2004:
The Kansas City Star reports that a museum honoring Walt Disney is to be created on the site of his old Laugh-O-Gram Studios in Kansas City.
The Koala Brothers, a new addition to Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney, debuts. The show is animated using plasticine, clay-like figures and traditional stop-motion techniques.
"I won't play down to children, and I won't patronize them." -Walt Disney
1905:
Character actor Charles Lane, the voice of Georges Hautecourt in Disney's animated The Aristocats, is born in San Francisco, California. Lane's live-action Disney credits include The Ugly Daschund (1966), The Gnome-Mobile (1967) and the 1995 TV remake of The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. (Movie fans will recognize Lane from his roles in such classics as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, and It's a Wonderful Life.)
1918:
Character actor Vito Scotti is born in San Francisco, California (though
he will spend his early years in Naples, Italy). His Disney film credits include
Herbie Goes Bananas, Herbie Rides Again, Napoleon and Samantha, The World's Greatest
Athlete, The Boatniks, and The Aristocats (as the voice of Peppo the Italian cat). His Disney
Touchstone television credits include episodes of Zorro, The Golden Girls, and Empty Nest.
Scotti's ability to assume so many divergent parts in more than 200 screen roles, kept his nearly 50 year
career filled with playing everything from a Mexican bandit, and Russian doctor, to a Japanese sailor.
1925:
Screen legend Paul Newman, the voice of Doc Hudson for the 2006
Disney/Pixar animated feature Cars, is born in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
He also supplied the voice of Doc Hudson for a Cars video game and the short Mater and the
Ghostlight. Unused recordings of Newman originally recorded for Cars were used for Doc
Hudson in the 2017 Cars 3 (as Newman passed in 2008). A celebrated actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and auto racing enthusiast, Newman was also a co-founder of Newman's Own, a food company which donates all post-tax profits and royalties to charity. His film credits also include the 1986 Touchstone blockbuster hit The Color of Money, in which Newman revived his role of pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson (which won him the Academy Award for Best Actor).(Movie fans remember Newman from such features as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Harry & Son, The Verdict, The Towering Inferno, The Sting, and Cool Hand Luke.)
1955:
Disney's second Davy Crockett episode "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress" airs on
ABC's Disneyland. In this second of five episodes of the Crockett trilogy, Davy, George and their families
settle in Tennessee. (The U.S. is in the midst of a Crockett frenzy.)
1993:
Disneyland's newest section Toontown, is dedicated by Michael Eisner and actor Harry Anderson (Toontown's honorary mayor).
1994:
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin debuts in Disneyland's Mickey's Toontown.
The dark ride (inspired by the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit) contains 16 Audio-Animatronics, 59 animated
props, and 20 special effects. It is the first ride-thru attraction which allows guests to take control of their
vehicles while following a track.
1995:
The Walt Disney Company announces that earnings have grown 31 percent in its fiscal first quarter. The company's investment in Euro Disney resulted in income of $27.9 million, reflecting a gain of $55 million from the sale of approximately 75 million shares to Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
1998:
Ranch and Grove Holding Corporation (which has owned some of the land in the Walt Disney World Resort since 1972) is merged into the Walt Disney World Company.
2001:
Disney Channel debuts the Lizzie McGuire episode
"When Moms Attack," starring Hillary Duff.
2002:
Disney's Saturday Morning Movies continues at the El Capitan Theater with the showing of Pinocchio. Guests are invited to dress as their favorite Disney character from the film.
1992:
At Super Bowl XXVI (in Minneapolis) quarterback Mark Rypien of the Washington Redskins declares "I'm going to Disney World!"
following his team's win over the Buffalo Bills, 37–24.
1997:
At Super Bowl XXXI (in New Orleans) Green Bay Packers kick returner/punt returner Desmond Howard shouts "I'm going to Disney World!" after his team's 35-21 win over the New England Patriots.
2003:
At Super Bowl XXXVII (in San Diego) Jon Gruden and Brad Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers proclaim "We're going to Disneyland!" following their team's 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders.
Following the game (broadcast on ABC), the new nightly hour-long show Jimmy Kimmel Live! debuts. Produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios (formerly Touchstone Television), it features comedian Jimmy Kimmel. The show is shot next door to LA's famed El Capitan Theatre.
Lizzie McGuire was a popular
teen sitcom which aired on the
Disney Channel. Starring Hilary
Duff, the original 65
episodes aired
between January 2001
and February 2004.
The series won
Favorite TV Show at the
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice
Awards two years
in a row in 2002
and 2003.
1991:
Actress Falisha Fehoko, one of the Brainiac Dancers on Disney Channel's High School Musical, is born.
2008:
The DGA Awards are presented by Directors Guild of America in Los
Angeles, California. Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs is given to
Paul Hoen for Disney Channel's Jump In! (beating out Kenny Ortega for High School Musical 2).
2007:
During a press conference at Walt Disney World Resort, plans for an attraction called
Toy Story Mania! are announced. Later called Toy Story Midway Mania!, it will first open at Disney's
Hollywood Studios in May 2008, followed by a version at Disney's California Adventure in June.
1938:
Disney's first full length animated feature Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs is released in Argentina.
 | ||||
Charles Lane born
JANUARY 26
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
Maiden Voyage of Disney Dream
2009:
The newly designed Disney Dollars are released. With a new design to coincide with this year’s theme, “What will you celebrate?” - the currency is available in $1, $5 and $10 denominations.
| ||||
| ||||
1958:
Emmy Award-winning stand-up comedienne, television hostess and
actress Ellen DeGeneres is born in Metairie, Louisiana. She is the voice of
Dory (a fish with short-term memory loss) for the 2003 animated Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo
and the 2016 sequel Finding Dory. For her performance in Finding Nemo, DeGeneres won the
Saturn Award (from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films) for Best Supporting Actress; Favorite
Voice from an Animated Movie from the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards; and the Annie Award (from the International
Animated Film Association) for Outstanding Voice Acting. DeGeneres also played Martha Alston in the 1996
Touchstone Pictures film Mr. Wrong and Ellen Morgan in her own ABC-TV sitcom Ellen. Starting in 1996 DeGeneres
hosted Ellen's Energy Adventure (one time known as Ellen's Energy Crisis) located in the Universe of Energy at
Epcot. The show revolved around DeGeneres falling asleep and finding herself in an energy-themed version
of Jeopardy!. Ellen’s Energy Adventure had its final day of operation in August 2017. After the closing, she
jokingly mentioned that she wanted the Audio-Animatronic robot of herself that was featured in the attraction. To celebrate her birthday, the writers (of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show") tracked down the robot from Ellen’s Energy Adventure and presented it to her on the air in January 2018.
| ||||
SEASON 1 EPISODE 14
1977:
The Mousketeers learn how to fly a glider in episode eight of The New
Mickey Mouse Club. Mouseketeers Lisa sings the title song "Go Where the Wind Blows" on this
Surprise Day, which also features clips from the animated film Dumbo.
1945:
Disney's Donald Duck short The Clock Watcher is released. Directed by Jack King, Donald takes a job as a gift wrapper in a department store.
1972:
"Vacations," the first episode of a new series created by Ward Kimball titled The
Mouse Factory, airs on television. Hosted by a different celebrity guest each week, The Mouse
Factory features clips from various Disney cartoons and movies. This day's episode is hosted by Charles Nelson
Reilly who discusses diastrous vacations, with Donald Duck.
January 26 is Australia Day
1990:
Disney releases 3 educational films under their Wonders of Life series. These 11-minute
videos for young children (grades K-6), include The Bones & Muscles Get Rhythm, The Brain & Nervous System
Think Science, and The Heart & Lungs Play Ball.
2011:
After several years of planning, construction and preparation, the Disney Dream
sets sail on her 4-night maiden voyage to the Bahamas. The Smolsky family of Leesburg,
Virginia (Matt, Alison and their three children) are the first guests to step aboard.
JAN
JAN
JANUARY 26
January 26
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
2014:
Idina Menzel, who voiced Elsa in Disney's Frozen, records the song "When You
Wish Upon A Star" in a New York City studio. The version will be used in Disney's iconic Super
Bowl advertisement (to air in February). This makes Menzel the first contemporary artist to perform "When You
Wish Upon a Star" in the Disney Parks Super Bowl ad.
Actress Margery Mason passes away at age 100 in London, England. Her only Disney
credit was a small part in the 1996 live-action 101 Dalmatians. Harry Potter fans may recognize her from the
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
January 26 is Peanut Brittle Day
2015:
Filming begins in New Zealand for Disney's Pete's Dragon a remake
of the 1977 film. Scheduled to be released in August 2016, the cast includes
Oakes Fegley as Pete, John Kassir as the voice of Elliott the Dragon, and
veteran film star Robert Redford as Mr. Meacham.
1981:
Actor & musician Colin O'Donoghue is born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.
He is best known for portraying Captain Killian "Hook" Jones on the ABC-TV series Once Upon a Time.
2020:
Composer John Williams wins Best Instrumental Composition for his "Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite" at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
Hong Kong Disneyland joins Shanghai Disneyland in closing indefinitely amid the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 50, infected thousands and restricted millions from traveling to China tourist destinations during the Lunar New Year holiday.
1960:
Animator and comic artist Riley Thomson passes away at age 47 in California. Starting at Disney in 1936, he first worked on Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies, and Donald Duck short films. This was followed by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia (1940). Thomson then moved to the story department where he became a writer and director. He directed the short films Put-Put Troubles (1940), The Little Whirlwind (1941), The Nifty Nineties (1941), the 1941 remake of Orphans' Benefit, Mickey's Birthday Party (1942), and Symphony Hour (1942). In 1950, Thomson moved into the field of comics, working for Western Publishing drawing Disney comics.
2012:
Actor & comedian Ian Abercrombie passes away at age 77 in California. He voiced Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious in the 2008 film The Clone Wars, the television continuation, and two spin-off video games (Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes and Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels). Fans of Disney Channel's Wizard of Waverly Place know him as Professor Crumbs. Best known for playing Justin Pitt (Elaine Benes' boss) during the sixth season of Seinfeld, Abercrombie also appeared in an episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives.
2017:
ABC-TV debuts season 6 of the political thriller Scandal.
2021:
Disney Books releases "City of Villains" by Estelle Laure. Disney’s Villains meet Gotham in this gritty fairy tale-inspired crime series.
Actress Cloris Leachman, Nurse Spex in Disney's 2005 live-action feature Sky High, passes away at age 94 in California. Her Disney credits included The North Avenue Irregulars (1979) as Claire Porter, Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) as Aunt Louise, a 2009 episode of Phineas and Ferb, and 3 episodes of Elena of Avalor. Leachman also co-starred in the short-lived Touchstone/Disney sitcom The Nutt House (created by Mel Brooks) as Ms. Frick. An eight-time Emmy Award winner, Leachman was best known for her role on the classic TV sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later the spinoff series, Phyllis. She also appeared in such Brooks films as Young Frankenstein and History of the World, Part I. (As she passes in her sleep, the announcement of her death won't be made until the next day, January 27.)
"Such sad news—Cloris was insanely talented. She could make you laugh or cry at the drop of a hat. Always such a pleasure to have on set. Every time I hear a horse whinny I will forever think of Cloris’ unforgettable Frau Blücher. She is irreplaceable, and will be greatly missed." - Mel Brooks
1987:
Composer Charles Wolcott passes away at age 80 in Israel. Born in Michigan, USA, he was known for his work on Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Song of the South, and Fun and Fancy Free. Leaving Hollywood in 1960, he devoted the rest of his life to the U.S. Baha’i Assembly in Israel.
