2004:
Disney's feature film Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement - starring Ann
Hathaway and Julie Andrews - opens nationwide. Princess Mia is fresh out of college and on
her way to being queen, with the guidance of her grandmother, when the royal court rules that she must marry
first! Anne Hathaway's mother and director Garry Marshall make brief appearances in the film. Hathaway's
mother is the leader of the chorus singing at Mia's wedding while Marshall is the middle drummer (the one on the
left) in the coronation scene.
1925:
Singer/TV host Mike Douglas, the singing voice of Prince Charming for
the 1950 Disney classic Cinderella (most notably on the tune "So This
Is Love"), is born Michael Delaney Dowd in Chicago, Illinois. He also hosted (along with
Joan Lunden) the very first live broadcast of Walt Disney's Christmas Parade in 1983. Douglas was best known
for his Emmy-award winning daytime talk show which was popular throughout the 1960s and 70s. In January 1976,
five of his 90-minute shows were taped at Walt Disney World for national broadcast the following February.
1934:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Orphan's Benefit, directed by Burt Gillett, is released.
The cartoon features Mickey Mouse and his friends putting on benefit show for a group of unruly orphans. This
short marks Donald Duck's first appearance with Mickey Mouse. It is also the first cartoon in which
Donald loses his temper, and the first in which he does his trademark fighting stance (hopping in place with one fist
forward and the other swinging back and forth)! Orphan's Benefit is also the first appearance of Clara Cluck, and
although not referenced in the film itself, it is the first time that Disney animators begin to call Dippy Dawg by his
new name "Goofy." (The short will later be remade in Technicolor in 1941 under the title Orphans' Benefit.)
1950:
Disney's Pluto cartoon Food for Feudin, also featuring Chip 'n' Dale, is released.
Directed by Charles Nichols, a feud begins when Pluto wants to hide his bones in the same tree where Chip
'n' Dale store their acorns!
1995:
Disney's 7-minute Mickey Mouse cartoon Runaway Brain is released along with
the live-action feature A Kid in King Arthur's Court.
Runaway Brain (produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Paris, France) stars Mickey & Minnie Mouse and
features actor Kelsey Grammer as the voice of Dr. Frankenollie - a play on the names of two of Disney's Nine Old
Men; Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. In an attempt to convince Minnie (voiced by Russi Taylor) that he hasn't
forgotten to buy her an anniversary present, Mickey (voiced by Wayne Allwine) ends up promising to take her to
Hawaii. Funds being short, he applies for a job as lab assistant to the sinister Dr. Frankenollie, who happens to
be searching for a donor to provide his monstrous creation with a brain!
A Kid in King Arthur's Court (released by Walt Disney Studio Entertainment) is based on the famous Mark
Twain novel "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," transplanted into the twentieth century. Young Calvin
Fuller (played by Thomas Ian Nicholas) is pulled into King Arthur's court by Merlin (Ron Moody).
His mission: to save Camelot! But to do this he must overcome the villainous Lord Belascoe (Art Malik), train to
become a knight, and rescue Princess Katherine.
Comedian, actor, singer, and jazz musician Phil Harris passes away at age 91 in
Rancho Mirage, California. An orchestra leader and a pioneer in radio situation comedy, he voiced
Baloo the bear in The Jungle Book (1967), Thomas O'Malley in The Aristocats (1970), and Little John in
Robin Hood (1973). He later reprised his role of Baloo for a short time in 1989 for the cartoon series TaleSpin.
Hollywood Pictures releases the drama Dangerous Minds, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Former Marine Louanne Johnson (Pfeiffer) lands a gig teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teens
at a notorious inner-city high school. After having a terrible first day, she decides she must throw decorum to the wind.
When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude informed by her military
training and a fearless determination to better the lives of her students -- no matter what the cost.
2006:
Mike Douglas, the singing voice of Prince
Charming in Disney's Cinderella, passes
away on his 81st birthday in North Palm
Beach, Florida. Originally a big-band singer, Douglas
launched a talk show in Cleveland in 1961. The successful
afternoon show went into national syndication two years
later - going on to make some 6,000 telecasts in all through
1982! In January 1976, The Mike Douglas Show shot
five episodes at Walt Disney World. The daily 90-minute
programs were aired the week of February 9-13. This was
a first for Disney, as never before had an outside company
done shows from Walt Disney World for American television.
Disney Channel first airs episode 42 of Phil of the Future titled "Not-So-Great
Great Great Grandpa," in which Phil finds out that a kid in his school
is actually his great-great-grandfather!
Step Up, a romantic dance film directed by Anne Fletcher starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, is released by Summit Entertainment and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures. Tyler Gage receives the opportunity of a lifetime (despite vandalizing a performing arts school) when he gets the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with an up and coming privileged dancer named Nora.
In 2004, Walt Disney World
recycled 18,322,000 pounds
of paper products!
1993:
Actress, singer and dancer Alyson Stoner is born in Toledo,
Ohio. First known to movie fans for her role in Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper
by the Dozen 2 (20th Century Fox films), Stoner is the voice of Isabella on the Disney
Channel original series Phineas and Ferb. Her Disney credits also include Mike's Super
Short Show, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, That's So Raven, and the Disney Channel
Original Movie Camp Rock (as Caitlyn). Stoner also portrayed Camille Gage in Step Up
and Step Up 3 and recorded a cover version of the song "Dancing in the Moonlight"
for the 2009 Disney DVD/Blu-ray release, Space Buddies.
2008:
Jonas Brothers visit MTV's Times Square Studios in New York City to cohost TRL. They are promoting their newest CD "A Little Bit Longer" (released on Disney's Hollywood Records).
Disney's newest pop star Demi Lovato performs her first single "Get Back" on Disney-owned ABC-TV's Good Morning America.
AUGUST 11
THIS DAY
MADE IN
THE USA
AUGUST 11
1955:
U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and his family (wife Pat and daughters Tricia & Julie) visit Disneyland for the very first time. Along with the Nixons are brothers of Richard and
Pat and their children. Nixon is presented with the "Key to City Hall" by C.V. Wood (a member of Walt's staff)
and meets actor Fess Parker (Disney's Davy Crockett). The Nixons tour Disneyland extensively, riding on such attractions as the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Jungle Cruise, Rocket to the Moon, Autopia, and touring the
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Exhibit.
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1960:
Actor Gerard J. Reyes is born in Brooklyn, New York. He played the role of
Tearlach, one of Jack's crew, in both features Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Although Pirate director Gore Verbinski does not like using the
same actor for different roles, Reyes won the role of Pusan (a pirate from India who served as Sri
Sumbhajee's aide) in the third installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
Mike Douglas (1925-2006)
"My dad finally said I could have a pet, but no fur. And you'd be surprised how many mammals have fur."
-Ron Stoppable (voiced by Will Friedle)
You are cordially invited to the royal event of the season. R.S.V.P. This Summer
"A paradise for children - and for grownups, too. I don't know when I've had so much fun." -Richard Nixon
Nixon's first Disneyland visit
2010:
It is reported that Toy Story 3 has earned over $895 million worldwide, surpassing Finding Nemo’s $867.8 million worldwide gross.
This makes Toy Story 3 (released in June 2010) Pixar’s all-time highest grossing film!
1976:
Actor Will Friedle, the voice of Ron Stoppable for both Disney Channel's
Kim Possible and Lilo & Stitch: The Series, is born in Hartford, Connecticut.
From 1993 to 2000 he portrayed elder brother Eric Matthews on the popular TV sitcom Boy Meets
World (a Touchstone Television production) and later the Disney Channel spin-off Girls Meets
World. In 1998, he co-starred in the Disney Channel movie My Date with the President's Daughter.
Friedle is the voice of Peter Quill / Star-Lord in the animated series Guardians of the Galaxy,
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Avengers Assemble. His voice can also be heard in episodes of American Dragon: Jake Long, Gravity Falls, and Big Hero 6: The Series (as Ian). (Cartoon fans will recognize his voice as Batman in Batman Beyond, as well as appearances in numerous other DC Comics animated shows.)
1962:
Meet Me at Disneyland (a limited TV series broadcast live on KTTV directly from
the Anaheim park) airs episode 10 "This Was the West." The show begins with host Johnny
Jacobs riding on the Disneyland Railroad. His journey is interrupted when bandits stop the train, so he uses the
time to introduce the show’s guests - Tex Williams, The Frontiersmen and Joanie, Hollywood Square Dancers,
and Members of Drum and Feather Club - who are seated in the train’s passenger car. Indian dancers perform
as viewers tour Frontierland. Meet Me at Disneyland is designed to boost park attendance during the
summer weeknights.
Robert R. "Rob" Minkoff, best known for co-directing the 1994 smash hit animated
feature The Lion King (alongside Roger Allers), is born in Palo Alto, California. First
hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1983 as an in-between artist for The Black Cauldron (1985), he later became supervising animator for The Great Mouse Detective (1986), and a character designer for The Brave Little Toaster (1987). Minkoff wrote the song "Good Company" for Oliver & Company (1988), before becoming a character animator for The Little Mermaid (1989). He also directed the 2003 supernatural horror comedy film The Haunted Mansion, based on the Disney theme park attraction.
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WDW has made many visible steps in order to be environmentally responsible. They have shown that they are serious when it comes to
being "Green".
1941:
Walt Disney, his wife Lillian and a group of Disney artists, later nicknamed "El Grupo,"
depart California on a goodwill tour of South America. (They will spend a few days in Miami
Beach before heading to Rio de Janeiro to begin their 10-week trip.)
2012:
Hundreds of Disney's most devoted fans turn out for "Destination D: 75 Years of
Animated Features," a two-day event hosted by D23 - the official Disney fan club, at
the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. The event features appearances by people who have
created, voiced or modeled for some of Disney's greatest animated features.
August 11
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
2014:
Actor-comedian Robin Williams passes away at
his home in Paradise Cay, California. He is 63.
Known to Disney fans as the voice of the Blue Genie of the Lamp
in Disney's 1992 Aladdin, he was also the voice of Timekeeper in
the 1992 From Time to Time (which played in the Disney World
attraction The Timekeeper). His role as the Genie (which earned
him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor) was
instrumental in establishing the importance of star power in voice
actor casting. Williams also starred in Touchstone's 1987 Good
Morning, Vietnam and its 1989 Dead Poets Society, Hollywood
Pictures' 1996 Jack, Disney's 1997 Flubber, Touchstone's 1999
Bicentennial Man, and the 2009 Disney comedy Old Dogs, the same year he was inducted a Disney Legend.
The first, of what will be 4 shorts, of an upcoming animated series titled Star Wars Rebels airs with "The Machine in the Ghost". The series will be previewed throughout August 2014
with a set of shorts introducing the main characters before the television film pilot episode premieres on Disney
Channel on October 3, 2014.
2016:
Disney’s first Latina Princess, Elena of Avalor, makes her debut at Walt Disney World.
The Disney Parks Blog host a live stream of the "Elena of Avalor Royal Welcome" at the Magic Kingdom.
(She is the star of Elena of Avalor a computer-animated adventure television series that premiered this past July.)
1983:
Actor Chris Hemsworth is born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Fans of the Marvel
Cinematic Universe know him as Thor in such feature films as Thor (2011), The Avengers (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2017), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
2013:
The 3rd and final day of the 2013 Disney Expo takes place in Anaheim, California.
Among the presentations:
-Walt Disney Imagineering’s 60th: Working with Walt
-Secrets of the Lost Chords
-Sounds Delightful! An Illustrated Audio Adventure
-To Infinity and Beyond: Disney Interactive Takes the Stage
-Women of Pixar
-The Jack Wrather Organization Featuring The Disneyland Hotel
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., an animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics, premieres on Disney XD. The story is told from the perspective of an online reality show created by Rick Jones to foster public acceptance of the Hulk as a hero and
not a monster. The "show" is filmed by robotic flying cameras that accompany the Agents of the Supreme Military Agency of Super Humans (S.M.A.S.H.) everywhere they go, resulting in humorous vignettes and visual gags throughout each episode.
The 2013 Teen Choice Awards take place in California. Among the winners:
-Choice Movie: Action: Iron Man 3
-Choice Movie Actor: Action: Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man 3
-Choice TV: Male Reality Star: Kevin Jonas – Married to Jonas
-Choice Summer Music Star: Female: Selena Gomez
1965:
Actress & producer Viola Davis is born in St. Matthews, South Carolina. Her Disney/ABC credits include the animated series Sofia the First as Helen Henshaw, and the star of the drama series How to Get Away with Murder as law professor Annalise Keating. For her portrayal of Keating, Davis received critical acclaim and became the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Davis' role in an ensemble drama as a housemaid in the 2011 "The Help" (distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) earned her Best Actress Oscar nomination, among other accolades.
1947:
Filmmaker, theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright Stuart Gordon is born in Chicago, Illinois. With Brian Yuzna and writer Ed Naha, he co-created Honey, I Shrunk the Kids for Disney Studios and executive produced the sequel Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. Gordon directed Touchstone's 1998 The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit.
1975:
Voice actor and stand-up comic Roger Craig Smith is born in St. Joseph, Michigan. Originally starting his career as a stand-up comedian, he has been called upon by Disney/Disney Television Animation and Cartoon Network to do voice-work for films, television shows, and video games. His long list of credits include such films and TV shows as Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007) as Prince Phillip, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (2009) as Bolt & Stone, Wreck-It Ralph (2012) as Sonic the Hedgehog, Planes (2013) as Ripslinger & Jigsaw 2,
Sofia the First (2013) as Luciano, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (2014-15) as Captain America, Pickle and Peanut (2015-16) as PAL-SCAN, MC, Klaus, Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) returning to the voice of Sonic, and the animated Guardians of the Galaxy (2017-18) as Captain America.
1969:
Actress Ashley Jensen is born in Scotland. Supplying the voice for Jock in the 2019 Lady and the Tramp, she was also a cast member on the ABC series Ugly Betty. Jensen can be heard as the voice of Downy McDuck in a
2018 episode of Ducktales.
1954:
Sound engineer & re-recording mixer Terry Porter is born in Glendale, California. Nominated for four Academy Awards in the category Best Sound, he has worked on more than 170 films since 1980, including such Disney/Touchstone pictures as "Good Morning, Vietnam," "The Little Mermaid," "The Rescuers Down Under," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," "Pocahontas," "Operation Dumbo Drop," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Mulan," "Tarzan," "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Sky High," "Mr. 3000," "The Santa Clause 2," "G-Force," and "The Kid."
2019:
The 2019 Teen Choice Awards are handed out in California. Among the winners:
-Choice Action Movie: Avengers: Endgame
-Choice Action Movie Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – Avengers: Endgame as Tony Stark / Iron Man
-Choice Action Movie Actress: Scarlett Johansson – Avengers: Endgame as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
-Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie: Aladdin
-Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actor: Will Smith – Aladdin as Genie
-Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actress: Naomi Scott – Aladdin as Princess Jasmine
-Choice Movie Villain: Josh Brolin – Avengers: Endgame as Thanos
-Decade Award: Jonas Brothers
-Choice Summer Group: Jonas Brothers
-Choice Song From A Movie: "A Whole New World" (End Title) – Aladdin – Zayn & Zhavia Ward
