1886:
Character actor Christian Rub - the voice & physical likeness for
Geppetto in Disney's 1940 Pinocchio - is born in Austria. (Coincidentally Rub is featured in a 1940 version of Swiss Family Robinson - the exact version Disney bought up the rights to when planning its remake!)
2002:
Lucky Disney World fans get an opportunity to see
Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama!, the newest area of
Animal Kingdom. The after-hours event features 17 limited edition pins and pin sets; a private
dinner in DinoLand U.S.A.; access to the theme park's newest attractions, TriceraTop Spin and
Primeval Whirl and a special performance of the "Tarzan Rocks" stage show. The special event, which runs from 7 to 10 p.m., is at a cost of $125 per person.
Soap opera fans get to meet their favorite stars from One Life to Live at
Disney's California Adventure.
2004:
Animator Floyd Norman discusses his life in the animation industry through
satirical sketches created during his illustrious career at Walt Disney Studio (as
well as Hanna-Barbera, Pixar and Cartoon Network) at the Glendale Public
Library in California. He also promotes his new book Son of Faster Cheaper, a humorous look at
the cartoon business.
A tribute concert for composer Henry Mancini is held at the new
Walt Disney Concert Hall. Hosting the celebration are Julie Andrews (of
Disney's Mary Poppins) and Senator John Glenn (the third American in space).
The late Henry Mancini, best known for his jazz-idiom theme to The Pink Panther film series, also wrote
the music for Disney's 1986 animated feature The Great Mouse Detective.
 | ||||
| ||||||
On the front page of the Hunstville Times is the headline:
"Walt Disney Makes Pledge to Aid Space". Walt is quoted as saying
"If I can help through my TV shows ... to wake people up to the fact we've got to keep exploring, I'll do it."
Von Braun's daily journal entry for this day indicates his hope that Walt's visit "may easily result in a
Disney picture about manned space flight."
1935:
The Walt Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey's Kangaroo, directed by David Hand,
is released. The last Disney cartoon produced in black and white, a friend in Australia sends Mickey a
kangaroo named Hoppy, who with her pesky son drives Pluto completely crazy!
1954:
Winsor McCay Award-winning animator, storyboard artist and author Glen Keane is born
in Arbington, Pennyslvania. Joining Disney in 1974, his interest in art had developed as a child by observing
his father's work as a cartoonist. Keane's long list of Disney credits include such features as The Rescuers, The Black Cauldron, Treasure Planet, Pocahontas, Aladdin, Tarzan, Tangled and the 4-D film park attraction Mickey's
PhilharMagic. (Glen is the son of Bil Keane, creator of the popular newspaper comic Family Circus.)
1965:
Walt Disney, his brother Roy, and other Disney
executives visit the Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Alabama. Walt has become friendly with Wernher
von Braun, the director of the center and technical advisor on three
space-related television films that Disney produced in the 1950s.
(Wernher will go on to help NASA land men on the moon.)
Alice Davis (wife of animator
& Imagineer Marc Davis)
worked on the
"It's A Small World"
attraction for
the 1964-65
2007:
The Disney Honors National Concert Band & Orchestra and Choral
Invitationals (a non-competitive, non-ranked festival featuring premier high school concert bands, orchestras and choral ensembles in the United States) kicks off for 4 days at Disney World.
2001:
The Disney Channel Original Movie Hounded, featuring Tahj Mowry, Craig Kirkwood, and Shia LaBeouf, debuts. A teenager ends up being hounded by a well-groomed and seemingly cute
and tiny dog that actually turns out to be a nightmare of a beast!
The 7th Grammy Awards are held at the Beverly Hilton.
Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television
Show goes to composers Richard M. Sherman and
Robert B. Sherman for their work on Disney's Mary Poppins.
(Best New Artist for 1964 is awarded to The Beatles.)
"It was the early nineties and I decided to stop in Pasadena's Old Town on my way home from the studio. I had just
parked on Green Street when I noticed a car pull up directly behind me. A tall young man stepped out of the vehicle
and called my name. Though I had not seen him in months I immediately recognized my old friend, Joe Ranft.
"Floyd," Joe shouted. "You've got to come up north. We've got some great things going at our studio."
I had just signed a contract with Disney Feature Animation and purchased a town home in Pasadena, so I
reluctantly begged off. It was a decision I came to regret, because the project Ranft was excited about was a little
film called Toy Story." -Floyd Norman
1743:
Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd U.S. President (and author of the Declaration of Independence), is born in Albemarle County, Virginia. Major events during his
presidency included the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Liberty Tree
Tavern, an eatery located in Liberty Square in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, has a room dedicated to
President Jefferson. An animatronic Jefferson appears in The American Adventure at Epcot, and a
cartoon Jefferson briefly appears in a scene from the 1953 short Ben and Me. Touchstone's 1995 semi-
fictional historical drama Jefferson in Paris starred Nick Nolte as Jefferson when he was the Ambassador of the United States to France. Visit Jefferson (and all the U.S. Chief Executives) at Disney World's The Hall of Presidents.
APRIL 13
APRIL 13
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
| ||||
| ||||
A
P
R
"Honesty is the first chapter of the
book of wisdom." -Thomas Jefferson
| ||||
Walt visits Huntsville, Alabama
Mickey's Kangaroo released
While promoting Earth the first full-length theatrical film launched under its Disneynature documentary label, the Walt Disney company offered to plant a tree for
every U.S. ticket it sold during the movie’s first week of release. Some 2.7 million trees from the movie’s premiere were planted in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil.
1964:
The 36th Academy Awards are held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in
Santa Monica, California. Although composer George Bruns is nominated for Best Music, Scoring
of Music, Adaptation or Treatment (for his work on Disney's The Sword in the Stone), the film Irma la Douce
(with music by Andre Previn) takes home the Oscar.
Stand-up comedian and actress Caroline Rhea, best known for her role as Hilda Spellman on the ABC show Sabrina the Teenage Witch, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is the voice of Linda Flynn-Fletcher, Phineas and Candace's mother, and stepmother to Ferb, on Disney Channel's animated series Phineas and Ferb. Her Disney credits also include episodes of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Fillmore!, and Sydney to the Max. (Rhea was the original host of the reality television show The Biggest Loser on NBC.)
2005:
Salvador "Tutti" Camarata, who helped establish and run Disneyland Records for nearly
20 years, passes away at age 91 in Burbank, California. Starting in 1956, he played an important
role in building up the Disney studio's already well-known library of original music and provided some significant
additions to the studio's casts. Camarata introduced Sterling Holloway, who became the voice of Winnie the Pooh, and
helped convince Louis Prima and Phil Harris to provide the voices for King Louie the Ape and Baloo the Bear in The
Jungle Book. Camarata also produced records for such early Disney stars as Annette Funicello and Hayley Mills. Over
the course of his time with Disney, Camarata's 300-plus recordings earned a total of 8 Grammy Award nominations.
(During his diverse career, Camarata arranged music and played trumpet for a wide range of artists, including Bing
Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman and Billie Holiday. He also started Sunset Sound Recorders,
one of the leading recording studios in Hollywood, which has been used by artists such as Van Halen, Prince and the
Rolling Stones.)
1950:
Television, film and voice over actor Ron Perlman, the voice of Stabbington Brother in Disney's 2010 animated Tangled, is born in New York City. In 1993, he played the role of Pap Finn in the Disney film The Adventures of Huck Finn. His Disney voice credits also include episodes of Kim Possible. (Perlman's breakthrough role was Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast opposite Linda Hamilton from 1987 to 1990. Not a Disney production, it earned him a Golden Globe.)
2011:
Stars of Disney’s newest feature film PROM, Aimee Teegarden and Thomas
McDonell, appear at Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco. The first 250 customers in line
receive their autographs! (PROM hits theaters April 29.)
1931:
Disney officially announces its film distribution contract with United Artists. Founded in 1919
by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, United Artists will distribute Disney shorts,
including the Silly Symphonies, for the next 5 years. UA will eventually lose their deal to RKO (who will distribute
Disney's first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937).
2012:
"Good Morning America" weather anchor Sam Champion broadcasts live from Disney's
Animal Kingdom. He also hosts a special Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) awards ceremony,
honoring five outstanding organizations for their work to connect kids to nature. Champion then heads over to
Downtown Disney for the world premiere of a new Disney Nature film.
The Disney Nature film, Chimpanzee, has its world premiere at Downtown Disney in
Orlando, Florida. Chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall and the crew behind the film attend the special event at
the AMC Downtown Disney theater. Chimpanzee, narrated by Tim Allen, follows the story of Oscar, a young
chimpanzee living in the Tai Forest National Park in the Ivory Coast. (The film opens April 20.)
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg names the Muppets the official family
ambassadors for the Big Apple during a press conference in Manhattan. The Muppets will
promote the five boroughs domestically and abroad in an effort to boost tourism in New York City. The family
ambassador program (first created in 2009) highlights family-friendly things to do around the city, including museums,
restaurants, parks and beaches. (The Muppets' connection to New York City can be traced back to the 1960s, when
creator Jim Jenson brought Sesame Street to life in Manhattan.)
2014:
The Disneyland Resort celebrates a dozen new awards at the Southern California Restaurant Writers Annual Awards Banquet held in Anaheim, California.
Each year, the Southern California Restaurant Writers evaluates restaurants from Santa Barbara to the
Mexican border on food, service, ambiance and beverages. Disneyland winners include:
Manager of the Year: Jose Barragan (Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, Disney California Adventure Park)
Golden Bacchus Wine Award: Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, Napa Rose (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa) and Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland Hotel)
5 Stars: Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge (Disney California Adventure Park), Napa Rose (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa) and Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland Hotel)
4 Stars: Ariel’s Grotto (Disney California Adventure Park),
Blue Bayou Restaurant (Disneyland Park), Café Orleans (Disneyland Park) and Storytellers Cafe (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa)
The 2014 MTV Movie Awards are held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Actress Mila Kunis wins Best Villain for her portrayal of Theodora in Oz The Great And Powerful. Although Frozen is nominated in 5 categories ... it is shutout in each.
April is 1964/65 New York World's Fair Month
2015:
The BOATHOUSE: Great Food, Waterfront Dining, Dream Boats – located at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort, officially opens its doors. One of the new venues in The Landing (the first of 4 planned neighborhoods as Downtown Disney transitions into Disney Springs) The BOATHOUSE
is an upscale, waterfront dining experience featuring spectacular floating artwork: dream boats from the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s.
2017:
Disney World confirms that versions of Club 33 will be installed at all 4 parks this fall.
Club 33 is a private club located in the heart of the New Orleans Square section of Disneyland. Originally maintained
as a secret feature of the park, the entrance of the club was formerly located next to the Blue Bayou Restaurant at
"33 Royal Street" with the entrance recognizable by an ornate address plate with the number 33 engraved on it.
A second Club 33 is located in Tokyo Disneyland.
2018:
The first-ever Pixar Fest comes to Disneyland Resort on this day (through September 3).
Pixar Fest presents some of the beloved stories from Pixar Animation Studios in new ways at both Disneyland and
Disney California Adventure Parks, with characters and experiences from films such as "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "Up." Guests can join the fun as they experience a new nighttime spectacular, the return of two
favorite parades with fresh new Pixar surprises, new décor, atmosphere entertainment, creatively themed food and beverage and exclusive event merchandise.
Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar (first opening in October 2008 and closing in September 2013) reopens to provide a preview of Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure. The exhibit is a preview center intended to promote upcoming attractions.
The Disneyland Resort brings back "Pixar Play Parade," a daytime parade featuring new floats for Luxo Jr., Inside Out, and Up.
"Paint the Night Parade" officially debuts at Disney California Adventure (after a soft-opening the day before). A spiritual successor to the long-running Main Street Electrical Parade (which
appeared at numerous Disney parks in several different incarnations since 1972), it features classic Disney as well as Pixar characters. The DCA version will run through November 2018.
Season 2 of the computer-animated children's television series Mickey and the Roadster Racers begins on Disney Junior.
Ember, the sixth studio album by American rock band Breaking Benjamin, is released by Hollywood Records.
2020:
Disney animator Ann Sullivan passes away at age 91 of complications from COVID-19 in California. First working for Disney in the 1950s her long list of credits include such classics as Peter Pan, Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Tarzan, Lilo & Stitch, and Home on the Range. Born April 10, 1929 in North Dakota, Sullivan made the switch to computerized animated production later in her career and worked at Disney until her retirement in the early 2000s.
1986:
Actor Matt McGorry is born in New York City. He is best known for his role of Asher Millstone on ABC's How to Get Away with Murder.
1961:
Actress and singer Liz Callaway is born in Chicago, Illinois. Best known for providing the singing voices of many female characters in animated films, her Disney credits include Beauty and the Beast (1991) as a
dancing napkin ring, The Return of Jafar (1994) as Princess Jasmine, Pocahontas (1995) as a member of the chorus,
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) as Princess Jasmine, and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) as Adult Kiara.
1939:
Actor Paul Sorvino is born in Brooklyn, New York. His Disney movie credits include the role of Lips Manlis in Touchstone's 1990 action crime comedy Dick Tracy, Eddie Valentine in Disney's 1991 superhero film The Rocketeer, and Gus Panas in Touchstone's sports comedy Mr. 3000. He also portrayed Henry Kissinger in Disney/
Hollywood's 1995 Nixon. His television roles include Jack Martino in the Fox/ABC Studios TV show, Grandfathered, Dr. Dominic Scarpa in the CBS/ABC Studios TV show, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and Pop-pop on ABC's sitcom The Goldebergs. Sorvino was particularly known for his roles as Lucchese crime family boss Paulie Cicero in Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster film Goodfellas, and as NYPD Sergeant Phil Cerreta on the second and third seasons of the TV series Law & Order. Father of actors Mira Sorvino and Michael Sorvino, Paul Anthony Sorvino passed in Jacksonville,
Florida, at age 83 in 2022.
1975:
Animator, filmmaker and voice actor Angus MacLane is born in Riverside County, California. Best known for his work at Pixar Animation Studios, he co-directed the film "Finding Dory" (2016) and made his solo feature directorial debut with the Toy Story spin-off film "Lightyear" (2022). A Lego enthusiast, he created the CubeDudes building format and designed a LEGO WALL-E that has become an official set from The Lego Group. As an animator, MacLane worked on every Pixar feature film from "A Bug's Life" (1998) through "Toy Story 3" (2010).
