2005:
Robert B. Sherman and his brother Richard M. Sherman are inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame. They have written tunes for such Disney features as The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and The Tigger Movie. Their theme park music includes There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for the Carousel of Progress and It's A Small World for the attraction of the same name.
1931:
Actress Joan Marshall, whose Disney credits include the live-action featuresThe Happiest Millionaire and The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, is born in Chicago, Illinois.
1934:
Donald Duck makes his very first film appearance in The Wise Little Hen,
a Silly Symphony short
by Walt Disney.
Donald's appearance in this cartoon, as created by
animator Dick Lundy, is similar to his modern
look except his features are more elongated, his body
plumper, and his feet bigger. The short features the voices
of Clarence Nash as Donald Duck, Pinto Colvig as Peter
Pig and Florence Gill as the Wise Little Hen.
1939:
The Donald Duck short Beach Picnic is released. This cartoon features a
frustrated Donald & Pluto dealing with a rubber sea horse named Sylvester and a marauding tribe of Red Indian ants!
1961:
Actor Michael J. Fox, the voice of Milo James Thatch in Disney's 2001 release
Atlantis: The Lost Empire, is born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He also supplied the voice
for Chance in Disney's 1993 live-action feature Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and can be heard in a
2011 episode of Phineas and Ferb. (Fox's most famous roles include Marty McFly from the Back to the Future
trilogy, Alex P. Keaton from Family Ties, and Mike Flaherty from Spin City.)
1963:
Actor Johnny Depp, the star of Disney's live-action Pirates of the Caribbean series of films (as Jack Sparow) and the 2010 Alice in Wonderland (as the Mad Hatter), is born in Owensboro, Kentucky.
He revived the Mad Hatter for the 2016 film Alice Through the Looking Glass, and portrayed The Big Bad Wolf in the 2014 Into the Woods, Tonto in the 2013 The Lone Ranger, J.M. Barrie in the 2004 Miramax feature Finding Neverland, and filmmaker Ed Wood in Touchstone Pictures' 1994 Ed Wood. (First rising to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, the award-winning Depp has appeared in such feature films as What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Sleepy Hollow, & Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.)
1984:
Laserphonic Fantasy, a show at Disney's EPCOT, begins. (The show is essentially a less sophisticated version of Illuminations, without the spotlighting of individual countries.)
Donald Duck and Clarence Nash (the voice of Donald) lead a ticker-tape parade through Disneyland. The event (which includes balloons, bands, singers, dancers and a host of his Disney character pals) celebrates 50 years since Donald Duck's film debut in The Wise Little Hen.
The Disney Channel debuts the series The Disney Family Album. Spotlighting different Disney artists and performers, this episode is about Clarence "Ducky" Nash - the voice of Donald Duck. Narrated by Buddy Ebsen, there will be 20 half-hour episodes in all. (The show will be nominated for two Cable Ace awards in Best Informational Series category and later spark the idea for Disney Legend awards.)
2002:
Toon Disney celebrates Donald Duck's 68th birthday with a special event called
"A Whole Darn Day of Ducks." Starting at 10 a.m., the channel broadcasts nine hours of cartoons starring ducks.
Starting on this day, a credit card is required to secure priority seating for Walt Disney World's very popular Cinderella's Royal Table Once Upon a Time character breakfast.
2004:
Donald Fauntleroy Duck celebrates his 70th birthday with a party at Disneyland Paris!
2006:
The Disney/Pixar animated feature Cars is generally released.
Directed by John Lasseter along with Joe Ranft from a screenplay by Dan Fogelman, the voice cast includes Owen
Wilson, Paul Newman (in his final acting role), Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin,
Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Michael Keaton, Katherine Helmond,
John Ratzenberger and Richard Petty. While traveling to California to race against The King (Petty) and Chick Hicks
(Keaton) for the Piston Cup Championship, Lightning McQueen (Wilson) becomes lost after falling out of his trailer in
a run down town called Radiator Springs. The film is dedicated to Joe Ranft, who passed away in August 2005. (This will be Pixar's final independently-produced film, as Disney has purchased Pixar.)
The 4th and final Star Wars Weekend of the 2006 season takes place at the Disney-
MGM Studios in Florida. Celebrity guests include Jeremy Bulloch, Temuera Morrison and Rick McCallum.
A brush fire flares up near Walt Disney World, causing parts of U.S.
192 to be closed.
1998:
Walt Disney Records releases the CD Disney's Instrumental Impressions. The 14 tracks include such love songs as "Beauty and the Beast," "Someday My Prince Will Come," and "So This Is Love." Featuring the guitar work of Jack Jezzro, the album will later be re-issued as Disney´s Fairy Tale: Weddings.
Donald Duck is
the only popular
film and television
cartoon character
to appear as a
mascot for a major
American university.
A licensing agreement between Disney and the University of Oregon allows the school's sports teams
to use Donald's image as its
"Fighting Duck" mascot!
Happy B-day Donald!
1932:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Musical Farmer is released in theaters.
Mickey (voiced by Walt Disney) is supposed to be busy with his chores ... but he'll stop anytime to
make music with Miss Minnie (Marcellite Garner).
2007:
Press Previews begin this day for Disneyland's newest attraction Finding Nemo: Submarine Voyage (based on the Disney/Pixar animated feature). The attraction
will open to the general public June 11.
Donald Duck turns 73!
Toon Studio, a new land at Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris, opens.
The land, formerly known as Animation Courtyard, is a spin-off of the Mickey's Toontown idea. Mickey's Toontown
is an area at three other Disney theme parks where guests can experience the living environments of Disney
characters. Toon Studio is where the Disney characters "go to work," producing their animated films themselves
using conventional movie-making equipment. Attractions include Crush's Coaster (a spinning roller coaster where
guests enter the beached sound stage and film set of Finding Nemo) and Cars Quatre Roues Rallye (a Zamperla
Demolition Derby where guests spin at a Radiator Spring’s car service station).
1962:
Meet Me at Disneyland (a limited TV series broadcast live on KTTV directly from the Anaheim park) airs the debut episode "Main Street, USA." Hosted by Johnny Jacobs, the program includes musical numbers and performances by the Dapper Dans, The Firehouse Five, and The Disneyland Band. The series is designed to boost park attendance during the summer weeknights.
JUNE
1935:
Film, television and voice actor Peter Renaday is born Pierre L. Renoudet in Louisiana. He is the voice of the milkman (who chases O'Malley and the other cats out of his truck) in Disney's 1970 The Aristocats. You may have also heard Renaday's voice in such park attractions as Country Bear Jamboree (as Henry the Bear), Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (as the narrator of the "Walt Disney Story" film), and Adventure Thru Inner Space (as
Comchatman). Renaday is also the voice of President Lincoln for WDW's Hall of Presidents (between 1993-2008). His live-action Disney films include Lt. Robin Crusoe USN (1966), The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968), The Love Bug (1968), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), The Barefoot Executive (1971), The Million Dollar Duck (1971), The Strongest Man in the World (1975), The Shaggy D.A. (1976), The Cat from Outer Space (1978), and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979).
JUNE 9
Today is Donald Duck Day
JUNE 9
THIS SITE MADE
IN THE
USA
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"Germany, the land of Goethe, Thomas Mann and Beethoven, has an unlikely pop culture hero:
Donald Duck. Just as the French are obsessed with Jerry Lewis, the Germans see a richness and complexity to
the Disney comic that isn’t always immediately evident to people in the cartoon duck’s homeland."
-literary critic Susan Bernofsky
2009:
Happy birthday Donald Duck! Thanks for quacking us up for 75 years!
"Disney Channel Playlist," an all-new compilation featuring Disney Channel stars
performing show theme songs and soundtrack cuts, hits stores and digital outlets.
Drew Seeley joins the Broadway cast of The Little Mermaid as Prince Eric.
Seeley will be known to fans as pop star Joey Parker in the romantic musical comedy "Another Cinderella Story"
(opposite Selena Gomez), which will receive its Disney Channel premiere July 11.
1910:
Actor Bob Cummings is born in Joplin, Missouri. In July 1955 he helped host the grand opening of Disneyland. (Cummings, an affable, ever-youthful actor starred in scores of films and four television series, including the situation comedy "The Bob Cummings Show." He also appeared in a 1960 episode of The Twilight Zone.)
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1988:
Television, movie and voice actress Mae Whitman is born in Los Angeles, California.
She supplied the voice of Tinker Bell for such Disney animated releases as Tinker Bell, Tinker Bell and the Lost
Treasure, and Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. Whitman's Disney voice credits also include Fillmore!,
The Jungle Book 2, and Teacher's Pet.
2011:
Starting at 7AM, Disney Channel celebrates the birthday of Donald Duck all day long by airing special episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse starring Donald! In addition, the channel will premiere Donald's solo performance on a special song, created exclusively for his 77th birthday.
Disney announces that the opening for Cars Land, the largest portion of Disney’s
$1-billion expansion of Disney California Adventure, has been set for the summer
of 2012. Cars Land is a re-creation of the fictional town of Radiator Springs from the 2006 Pixar film Cars.
June 9
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
2014:
Donald Fauntleroy Duck turns 80 years young!
2017:
Actor Adam West, best known for for his role of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman
on the 1965 ABC television series Batman, passes away at age 88 in California.
West's Disney voice credits include Meet the Robinsons, Kim Possible, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, and
Chicken Little. Fans of the animated series Family Guy knew him for his role of Mayor Adam West.
1992:
Disney's Hollywood Records releases the soundtrack to the Touchstone Pictures
feature film Sister Act. The collection consists of musical numbers performed by actors in the film itself,
pre-recorded songs that were used as part of the background music, and instrumental music composed by
Marc Shaiman specifically for the film.
2000:
Touchstone Pictures releases Gone in 60 Seconds, an action heist film starring Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Christopher Eccleston, Robert Duvall, Vinnie Jones, and Will Patton. A car thief is forced to steal 50 luxury vehicles in one night in order to
save the life of his brother, who has fallen foul of a dangerous crime lord.
1993:
The biographical film What's Love Got to Do with It, based on the life of soul singer Tina Turner, is initially released by Touchstone Pictures. The cast includes Angela Bassett as Turner and Laurence Fishburne as her husband musician Ike Turner. The screenplay is adapted by Kate Lanier from the 1986 book I, Tina written by Tina Turner and Kurt Loder. (The film will be generally released June 11.)
1981:
Actress and filmmaker Natalie Portman is born Neta-Lee Hershlag in Jerusalem. While still in high school, she gained international recognition for starring as Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). She also played Jane Foster in the Marvel film Thor, and reprised her role in the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World, and the 2021 film Thor: Love and Thunder. She also Narrated the Disneynature Documentary Dolphin Reef (2018).
2019:
The final episode of the animated series Guardians of the Galaxy airs on Disney XD.
1978:
Actor and physical trainer Brian Patrick Wade is born. He played Carl Creel / Absorbing Man
in 3 episodes of ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
1951:
Composer, conductor, and music producer James Newton Howard is born in Los Angeles, California. Starting out playing keyboards in rock bands, his big break came in 1975 when he joined Elton John's band and toured with them as keyboardist through the early 1980s. Arranging string parts for John, Howard went on to work with Toto and Crosby, Stills & Nash. A career move in the late 1980s led Howard into the world of film composing. Scoring over 100 films and winning a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award & a Saturn Award, his Disney/Touchstone credits include Tough Guys (1986), Pretty Woman (1990), Three Men and a Little Lady (1990), The Sixth Sense (1999),
Dinosaur (2000), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Treasure Planet (2002), Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), Maleficent (2014),
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), A Hidden Life (2019), Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), and Jungle Cruise (2021).
1999:
Animator Amby Paliwoda passes away at age 89 in California. He worked from 1935 to 1960 at Walt Disney Studios, first as an assistant animator and later as an animator. His credits included Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, Goliath II, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. After leaving Disney he worked for many other studios, including Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, and Bakshi Productions.
1911:
Film director, animator, and illustrator Hawley Pratt is born in Seattle, Washington.
Best known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng (as a layout artist and later as a director), Pratt also worked for Walt Disney Studios for a short time beginning in 1933.
1943:
Cartoonist and comic artist Evert Geradts is born in the Netherlands. A prolific Disney comics writer and artist, he is the winner of the 1977 Stripschapprijs (a Dutch prize awarded to comic creators for their entire body of work).
1956:
Portland’s 48th Grand Floral Parade, part of The 48th Annual Portland Rose Festival, takes place on this Saturday in Portland, Oregon. The theme of the parade is "Disneyland in Flowers," and features adult Mouseketeer Jimmie Dodd as Honorary Grand Marshall, along with Karen Pendleton and Cubby O'Brien from the Mickey Mouse Club television series.
2021:
Loki, a television series created by Michael Waldron for the streaming service Disney+, premieres with the episode "Glorious Purpose." Based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name, it is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki from the film series, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Tara Strong, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, and Sasha Lane also starring.
2023:
Disney holds a special red carpet event at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles for the US premiere of the new Pixar film Elemental. The all-new, original feature film is set in Element City, where Fire-, Water-, Earth- and Air-residents live together. The story introduces Ember (voice of Leah Lewis), a fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun and sappy guy named Wade (voice of Mamoudou Athie) challenges her beliefs about the world they live in. Attendees include members of the voice cast—Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ronnie del Carmen and Mason Wertheimer—and filmmakers Peter Sohn (director), and Denise Ream (producer). Elemental will open in theaters June 16.
