1925:
Bard's Glendale Theater in Los Angeles, California previews Disney's Alice comedy short Alice's Balloon Race. Alice and Julius enter a madcap balloon race where Julius does everything he can to keep their balloon afloat! (The short won't officially be released until February 15, 1926.)
1949:
Actress Teri Garr - who appears in the 1991 TV special The Best of Disney:
50 Years of Magic - is born in Lakewood, Ohio. A Disneyland Cast Member in her younger
days, Garr appeared in the 1994 Miramax Films comedy Ready to Wear. (Movie fans will recognize her from
such classics as Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Oh, God, Mr. Mom and Tootsie.)
1957:
The Disneyland television series presents "The Horse of the West." Rex Allen tells the story of Bay Lady, a quarter horse born on his ranch.
Author, illustrator, and filmmaker William Joyce is born in Louisiana. He has written
and illustrated over twenty-five children's books including Rolie Polie Olie and A Day with Wilbur Robinson.
Rolie Polie Olie was turned into an animated Disney Channel series (for which Joyce was awarded 3 Emmys).
The 2007 animated feature Meet the Robinsons is based on Joyce's 1993 book A Day with Wilbur Robinson.
1959:
The television series Walt Disney Presents features "Texas John Slaughter: Wild
Horse Revenge," the 8th of a 17-part miniseries starring Tom Tryon.
John Slaughter (Tryon) and his new friend, Kentucky horse breeder Ashley Carstairs (Darryl Hickman),
have managed to survive the ordeal of being stranded in the New Mexico desert. The experience has
strengthened Slaughter's resolve to capture the stallion leader of a valuable wild-horse herd -- provided
that Ashley does not blunder in releasing the stallion as he did before. Meanwhile, crooked rancher Jason Hemp
(John Vivyan) continues his efforts to rid the territory of Slaughter and his friend so that he can control the local
horse business himself.
1960:
The television series Walt Disney Presents airs "Daniel Boone And Chase the
Buffalo," the second episode of Disney's 4-part miniseries based on the life of the
famous frontiersman portrayed by Dewey Martin.
Screenwriter Chris Matheson is born in Beverly Hills, California. Best known for co-creating the Bill & Ted franchise, his Disney credits include A Goofy Movie and the Disney Channel original movie Stepsister from Planet Weird.
1963:
Disney's live-action feature film The Three Lives of Thomasina premieres. Starring
Patrick McGoohan, Susan Hampshire, and Laurence Naismith, the film tells the story of a cat named Thomasina
who brings a family together through her mysterious death and reappearance.
1966:
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs "Joker, the Amiable Ocelot."
Jim Benton (played by Robert Becker) salvages an old car he finds in the desert, not realizing that
it contains an unexpected guest ... a baby ocelot!
1976:
Disney airs the 1966 comedy Lt. Robinson Crusoe U.S.N. on television.
1982:
The television series Walt Disney airs "Winnie the Pooh and Friends" on CBS.
1988:
The television series The Magical World of Disney airs
"Disneyland's All-Star Comedy Circus."
1995:
The Disneyland Pacific Hotel - formerly the Pan Pacific Hotel - opens in Anaheim.
The hotel was originally built and owned by Japan-based Tokyu Group, and opened in 1984 as the Emerald of
Anaheim. It was renamed Pan Pacific Hotel, Anaheim in 1989 when Tokyu merged its Emerald and Pan Pacific
hotel divisions. Disney purchased the hotel from Tokyu in 1995 and renamed it Disneyland Pacific Hotel. The hotel is unique in the Western Hemisphere for being one of the few buildings to actually have a 13th floor - as opposed to the more common practice of going straight from 12 to 14. The Japanese don't consider 13 to be an unlucky number.
(In December 2000 it will be renamed the Paradise Pier Hotel.)
2003:
The Home Depot College Football Awards (broadcast on ESPN)
takes place at the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney World's BoardWalk.
Santa's Pin List, a holiday event, begins throughout the Disney
World theme parks and selected resorts.
2004:
Mickey's Magical Gathering, a brief show featuring Disney characters and
area performers appear for a free holiday gathering at Dallas' City Hall.
Walt Disney World features some
1300 plus decorated trees during
the Christmas season.
One 70-foot-tall tree takes
center stage in Disney's
Contemporary Resort entrance
lobby featuring nearly 35,800 white
LED lights.
The 45-foot-tall tree in the lobby of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge features authentic African decor
of handmade baskets and
reproductions of traditional
African masks.
1992:
Walt Disney Pictures releases The Muppet Christmas Carol - the fourth
feature film to star The Muppets, the first distributed by Disney, and the
first produced after the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson. The film is directed by
Jim Henson's son Brian and stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge.
2007:
Actor Lucas Grabeel appears on Live with Regis and Kelly to promote today's
release of High School Musical 2 on DVD.
Walt Disney Home Entertainment also releases three new 2-Disc DVD volumes -
The Adventures of Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, Chronological Donald, Volume 3,
and Disneyland: Secrets, Stories and Magic.
Travel Channel airs Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown for the first time.
Brown explores the holiday celebrations at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Nominations for the 13th Critics Choice Awards are announced:
Best Actress: Amy Adams – Enchanted
Best Animated Feature: Ratatouille
Best Comedy Film: Dan in Real Life
Best Composer: Alan Menken – Enchanted
Best Family Film: Enchanted
Best Song: "That's How You Know" (performed by Amy Adams) – Enchanted
Winners will be announced January 7, 2008.
DECEMBER 11
Today is National Noodle Ring Day
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
DECEMBER 11
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"Almost everything in 'A Day With Wilbur Robinson' has some basis in truth. And yes, my sister did pay me to feed her grapes while she talked to her boyfriend on the phone." -William Joyce
2009:
The Princess and the Frog, produced by Walt Disney
Animation Studios and loosely based on E.D. Baker's
novel "The Frog Princess" and the Grimm brothers'
"The Frog Prince," is generally released. The 49th animated
feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics and the first theatrically
released 2D animated movie by Disney since 2004's Home on the Range,
The Princess and the Frog features the voice of Tony Award-winning singer
and actress Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana. Set in 1910 New Orleans,
hardworking and ambitious, Tiana dreams of one day opening the finest
restaurant in town. Her dream takes a slight detour when she meets Prince
Naveen, who has been turned into a frog by evil Dr. Facilier. The voice
cast includes Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Keith David as Dr. Facilier,
Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis (a 19 year old friendly, neurotic, trumpet-
playing obese alligator), Jim Cummings as Ray (a 14 year old Cajun firefly),
and Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie (a blind 197-year-old voodoo priestess).
DEC
"Ed Catmull and I, the day I returned to the Walt Disney Animation Studios,
said that we wanted to bring back John Musker and Ron Clements. So, once we brought them back,
I empowered them to come up with their own project. I mentioned to them one idea that I had,
just a nugget of an idea at Pixar. I love the story of “The Frog Prince,” and I
love New Orleans." -John Lasseter
2010:
An entire block of Hollywood Blvd. is virtually transformed into the computer
world of grids and gladiators for the premiere of Tron: Legacy at
Disney's El Capitan Theater. (The sci-fi sequel opens December 17.)
1956:
Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen appear on the ABC-TV series Mickey Mouse Club.
Today is Guest Star Day. Parker and Ebsen are currently enjoying success as the stars of Disney's
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.
1998:
The comedy-drama Rushmore, a Touchstone Pictures feature film released
by Buena Vista Pictures, opens for a week at single theaters in New York City
and Los Angeles. About an eccentric teenager named Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), his friendship
with rich industrialist Herman Blume (Bill Murray), and their mutual love for elementary school teacher
Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), the film will open in wide release in February 1999.
December 11
2012:
The French restaurant Monsieur Paul opens in the France Pavilion at Epcot’s
World Showcase. It replaces the Bistro de Paris, which closed on July 31, 2012,
after being open since 1984.
Nominations for the 18th Critics Choice Awards are announced. Among the nominees:
-Best Picture: Lincoln
-Best Director: Steven Spielberg – Lincoln
-Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln as Abraham Lincoln
-Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln as Thaddeus Stevens
-Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field – Lincoln as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln
-Best Acting Ensemble: Lincoln
-Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony Kushner – Lincoln
-Best Animated Feature: Wreck-It Ralph, Brave and Frankenweenie
-Best Action Movie: The Avengers
-Best Actor in an Action Movie: Robert Downey Jr. – The Avengers as Tony Stark / Iron Man
-Best Art Direction: Rick Carter (Production Designer) and Jim Erickson (Set Decorator) – Lincoln
-Best Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński – Lincoln
-Best Costume Design: Joanna Johnston – Lincoln
-Best Editing: Michael Kahn – Lincoln
-Best Makeup: Lincoln
-Best Score: John Williams – Lincoln
-Best Song: "Learn Me Right" – performed by Birdy with Mumford & Sons/written by Mumford & Sons – Brave
-Best Visual Effects: The Avengers
-Favorite Film Franchise: Star Wars and Toy Story
The 18th Critics' Choice Awards will be presented on January 10, 2013.
2016:
Disney's 2013 animated film blockbuster Frozen makes its network TV premiere on
ABC-TV’s Wonderful World of Disney. It is followed by the documentary The Making of "Frozen":
A Return to Arendelle.
The 22nd Critics' Choice Awards take place in California. Winners include-
-Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book
-Best Animated Feature: Zootopia
"Revenge of the Past," the last episode of the Disney Channel series Best Friends Whenever airs. Running for only 2 seasons, the series starred Landry Bender and Lauren Taylor as Oregon teens Cyd & Shelby, who had the ability to travel through time. The cast also included Gus Kamp, Ricky Garcia, and twins Benjamin Cole & Matthew Lewis Royer.
2017:
Nominations for the 75th Golden Globe Awards are announced. Among the nominations:
-Best Original Song: "Remember Me" (from Coco)
-Best Animated Feature: Coco
Winners will be announced January 7, 2018, from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
2014:
The nominations for the 72nd Golden Globe Awards are announced.
Among the nominees:
-Best Picture - Musical or Comedy: Into the Woods
-Best Actress - Musical or Comedy: Emily Blunt (Into the Woods)
-Best Supporting Actress - Motion Pictures: Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
-Best Animated Feature: Big Hero 6
Winners will be announced January 11, 2015 from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
2005:
The 2005 Radio Disney Music Awards are held at the Radio Disney studios. Winners include-
-Best Female Artist: Hilary Duff
-Best Male Artist: Jesse McCartney
-Best Actress Turned Singer: Raven-Symoné
-Best Song: "Wake Up" – Hilary Duff
-Best Soundtrack Song: "Shake a Tail Feather" – Cheetah Girls (The Cheetah Girls)
-Best TV Movie Song: "Rush" – Aly & AJ (Twitches)
-Best TV Show Song: "Follow Me" – Jamie Lynn Spears (Zoey 101)
-Best Song You Can't Believe Your Parents Know the Words To: "Do You Believe in Magic" – Aly & AJ
-Best Song to Listen to on the Way to School: "Walking on Sunshine" – Aly & AJ
-Most Stylish Singer: Amanda Bynes
2006:
The Radio Disney Awards are held at the Radio Disney, Burbank, California.
Among the 21 winners-
-Best Female Artist: Miley Cyrus
-Best Male Artist: Jesse McCartney
-Best Group: The Cheetah Girls
-Best Group Made of Brothers / Sisters: Aly & AJ
-Best Song: "The Best of Both Worlds" – Miley Cyrus
Nominees for the 12th Critics' Choice Awards are announced. Among the nominations:
-Best Animated Feature: Cars
-Best Family Film: High School Musical & Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
-Best Soundtrack: "Cars"
Winners will be announced January 20, 2007.
1985:
Actress Karla Souza is born in Mexico. She is known for her role as Laurel Castillo on the ABC-TV legal drama series How To Get Away With Murder.
2020:
The biographical sports drama film Safety, based on the story of Ray McElrathbey (a football player who battled family adversity to join the Clemson Tigers), begins streaming on Disney+. The cast includes Jay Reeves as Ray McElrathbey, Javien Jackson as Young Ray, Thaddeus J. Mixson as Fahmarr McElrathbey, and Corinne Foxx as Kaycee Stone. Eighteen-year-old Ray puts his football scholarship on the line when he steps up to secretly take custody of his 11-year-old little brother after their mother enters an extended stay at a drug rehab facility.
Also debuting on Disney+ is High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special.
Starring Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Matt Cornett, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini, Mark St. Cyr, and Kate Reinders, the holiday special features performances of the cast’s favorite holiday songs.
1979:
Actor, producer, director and screenwriter Rider Strong is born in San Francisco, California. Best known for his role as Shawn Hunter on the 1990s ABC sitcom Boy Meets World and its Disney Channel 2010s sequel Girl Meets World, his television voice credits include Hercules, Kim Possible, and Star vs. the Forces of Evil.
