2004:
It is reported that Progress Energy Florida has signed a deal to provide wholesale power to Disney World Resort's utility. The 5-year deal calls for electricity to be provided starting in January 2006.
1917:
Actor & Disney Legend David Tomlinson, best
known for his role of George W. Banks in the
1964 Mary Poppins, is born in Henley-on-
Thames, England. An eccentric English gent who could make us laugh with his upwardly mobile eyebrows, his Disney live-action credits also included The Love Bug (playing the evil Thorndyke) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (as the humbug professor of magical arts, Emelius Browne). Tomlinson was inducted a Disney Legend in 2002, two years after his death at age 83.
1961:
The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs part 1 of "Andrew's Raiders."
Based on a true story from the American Civil War, it was originally released in theaters as
The Great Locomotive Chase in 1956.
1973:
Neel Tyree replaces Jerry Siggins and begins performing with the Dapper
Dans of Walt Disney World (the popular barbershop quartet who appear in the
Magic Kingdom). Siggins will later be known for his work with the vocal group The Diamonds.
1993:
The World Roller Hockey League Rink opens on the beach at Disney-MGM Studios. Used by a professional inline hockey league, it will last just one season.
1999:
At Disney's El Capitan Theatre in California, a fully restored 35mm
CinemaScope, Dolby Stereo print of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
is shown. Director Richard Fleischer and Academy Award-winning
matte artist Peter Ellenshaw are on hand to discuss the 1954 film.
2000:
The Wonderful World of Disney airs the musical "Geppetto," starring Drew Carey as Gepetto the toymaker and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Blue Fairy. A made-for-television remake of the popular Italian children's book The Adventures of Pinocchio, the cast includes Brent Spiner as Stromboli, René Auberjonois as Professor Buonragazzo, Seth Adkins as Pinocchio, Usher as Pleasure Island Ringmaster, and Wayne Brady as Lezarno. (Carey's role in the film and his embarrassment about it became a recurring butt of jokes on his series Whose Line is it Anyway?)
2001:
Disney officials start the application process for a new Anaheim park that would join
its recently opened 55-acre California Adventure and the original 75-acre
Disneyland. The new 78-acre park could include up to 3,350 hotel rooms, as well as retail, dining and
entertainment, parking and transportation facilities. Opening day is still undetermined.
2002:
Swiss Family Robinson: Vault Disney Collection, Old Yeller: Vault Disney
Collection, The Parent Trap: Vault Disney Collection, and Pollyanna: Vault
Disney Collection are all released to DVD. Many of the releases include
interviews, special commentary, and behind-the-scenes footage.
1955:
At the Disney Studios, actor Tim Considine reads for the part of Marty for a new
television serial to be called The Adventures of Spin and Marty. He will be called back
2 days later for a film test and eventually be hired ... for the role of Spin!
Disney Legend & story artist Joe
Grant left the Disney studio in
1949 (after working on such
classics as Snow White and
Dumbo) to run a ceramics
business & a greeting card
business. He returned in 1989
to work on Beauty and the Beast.
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1922:
Seasoned actor of stage, screen & television, Darren McGavin is born in Spokane,
Washington. His Disney film credits include No Deposit, No Return (1976) as Duke, Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
as Mayor Ragsdale, and the Disney Channel movie Perfect Harmony (1991) as Mr. Hobbs. McGavin's Disney TV credits include the role of John Jay Forest in The High Flying Spys, Timothy Donovan in Donovan's Kid, and Barney B. Duncan in Boomerang, Dog of Many Talents. In 1996 he appeared in an episode of the ABC sitcom Grace Under Fire. (McGavin is best remembered as heroic newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak in the classic horror television series Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974-75). Fans of the film A Christmas Story (1983) know him for his role of the grumpy father Old Man Parker... who was given to bursts of comedic profanity.)
1950:
The first engine officially runs on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad - Walt Disney's
backyard train at his Carolwood Drive home in Holmby Hills, California. The 2,615 feet of
track includes a 46 foot long trestle and a 90 foot long tunnel under his wife Lillian's flower bed! Walt controls the track
from a special barn that acts as a central headquarters for the railroad's operations. (The backyard railroad will be
credited with becoming part of Walt's inspiration for the creation of Disneyland and the actual barn will later be moved
to Griffith Park. Learn much more at the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society's site.)
1840:
Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is born on this day (or
April 25 according to the Julian calendar) in Votkinsk, a small town in
present-day Udmurtia. He wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the classical
repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky's
The Nutcracker Suite was used in Disney's 1940 Fantasia. The original piece was shortened and the order of the movements rearranged to fit the animated action. The song "Once Upon a Dream" (written by Jack Lawrence & Sammy Fain for Disney's 1951 animated Sleeping Beauty) was actually based on Tchaikovsky's theme from his ballet The Sleeping Beauty (which debuted in 1890).
"Kindly do not attempt to cloud the issue with facts."
-George Banks (Mary Poppins)
2008:
Three months after shouting, "I’m going to Disneyland!" Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning finally rides down Main Street USA at Disneyland. He makes the trip in a classic Cadillac convertible, accompanied by his new bride, Abby McGrew, Mickey Mouse, and other Disney characters. (Manning led the New York Giants to victory
over the New England Patriots last February 3.)
The world premiere of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is held at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Based on Prince Caspian, the second published, fourth chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series, the film will be released in U.S. theaters May 16.
MAY 7
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2009:
A special pre-release screening of Up (to benefit the Emery Ed Fund) takes place at
Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California.
(The new animated comedy adventure will be released May 29.)
Hasbro's EASY-BAKE 2009 "Baker of the Year" Contest takes place at Disney's
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Florida. Seven young finalists from across the U.S. create their tasty
treats for a panel of judges ... and Chef Goofy! Catherine Ralston, a 12-year-old from Ohio, takes home first prize for
her Queen of Hearts strawberry tart.
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MAY 07
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
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1947:
Actor J.D. Hall, the narrator of WDW's The Hall of Presidents (between 2001-2008) is
born. His Disney credits also include episodes of Disney Channel's That's So Raven and Even Stevens. (The
first African American to ever run for S.A.G. President, Hall provided the voice of the character Blade in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.)
2003:
Disney's stage musical Aida receives its Canadian premiere when the
touring company makes a four week stop in Toronto. The show debuts on
this day at the Canon Theatre (where it will play through May 31).
2010:
The landmark Disney Feature Animation building on Riverside Drive in Burbank,
California, is named for the late Roy E. Disney during a dedication ceremony. First
opening in 1995 across from the original Disney Studios, the building once housed the office of Roy E. Disney (Walt's
nephew and the former head of Walt Disney Feature Animation) who passed away in December 2009.
1974:
Actor Breckin Meyer is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His Disney voice credits include
the 2011 animated feature Mars Needs Moms (as Spangro) and the TV series Phineas and Ferb (as Li).
Meyer also appeared in the 2005 live-action Herbie: Fully Loaded.
1989:
Sadly on this day, the body of television actor Guy Williams is discovered by police
in his apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is believed the 65-year-old died sometime
between April 30 and May 6. (The cause will later be determined to be a brain aneurysm.) Williams is best-
remembered for his lead TV roles in Disney's Zorro (1957-59) and later the sci-fi series Lost in Space (1965-68).
As Zorro/Don Diego de la Vega, Williams had appeared at Disneyland (during the show's popular run) for a
series of "Zorro Days" events.
(1924-1989)
1988:
The Disney Channel airs the 1955 animated film Lady and the Tramp.
It is the first time the film has ever been shown on television.
2011:
A "black carpet" premiere for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides takes place at Disneyland. In attendance are such stars from the film as Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Kevin McNally and Keith Richards. Among the celebrities attending are American Idol
winner David Cook, actress Teri Hatcher and Disney Channel star Ashley Tisdale. (The film will generally
open in U.S. theaters May 20.)
Over on the East Coast, the 4th and final Grad Nite of 2011 (and the very last
Grad Nite ever) takes place at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom at 10PM.
A yearly event for high school seniors since 1972, WDW has decided to retire Grad Nite. Who will be the
last guests to leave this historic party the following morning on May 8?
Superstar Television, an opening day attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney-MGM Studios) was an interactive show experience
where guests were placed in front of green screens to be put into scenes from well-known television series (such as I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Empty Nest, & Gilligan's Island). The concept of the attraction was to show how green screens were used in the entertainment industry. Superstar Television was replaced by the Doug Live! show in the spring of 1999. The attraction's building was later used for The American Idol
Experience (although the theater is still called Superstar Television Theater).
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Photo by Bernie at Disney.Rocket9.net
2012:
Disney Wonder docks in Honolulu harbor after making the rounds on neighbor
islands. It is the first-ever Disney Cruise Line voyage to Hawaii.
MAY
May 7
2013:
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opens at Tokyo Disneyland.
Artist, designer, visual effects creator, writer and producer Ray Harryhausen passes away at age 92 in London, England. Creator of a form of stop motion model animation known as "Dynamation," his works include the animation for such films as Mighty Joe Young (1949), with his mentor Willis H. O'Brien, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects; his first color film, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958); and Jason and the Argonauts (1963), which featured a sword fight with seven skeleton warriors. Harryhausen appeared in small comedic cameo role in the 1998 Disney remake of Mighty Joe Young. Born in California in 1920, his innovative style of special effects in films inspired numerous filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, James Cameron, and George Lucas.
1996:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is
released by Walt Disney Records. It includes songs written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz with
vocals performed by Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers, Tony Jay, Tom Hulce, Heidi Mollenhauer, Jason Alexander,
Mary Wickes, and Mary Stout.
2016:
Shanghai Disneyland Park begins its soft openings. The new theme park, located in Pudong, Shanghai, China, will officially open June 16.
2017:
Star Tours: Path of the Jedi opens in Discoveryland at Disneyland Park (Paris).
The 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards are held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The 26th edition of the awards, it is the first time it presents honors for work in television as well as cinema. Among the winners...
-Movie of the Year: Beauty and the Beast
-Best Actor in a Movie: Emma Watson – Beauty and the Beast
-Best American Story: Black-ish
The television special Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings premiers on Freeform. Hosted by
Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell (from ABC’s The Bachelor) this special show viewers three iconic Disney Destinations
to showcase just some of the amazing offerings from Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons.
2007:
Fulton Burley, most widely known for his work in Disneyland, passes away at age 84
in Carisbad, California. An Irish tenor who entertained millions of Disneyland guests for 25 years as the popular star and master of ceremonies at the long-running Golden Horseshoe Revue, he also provided the voice
of the Irish parrot, Michael, for the park's Enchanted Tiki Room attraction.
2014:
Actor Tony Genaro passes away in Hollywood, California, at age 71. Best known to audiences for his role as Miguel in the 1990 monster comedy film Tremors, he appeared in Touchstone's Phenomenon (1996) as Tito and Walt Disney Pictures' Mighty Joe Young (1998) as Boxer Shorts Man.
1956:
Dariusz Adam Wolski, a film and music video cinematographer, is born in Warsaw, Poland. He is known for his work as the cinematographer on the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
1982:
Actor B. J. Britt, best known for his role as Antoine Triplett on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is born in Wilson, North Carolina. He also appeared in an episode of That's So Raven in 2006.
1969:
Animation director, writer, and story artist Jun Falkenstein is born in Hawaii. Growing up in Laguna Beach, California, she received a B.A. from USC's prestigious School of Cinema-Television in 1991 before making her television directorial debut in 1994 with the Hanna Barbera TV movie, Scooby Doo in Arabian Nights. Working for Disney, her credits have included Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World (storyboard artist), The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (storyboard artist), The Tigger Movie (director), and the 2014 The Jungle Book (director).
