Since February 1997, Walt Disney
World has sponsored a series of
special Star Wars Weekends at
Disney's Hollywood Studios theme
park (originally called Disney-MGM).
The festival first began in 1997 but
wasn't held again until 2000, 2001,
and then annually since 2003.
1904:
Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí is born in the town of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain. Best known for his striking bizarre, dreamlike images, Dalí is considered one of the most important painters of the 20th century. In 1945 Walt Disney collaborated with him on the short Destino (which is the Spanish word for "destiny"). Storyboarded by studio artist John Hench and Dalí for eight months in late 1945 and 1946, financial concerns later caused Disney to cease production. Destino was abandoned for decades (until its release in 2003), but Dalí and Walt remained lifelong friends.
1911:
Tony Award-winning comedic actor Phil Silvers is born in Brooklyn, New York. His Disney credits include The Strongest Man in the World as Krinkle and The Boatniks as Harry Simmons. (TV fans will know him best as Sergeant Bilko!)
1935:
Disney's Silly Symphony cartoon Water Babies is released.
1989:
Disney Channel airs the 14th episode of MMC. Today is Party Day!
1993:
The hit TV sitcom Full House goes to Disney World in part 1 of "The House Meets the Mouse." (The cast stayed at the Grand Floridian while shooting.)
1997:
Karolyn Kirby and Nancy Reno capture the $60,000 Cybergenics Open in the
inaugural professional beach volleyball event at Disney's Wide World of
Sports Complex in Florida.
1999:
The Backstreet Boys tape a live concert in front of 1,800 fans at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City (home to Disney's Lion King). The concert will have its world premiere on Disney Channel two months later.
The Disney-owned Lyric Street Records releases The Whole SHeBANG, the debut album by the American country music group SHeDAISY.
2001:
Disney Channel airs the Lizzie McGuire episode
"Between a Rock and a Bra Place" for the first time.
2002:
Starting on this day, the Disney Magic cruise ship will alternate
each week between its new western Caribbean itinerary calling
on Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay and
its present eastern Caribbean route to St. Maarten, St. Thomas
and Castaway Cay. (The Disney Magic departs on its 7-night
itineraries each Saturday from its year-round home port atPort Canaveral, Florida.)
Legendary Disney storyman and children's book author Bill Peet passes at
age 87 at his home in Studio City, California. Credited with co-writing such
animated classics as 101 Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone, Peet first
joined the Disney Studio in 1937 at age 22 drawing Donald Duck.
2004:
Walt Disney Records Presents Mega Movie Mix is released. The CD features songs from Walt Disney Pictures and Disney Channel Original Movies such as The Lizzie McGuire Movie and The Princess Diaries.
2005:
The ABC-TV show Live with Regis and Kelly originates from
Walt Disney World to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.
2006:
Starting this day, graduates nation-wide gather to celebrate the road ahead at Disneyland Resort’s Grad Nite presented by Honda. From the stroke of midnight until the sun comes up at 6 a.m., Disneyland is the graduates’ park-after-dark!
1913:
Composer, arranger, trumpeter & Disney Legend Salvador "Tutti" Camarata is born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. In 1956 Walt Disney will hire him to help form Disney Records and to be music director & producer for the label. Two years later, Camarata will purchase a building (an old auto repair shop on Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA) that will become Sunset Sound Recorders. Sunset will be one of the best independent studios in Hollywood. During his 16 year association with Disney, Camarata will produce over 300 albums!
(Camarata was an amazing innovator - he invented the idea of the isolation booth for recording studios!)
1944:
Columbia Pictures' Once Upon a Time is released. Starring Cary Grant, the film tells the story of a boy, his dancing caterpillar, and the man who wants to make them famous. Walt Disney's name is mentioned throughout the film and there's even a scene of Walt (played by actor Walter Fenner), over long-distance phone from Hollywood, offering $100,000 for the caterpillar!
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1912:
Animator Don Towsley is born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His Disney credits include
such features as Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi. (Towsley also worked on the TV
classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas!)
1920:
Actor Denver Pyle is born in Bethune, Colorado. Pyle's Disney credits include the features Escape to Witch Mountain & Return from Witch Mountain, and the Disneyland TV episodes Hog Wild & The Boy Who Talked to Badgers. (He is best known to fans of The Dukes of Hazzard as Uncle Jesse.)
1883:
Sketch artist Albert Hunter is born in Zurich, Switzerland. He will be the first ever inspirational sketch artist to work at the Walt Disney Studio (between 1931-1942). Hunter will be known for his significant contribution to the visual styles of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio.
"Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad." -Salvador Dalí
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MAY
MAY 11
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Dali born
Phil Silvers born
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1942:
Actor, television broadcaster, radio personality, & voice-over specialist
Terry McGovern is born Berkeley, California. He is the voice of Launchpad McQuack in such
Disney movies and television shows as Darkwing Duck, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp,
and Ducktales: Treasure of the Golden Suns.
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MAY 11
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
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"I’m an impatient comedian. And I feel the audience is as impatient as me."
2010:
On this evening's episode of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, the Gipsy Kings perform a Spanish-language version of the song "You've Got a Friend in Me" (which will appear on the Toy Story 3 Soundtrack).
