2005:
This day's Disney DVD releases include Walt Disney's Timeless Tales: Volume 1 (containing 5 classic animated shorts including The Three Little Pigs), Walt
Disney's Timeless Tales: Volume 2 (containing 4 classic animated shorts including
The Ugly Duckling), Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas, That's So Raven:
Disguise the Limit, and Phil of the Future: Gadgets & Gizmos.
The 2005 Teen Choice Awards are held in California. Among the winners:
-Choice Movie - Action/Adventure: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
-Choice TV: Reality: American Idol
-Choice TV Reality/Variety Star: Male: Bo Bice - American Idol
-Choice TV Reality/Variety Star: Female: Carrie Underwood - American Idol
-Choice TV: Breakout Show: Desperate Housewives
-Choice TV Breakout Performance: Male: Jesse Metcalfe - Desperate Housewives
-Choice TV Breakout Performance: Female: Eva Longoria - Desperate Housewives
(Although nominated for Choice Movie: Animated/Computer Generated, The Incredibles is edged out by Shrek 2.)
The Disney-owned Hollywood Records releases Hilary Duff's new album
Most Wanted (a greatest hits collection featuring four new tracks). Also released is
Into the Rush the debut album from teen pop duo Aly & AJ.
Walt Disney Records releases the Valiant Soundtrack - featuring music from the
newest computer-animated comedy-adventure opening nationwide August 19.
Tragedy strikes when Joe Ranft, the widely respected story artist for many
Disney/Pixar features, is killed in an automobile accident in California. The 45-year-old
was one of seven writers nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay for the 1995 Toy Story.
After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts, Ranft worked at Disney throughout the 1980s doing story
work on animated features including The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast before joining Pixar in 1992. He
worked on story development for all of Pixar's feature film releases, most recently as Head of Story on Cars.
1890:
Animation giant & film director Myron "Grim" Natwick is born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. He worked for all the major studios of the classic era including Fleischer Studios where he created Betty Boop. At Disney Natwick worked on such shorts as The Cookie Carnival, Broken Toys and Mickey's Fire Brigade, was a key player in the creation of Snow White, and assisted in the animation of Mickey Mouse in Fantasia. He lived to be an amazing 100-years-old thus becoming known as "the man who lived the entire history of animation"!
1934:
Child actor Donnie Dunagan, one of the many voices of Bambi in the Disney's 1942 classic "Bambi," is born in San Antonio, Texas. He provided the voice of young Bambi - which wound up being his final film role. He was also chosen by Walt to be the facial model for the Disney artists who handled the baby deer’s expressions. Horror fans may remember Dunagan as young Peter von Frankenstein in the 1939 horror film "Son of Frankenstein." In 1952, at the age of 18, Dunagan enlisted in the Marine Corps and later served three tours in Vietnam. For his service, he received a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Today he is a retired United States Marine Corps major.
Walt and Lillian Disney arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii aboard the Matson liner Lurline. Walt's arrival in the islands will be big news, rating a headline at the top of the Advertiser's August 17 front page, accompanied by photos of both he and Lillian.
1943:
Sharon Baird, a member of the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club (for
all 4 years), is born in Seattle, Washington. She also appeared on the 2001
television special Walt: The Man Behind the Myth.
1954:
Disney's True-Life Adventure The Vanishing Prairie, directed by James Algar, is
released in New York City. The film explores the incredible plant and animal life of the vast American
prairie, which stretches from Mississippi to Colorado, and reviews the now-extinct animals that flourished on the prairies before the arrival of Europeans. Narrated by Winston Hibler, The Vanishing Prairie will be generally
released the next day and later earn an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
1955:
Disneyland's Dumbo Flying Elephants opens in Fantasyland on the same day
the 14 Tomorrowland Boats are renamed Phantom Boats of Tomorrowland.
(Walt had originally hoped to have Dumbo ready on July 17, but the fiberglass
elephants only arrived about three weeks before opening day.)
1969:
Disneyland attendance hits a record 82,516 visitors!
Voice actress, singer, and jazz pianist Kate Higgins is born in Charlottesville,
Virginia. Since 2010, she has been the voice of Disney's Princess Aurora (a character originally seen
in Sleeping Beauty) for such animated shows and films as Sofia the First and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
1973:
Santa Rosa Land Company, Incorporated (which owns some of the Walt Disney World
Resort) changes its name to Walt Disney Travel Company, Incorporated.
1976:
TIME magazine features the article "Running Disney Walt's Way" in this week's issue.
2004:
Walt Disney World announces relief efforts for Central Florida families and
Cast Members impacted by Hurricane Charley.
Hurricane Charley has severely affected the state of Florida. There were eight direct fatalities, 16 indirect fatalities, and 792 injuries attributed to the storm.
The Disney Wonder
was built at
Fincantieri Shipyards in
Venice, Italy (the largest shipyard/naval
engineering complex in
the Mediterranean).
"Joe had a great passion for telling stories, and he told them better than anyone. He was funny, poignant, original, and he had an infallible sense for how to structure a story." -John Lasseter
2007:
The United States Post Office debuts a new set of four 41-cent Disney
character stamps at Disney World. Honoring the theme of magic, the stamps feature Dumbo &
Timothy Mouse, Peter Pan & Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse as "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and Aladdin & Genie.
Hollywood Records recording artists Aly & AJ perform at the House of
Blues in Downtown Disney, Florida.
1939:
Actress Carole Shelley, the voice of Amelia in Disney's 1970 The Aristocats, is born
in London, England. Her Disney credits also include Robin Hood, Hercules, and the live-action Jungle 2
Jungle. (Fans of classic TV will know her as Gwendolyn Pigeon on the series The Odd Couple.)
Mexican President Avila Camacho announces his selection of four American
film producers to receive the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle (the highest decoration awarded to foreigners by the Mexican government). Walt Disney, along
with Louis B. Mayer, James Fitzpatrick and Francis Alstock have been chosen to receive the medal (given
to luminaries as a reward for services to humankind or Mexico).
1985:
Disney's 1979 feature The Black Hole is released to
U.S. theaters for a third time. A science fiction film directed by
Gary Nelson for Walt Disney Productions, The Black Hole stars
Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux,
Anthony Perkins, and Ernest Borgnine.
AUGUST 16
THIS DAY
MADE IN
THE USA
AUGUST 16
1968:
Former Vice President Richard Nixon and his family visit Disneyland. (At this time
Nixon is running for president.) Because of their close proximity to Anaheim, the Nixon family have been frequent visitors to Disneyland ever since August 1955.
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"Joe (Ranft) is the very best story man ever and the best human being I've known in animation. He is mentor, friend and inspiration to all of us who do this job."
-story artist, story supervisor, character designer, & illustrator Ronnie del Carmen
Fess Parker born
In memory of Joe Ranft (1960-2005)
| ||||
Today is Roller Coaster Day
(first patented on this day in 1898).
1958:
At Disneyland, a motorized fire truck is added to Main Street, U.S.A.'s fleet of vehicles.
Actress Angela Bassett is born in New York City. Her Disney/Touchstone film credits include the animated "Soul" (2020) as the voice of Dorothea Williams, the adventure "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale" (2000) as the voice of Groove, the sports comedy "Mr. 3000" (2004) as Maureen 'Mo' Simmons, the animated "Meet the Robinsons" (2007) as the voice of Mildred, the superhero film "Black Panther" (2018) as Ramonda (the stepmother of Black Panther), and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) returning to the role of Ramonda. Her breakthrough portraying singer Tina Turner in Touchstone's biopic "What's Love Got to Do with It" (1993), won her a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her television credits include episodes of the ABC series "Alias" as CIA Director Hayden Chase. Bassett also had success in such feature films as "Boyz n the Hood" (1991), "Malcolm X" (1992), "Waiting to Exhale" (1995), "Vampire in Brooklyn" (1995), "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (1998), "Music of the Heart" (1999), and "Notorious" (2009). Her portrayal of Rosa Parks in the television film "The Rosa Parks Story" (2002) gained her a nomination for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress.
"For one, it was a character I had never played before, which is always important to me, to keep me sharp. But it was also the desire to be part of a well-written movie that has something really positive to say about families and about all the different ways there can be to make a family." -Bassett on her voice role in "Meet the Robinsons"
1946:
Actress Lesley Ann Warren, who made her big screen debut in Disney's 1967 live-
action The Happiest Millionaire, is born in New York City. Chosen by Walt Disney himself for
the role of Cordy, Warren also appeared in the 1968 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.
1924:
Actor Fess Parker, famous for his
Disney role of Davy Crockett, is
born in Fort Worth, Texas (though
he was raised in San Angelo).
Taking part in the grand opening of Disneyland
in 1955 (dressed as Crockett), Parker also
appeared on the 1955 TV special Dateline:
Disney, the prequel Davy Crockett and the
River Boat Pirates, and the feature films
The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho,
the Wagons!, and Old Yeller. He was
also one of many celebrities who took part in
Walt Disney World's three-day opening
festivities in October 1971. Parker was named
a Disney Legend in 1991. In January 1992
he left his handprints in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Disney-MGM Studios.
2012:
1963:
Voice actress Christine Cavanaugh is born in Layton, Utah. Known for her distinctive speaking style, her best know Disney voice role was Gosalyn Mallard in Darkwing Duck. She can also be heard in Aladdin, 101 Dalmatians: The Series, Recess, Hercules: The Animated Series, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Cavanaugh also guest starred on several TV shows including Salute Your Shorts, Cheers, Empty Nest, Wings, The X-Files, Everybody Loves Raymond, and ER, and had supporting roles in the feature films Soulmates and Jerry Maguire. The original voice of Chuckie Finster in Nickelodeon's Rugrats, Cavanaugh retired in 2001. Sadly, Christine Josephine Sandberg Cavanaugh passed at only age 51 in 2014.
1996:
Audio production begins on the Recess pilot episode, "The Break In." It will be used to
pitch the idea to Disney as a television series and ultimately become the first episode of season one in 1997.
August 16
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
1962:
Actor, comedian, writer, and director Steve Carell is born in Concord, Massachusetts.
He starred in Touchstone Pictures 2007 Dan in Real Life and Walt Disney Pictures 2014 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. (He is best known for his portrayal of gaffe-prone boss Michael Scott on the American version of the mockumentary The Office and for the Despicable Me series of animated films.)
1997:
Actress & singer Piper Curda is born in Tallahassee, Florida. She is known for her roles as Jasmine in the Disney Channel series I Didn't Do It, and as Alyssa in the Disney Channel Original Movie Teen Beach 2. Curda also had a recurring role in 5 episodes of A.N.T. Farm.
2015:
The 3rd and final day of the 2015 D23 Expo takes place in Anaheim, California.
Among today's presentations:
-It’s Game Time: Disney Interactive Takes the Stage
-Disney in Concert: A Silly Symphony Celebration
-The Shorts of Walt Disney Animation Studios: from Paperman to Prep & Landing, Feast to Frozen Fever
-Sounds Delightful: Disneyland Edition
-Frozen FANdemonium: A Musical Celebration!
-Celebrating Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club—60 Magical yEARS
-Disneyland: Fond Memories of the Past
The 2015 Teen Choice Awards ceremony is held in Los Angeles, California.
Among the winners:
-Choice Movie: Scene Stealer: Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America) – Avengers: Age of Ultron
-Choice TV Actor: Comedy: Ross Lynch (Austin) – Austin & Ally
2019:
Starting earlier than ever, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is held for the first time this season. Running through November 1, the parties are held on select nights at Magic Kingdom after the park closes from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Animator, voice actor, director, and writer Richard Williams passes away at age 86 in England. He was best known for serving as animation director on Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), for which he won two Academy Awards. Williams also voiced Droopy in Disney's 1989 short Tummy Trouble (one of many Roger Rabbit shorts).
Actor, director and screenwriter Peter Fonda passes away at age 79 in California. Son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda, Peter was a part of the counterculture of the 1960s. Best known for his role in the 1969 film Easy Rider, he played the part of Damien Blade in the 2007 Disney comedy Wild Hogs. He also supplied voices for 2 episodes of the animated Milo Murphy's Law.
1977:
Singer, dancer and actor Elvis Presley passes away suddenly at age 42 in Memphis, Tennessee. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King". The soundtrack for Disney's 2007 The Game Plan, features 4 of his best known songs: "Rubberneckin'," "Jailhouse Rock," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "Burning Love." In 1969, the Mellomen - a popular singing quartet founded by Thurl Ravenscroft and Max Smith - appeared with Elvis in the film The Trouble with Girls, as a gospel group called the Bible Singers. (Disney fans know Ravenscroft & Smith's voice-over work and singing voices from Disney films and park attractions.) Many of Presley's songs can also be heard in Disney's
Lilo & Stitch movies (as he is spoofed by Stitch several times).
2008:
Animator and television producer Jack Dunham passes away at age 97 in Canada. Hired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1932, he first worked on the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shorts. Dunham's later credits included Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fantasia. Leaving Disney in 1947, he moved to Canada where he enjoyed a career creating both animated and live action commercials in Toronto and Montreal.
1919:
Actress Jean Sincere is born in Mount Vernon, New York. She supplied the voice of
Mrs. Hogenson for the 2004 The Incredibles.
1915:
Actress Gloria Blondell, one of the many voices of Daisy Duck, is born in New York City.
First voiced by Clarence Nash (the voice of Donald Duck), Blondell took over Daisy starting with Donald's Crime
(1945), giving her a more "normal" female human voice. Blondell voiced Daisy in a further four shorts between 1945 and 1947, with her last being Donald's Dilemma (1947). Sister of popular actress Joan Blondell, Gloria performed in approximately two dozen Hollywood features. She passed at age 70 in 1986 in Santa Monica, California.
1927:
Film, stage, radio, and television actress Lois Nettleton is born in Oak Park, Illinois.
In her later years, she did several voice roles for Disney, such as Disney's House of Mouse and Mickey's House of Villains (as Maleficent), and the video game Herc's Adventures.
1930:
Film and TV actor Robert Culp is born in Oakland, California. He played Chet Loomis in "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" episode "Sammy, the Way-Out Seal," Calvin Bryson in the 1974 adventure film "The Castaway Cowboy," and Businessman in the 1996 comedy film "Spy Hard" (a Hollywood Pictures production). He also voiced Halcyon Renard in the animated TV series "Gargoyles." Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on "I Spy," a 1960s espionage television series in which co-star Bill Cosby and he played secret agents. Later in his career, Culp had a recurring role on the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" as Warren Whelan. He passed in March 2010 at age 79.
2011:
Radio Disney Jams: 15th Birthday Edition is released by Walt Disney Records.
