1998:
Town Square Exhibition Hall, which houses the Camera Center (hosted by Kodak),
opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. (Today the spot is known as The Town
Square Theater - but still the home to the Camera Center, hosted by Kodak.)
"Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking."
-Mary Poppins (World Premiere This Day in Disney History 1964)
1934:
Fifteen months after its release, Disney's short Three Little Pigs has grossed $150,000. (A movie theater ticket sells for about 5 cents.)
1950:
Funnyman/actor Charles Fleischer - best known as the voice of Roger
Rabbit - is born in Washington, D.C. Actually, he is the voice of both Roger Rabbit and
Benny The Cab in Disney & Amblin Entertainment's 1988 live action/animated hybrid film Who Framed
Roger Rabbit. Fleischer also portrayed Crazy Larry who could be spotted on the TV monitors as guests waited in line for Walt Disney World's Space Mountain. His Disney TV credits include House of Mouse, Buzz Lightyear of
Star Command, and the Disney Channel movie Genius. Fleischer also supplied the voice of Quiz Challenge
Host for "Walt Disney World Explorer," a 1996 interactive computer game.
1952:
Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman), the voice of REX the Star Tours pilot for the
original Star Tours theme park attractions, is born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill, New York (though he was raised in Florida). Joining the Los Angeles troupe the Groundlings in the 1970s, he started his career as an improvisational comedian & stage actor while developing the character Pee-wee Herman. The success of the character led to TV appearances, major motion pictures, and merchandising. Reubens' Disney voice credits included Fife for "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas," Dennis in "Teacher's Pet," and Lock for "The Nightmare Before Christmas." He also voiced Pavel for 17 episodes of the animated science fiction TV series "Tron: Uprising," the Milkman for 3 episodes of the Disney XD series "Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero," and Couch Dracula for 2 episodes of "Pickle and Peanut." Reubens had a small role in the 1980 comedy "Midnight Madness," produced by Walt Disney Productions, and provided the voice of Max for Walt Disney Pictures' 1986 science fiction adventure "Flight of the Navigator." Sharing a birthday with comic Charles Fleischer, it was Reubens who provided the voice for Roger Rabbit (doing his Pee Wee Herman voice) for very early animated tests of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" back in 1983 (before the role went to Fleischer). Reubens's Pee-wee character maintained an enduring popularity with both children and adults. Sadly, he passed at age 70 in July 2023.
1955:
The Mickey Mouse Club Theatre opens in Disneyland's Fantasyland.
The air-conditioned theatre will present various Disney cartoons, and at one point be the home
to the 3D Jamboree featuring the multi-dimensional Mouseketeers in color. (In 1964, it will be
renamed the Fantasyland Theatre.)
1964:
Disney's live-action and animated film Mary Poppins has a lavish world
premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The comedy-musical stars
Julie Andrews (who will win an Academy Award for Best Actress) and Dick Van Dyke. (The film
will also win Academy Awards for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Song, and Best
Special Visual Effect.) Some of Hollywood's biggest stars, like Angie Dickinson, George Hamilton,
Angela Lansbury, Carl Reiner, and Debbie Reynolds are in attendance. After the screening (and a 5-minute
standing ovation) the audience moves on to an elegant party hosted by the Technicolor Corporation.
1968:
Disney turns down the final attempt of master animator Bill Tytla (noted for his animation of Grumpy in Snow White) to get his old job back. Tytla even offers to work on spec on a test to get back in - but unfortunately there isn't enough work at this time for even the current animators at Disney. He had resigned from the Disney Studio back on February 24, 1943 - something he regretted for the rest of his life. (Sadly, Tytla will pass away the following December at age 64.)
2006:
The top 10 water parks in the U.S. are announced. Disney World's Blizzard Beach
(at number 6) and Typhoon Lagoon (at number 9) are included on the select list.
The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los
Angeles, California. High School Musical is awarded Outstanding Children's Program. Although "Get'cha
Head In The Game" and "Breaking Free" from High School Musical are nominated for Outstanding Original
Music and Lyrics, the Emmy goes to "A Wonderfully Normal Day" from Mad TV. Outstanding Choreography is
awarded to Kenny Ortega, Charles Klopow, and Bonnie Story for High School Musical.
1963:
Harry James (popular band leader-trumpet virtuoso) and his orchestra perform at Disneyland for the first of a six-day engagement.
Disneyland's 5-ton, 10-foot high
petrified tree stump in
Frontierland was an
"anniversary present" that Walt
jokingly gave to his wife,
Lillian. She later donated the
tree to the park, where it was
given its spot overlooking
the Rivers of America.
2004:
Disney Channel first airs "Doggie Daycare," the thirteenth Phil of the Future episode.
1948:
The Donald Duck short Inferior Decorator, directed by Jack Hannah, is released. It features the debut appearance of a bee named Spike (also known as Buzz-Buzz).
1943:
The Disney short Reason and Emotion is released. A World War II propaganda short, it studies
the conflict in the mind between Reason, shown to be sensible, and Emotion - shown to be primitive and out of
control. Animated by Ward Kimball and Ollie Johnson, It will be nominated for an Oscar.
1908:
Lyndon Baines Johnson, the thirty-sixth United States President, is
born near Stonewall, Texas. In 1964 he presented Walt Disney with the Medal of
Freedom, the nation's highest civil honor. Four years later Johnson presented a Congressional
Gold Medal to Walt's widow in honor of his distinguished public service. Visit President Johnson
and all the U.S. Chief Executives at Disney World's The Hall of Presidents.
AUGUST 27
THIS DAY
MADE IN
THE USA
AUGUST 27
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2009:
After beating out hundreds of applicants from more than a
dozen countries, Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos (from New
York City) begin the Orlando/Orange County Convention &
Visitors Bureau’s 67 Days of Smiles. Named Orlando’s Smile
Ambassadors, the duo are awarded $25,000, put up in a luxury condo at The
Paramount on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, and are provided with a Dollar
Rent A Car. Kyle and Stacey will experience more than 120 Orlando attractions and events; produce hundreds of tweets, Facebook updates & pictures, and write more than 160 blog posts before serving as Grand Marshalls in a parade at the Magic Kingdom on November 1. (The Orlando CVB created the Smile Ambassador positions to launch their social media sites and showcase the diversity of experiences Orlando has to offer.)
2002:
Walt Disney Records releases Monsters Inc. Scream Factory Favorites, featuring
Riders in the Sky.
Saturate, the debut album by American alternative rock band Breaking Benjamin,
is released on Disney's Hollywood Records.
Also released on Hollywood is Into Your Head, the second studio album by the English pop music group BBMak and Painting The Corners: The Best of Fastball, a compilation album by the rock band Fastball.
1993:
Disney's Hollywood Studios releases "Father Hood" a comedy-drama starring Patrick
Swayze and Halle Berry. En route to a robbery and desperate to see his kids, Jack Charles (Swayze) grabs them from foster care only to later discover that crime and parenting don't mix. The cast includes Sabrina Lloyd, Brian Bonsall, Michael Ironside, Diane Ladd, and Adrienne Barbeau.
World Premiere of Mary Poppins
Charles Fleischer born
1931:
Disney's Silly Symphony Egyptian Melodies is released. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, a
curious spider explores the creepy interior of an Egyptian tomb, causing mummies and strange wall
paintings to spring to life!
1988:
The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film A Friendship in Vienna. Featuring Jane Alexander and Ed Asner, the film tells the story of two school girls - one Jewish and one from a family who are strong Nazi sympathizers - who are close friends in 1938 Vienna. Their relationship holds fast even as the persecution of Jews grows. It will be nominated for a Primetime Emmy.
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1976:
Actress Sarah Chalke is born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She supplied the voice of
Maggie for Disney's Prep & Landing holiday television specials. She also appeared in the Touchstone
Pictures 1994 feature Ernest Goes to School. (Fans of TV's Scrubs will know Chalke as Dr. Elliot Reid.)
2011:
Hurricane Irene, which is on track to hit the New York area with gale force winds in
the neighborhood of 100 miles an hour, triggers the cancellation of all shows on Broadway (for Saturday & Sunday) including Mary Poppins and The Lion King.
Disney Theatrical Productions makes the decision to cancel the performances "in the interest of its patrons' and staff'’s safety" following the announcement of the impending suspension of all public transportation in
New York City.
August 27
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
2013:
Los Angeles County supervisors vote unanimously to allow the construction of a
major high-tech television and film production facility on a sprawling ranch near
Santa Clarita, California, that Walt Disney chose as a backdrop for many of his
studio’s productions. The proposal by Walt Disney Co.'s Disney/ABC unit would develop 58 acres of the
890-acre Golden Oak Ranch in the northwestern portion of the county, adding more than a half-million square
feet of studio space.
Super Buddies, a direct-to-DVD family film, directed by Robert Vince and produced by Anna McRoberts, is released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. It is the 7th
and final installment in the Air Buddies franchise. Five pups (the Buddies) find five magical rings that give them unique super powers. They must use them to help stop a power hungry extra-terrestrial warlord. The voice cast
includes Cooper Roth, Tim Conway, Amy Sedaris, and Debra Jo Rupp.
1989:
Actor and tenor/baritone singer William Jesse "Bill" Shirley passes away at age 68
in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the speaking and singing voice of Prince Phillip in Disney's
1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty, he also dubbed Jeremy Brett's singing voice for the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Before Sleeping Beauty was released, Shirley and Mary Costa (the voice of Princess Aurora) performed together at the Hollywood Bowl on a Disney themed night in 1958.
1999:
Touchstone Pictures releases the historical fiction action film The 13th Warrior (based
on Michael Crichton's novel "Eaters of the Dead"). A man, having fallen in love with the wrong
woman, is sent by the sultan himself on a diplomatic mission to a distant land as an ambassador. Stopping at a
Viking village port to restock on supplies, he finds himself unwittingly embroiled in a quest to banish a mysterious
threat in a distant Viking land. The film stars Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Vladimir Kulich, and Dennis Storhøi.
Season 2 of So Weird debuts on Disney Channel with the episode "Medium." The series centers on teenage girl Fiona "Fi" Phillips (played by Cara DeLizia) who tours with her rock star mom (Mackenzie Phillips), and encounters paranormal activity along the way.
1922:
Actress Cate Bauer is born in London, England. She is best known for voicing the character Perdita in Disney's animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).
1969:
Actress and director Chandra Wilson is born in Houston, Texas. She is known for her
role as Dr. Miranda Bailey on the ABC television drama Grey's Anatomy.
1991:
Actress and classical ballerina Kasha Kropinski is born in South Africa. She voiced the puppy Penny in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure and Miss Holly in Disney’s Prep and Landing holiday special.
1997:
Animator Dick N. Lucas passes away at age 77 in California. As a character animator, writer and effects animator, his credits included Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, The Aristocats, The Rescuers, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, and The Fox and the Hound.
2019:
Disney's 1992 Aladdin is released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray as a two-disc combo pack.
