Josh D'Amaro has been named the new chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, taking over from former chairman and current CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Chapek.
Other changes include:
Rebecca Campbell (who served as President of the Disneyland Resort) is now chairwoman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, taking over from Kevin Mayer.
Jeff Vahle (former President of Disney Signature Experiences) has been named President of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Ken Potrock (former President of Disney Consumer Products) is now President of the Disneyland Resort.
Kareem Daniel (former President of Walt Disney Imagineering Operations/Product Creation/Publishing/Games) has been named President of Disney Consumer Products.
Thomas Mazloum (former Senior Vice President of Resort and Transportation Operations at the Walt Disney World Resort) has been named President of Disney Signature Experiences.
Actor Ken Osmond, who played the duplicitous teenager Eddie Haskell on the long-running sitcom Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963), passes away at age 76 in California. Typecast by the role, he found it hard to get other acting work and became a Los Angeles police officer. After retiring from police work, he resumed his acting career when he reprised the role of Eddie for the sequel The New Leave It to Beaver (also known as Still the Beaver). The series aired on the The Disney Channel from 1984 to 1985 (before being picked up by WTBS).
2014:
The 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival comes to an end.
2019:
Singer/actress Vanessa Hudgens celebrates the grand opening of Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes at the Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, California. She poses for pictures with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Chef Goofy.
2021:
Disney World continues its phased reopening (since its closure in 2020 due to the pandemic). On this day, Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort reopens.
Actor, comedian, author, and television talk show host Charles Grodin passes away at age 86 in Connecticut. A familiar face as a supporting actor in many Hollywood comedies, his film debut was actually an uncredited bit part in Disney's 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He later played Nicky in The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and supplied the voice of Left Brain for Cranium Command, an attraction at the Wonders of Life pavilion at Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot theme park. In 1990, Grodin played Quentin the security guard in "The Muppets at Walt Disney World," an episode of The Magical World of Disney. (He will probably be best known for his roles in the 1988 action comedy Midnight Run and the 1992 family film Beethoven.)
The cast and crew of Disney's all-new live-action feature film Cruella enjoy one of the first movie premiere celebrations since the COVID-19 pandemic. Stars Emma Stone and Kirby Howell-Baptiste and director Craig Gillespie are among the "Cruella" talent attending the screening at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theater. Cruella will premiere in theaters and via Disney+ Premier Access on May 28.
The series finale of Black-ish airs on ABC-TV.
1950:
Composer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, author, and visual artist Mark Mothersbaugh is born in Akron, Ohio. First coming to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer & keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, today he writes music for film and television. His Disney credits include The Even Stevens Movie, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder, Saving Mr. Banks, Halloweentown, Halloweentown II, and Rushmore.
