2004:
Disney releases Lizzie McGuire Box Set Volume 1 on DVD. It contains the first
22 episodes of the Disney Channel series.
Disney's newest musical production On The Record comes to the Benedum
Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a series of performances.
The 313 remaining North American Disney Stores are sold to Children's Place.
1941:
Actor Franco Nero, who portrayed Leonardo da Vinci in The Timekeeper Disney World attraction film From Time to Time, is born in Parma, Italy.
1951:
Disney's Goofy short No Smoking, directed by Jack Kinney, is released. Another in the
"Goofy the Everyman" series of the 1950s, it first traces the brief history of smoking, including how Christopher
Columbus brought tobacco to Europe from the Native Americans, before moving on to Goofy as "George Geef"
who is trying unsuccessfully to drop the smoking habit.
1952:
Fred Moore, master Disney animator of Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer's Apprentice,
dies of a cerebral concussion at St. Joseph's Hospital (located across the street from
the Disney Studios) in Burbank, California. The 41-year-old, who was already in the middle of
animating the mermaids and the lost boys for Peter Pan, had been involved in an auto accident the day before.
A natural draftsman (with no formal art training except for a few night classes) Moore's vast contributions include
such classics as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Saludos Amigos. He will
be interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in a plot overlooking the Disney Studios.
1955:
Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Anything Can Happen day.
1980:
The television series Disney's Wonderful World airs
"The Mouseketeer Reunion."
Walt Disney World introduces "10-Adventure" ticket
books - replacing the "A through E" coupons. Now, instead of each ride
requiring a lettered ticket, the tickets in the book can be used for any attraction.
1986:
TV's The Wonderful World of Disney airs "The Thanksgiving Promise," a film
directed by and starring Beau Bridges. A teenage boy is torn between his love for an injured
Canadian goose that he has found and his agreement to fatten and kill it for an approaching Thanksgiving
dinner for his neighbors. The cast includes Courtney Thorne-Smith, Jason Bateman and Beau Bridge's son
Jordan and father Lloyd.
1994:
Epcot's Spaceship Earth reopens with a new narration by actor Jeremy
Irons and a new ride score by Edo Guidotti. It is the attraction's third version.
The action-comedy film A Low Down Dirty Shame is released by Caravan
Pictures (a film production company arm of Walt Disney Motion Pictures
Group). It stars Keenen Ivory Wayans as a private detective who's had to leave the LAPD after
failing to crack a case.
Musical arranger of films and orchestrator of Broadway musicals Irwin Kostal
passes away at age 83 in California. Best known for his work on such classic films as West Side Story,
The Sound of Music, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Kostal's Disney credits include Mary Poppins, Bedknobs
and Broomsticks, Pete's Dragon, and Mickey's Christmas Carol. In 1982, he conducted the digital re-recording of
the music to Walt Disney's 1940 animated feature Fantasia. In 2004 he will be named a Disney Legend.
1995:
Thanksgiving Day
Actor Austin Majors, the voice of young Jim Hawkins in Disney's
2002 Treasure Planet, is born in California.
1998:
Kona Café, a restaurant located in Walt Disney World's
Polynesian Resort, opens for business.
Actor Bradley Steven Perry, best known as Gabe Duncan in the Disney Channel original series Good Luck Charlie, is born in California. He also played Roger Elliston III in Disney's High School Musical spin-off film Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure. Following this, Perry co-starred on the Disney XD comedies Mighty Med and its spinoff Lab Rats: Elite Force, where he played the role of Kaz.
The 3rd Epcot International Food and Wine Festival comes to an end.
2000:
Thanksgiving Day
A new Mickey Mouse balloon makes its debut
leading Macy's 74th Annual Thanksgiving Day
parade down Broadway in New York City.
"Bandleader Mickey," all decked out in his classic red and gold band
uniform with gold epaulets and buttons, soars into the sky as he keeps
beat with his baton. His return to the New York parade comes after an
eighteen-year hiatus. Mickey first appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving
Parade in 1934 and then from 1971 until 1982.
2001:
Disney's Candlelight Processional kicks off at Epcot. In its 31st year,
the Candlelight Processional is a presentation of the Christmas story in
readings by a celebrity narrator and music by a massed choir and 50-
piece orchestra. There are 3 shows nightly through December 30th.
Candlelight Processional is part of Holidays Around the World at Epcot,
an international celebration throughout World Showcase.
2002:
Oogie Boogie's "Ghost Walk" Pin Event takes place at the Disneyland Resort.
2003:
Disney's The Haunted Mansion has its world premiere
at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California.
1992:
Actress/singer Miley Cyrus, the star of Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, is born in Franklin, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville). She is the daughter of singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus and Leticia "Tish" Cyrus. Becoming a teen idol as the title character of the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana (2006–2011), she went on to have a mulit-album recording contract with Hollywood Records. Her film credits include Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008), the animated Bolt (2008), Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), The Last Song (2010), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). Cyrus made an uncredited cameo appearance in the 2007 High School Musical 2.
1989:
Thanksgiving Day
The Delizie Italiane shop opens (on the former site of Arcata d'Antigiani)
in the Italy pavilion at EPCOT.
2006:
Thanksgiving Day
A live performance of Disney's High School Musical is featured at the 80th
Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Also appearing is
Julie Andrews and Miley Cyrus.
1892:
Elias Disney (future father of Walt Disney) obtains a building permit to build a two
story, 18 x 28 foot wood cottage on a plot of land he purchased on Tripp Avenue in
Chicago last month. Elias will be able to keep the cost low on the cottage (about $800) by acting as his
own contractor, and doing much of the construction himself.
1984:
Actor/dancer Lucas Grabeel is born in Springfield, Missouri. Best known to Disney Channel
fans as Ryan Evans on the hit High School Musical series of films, he also appeared in the movies
Halloweentown High and Return to Halloweentown. Grabeel appeared in the 2008 Walt Disney Pictures film
College Road Trip as Scooter, and in the summer of 2011 starred in the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth.
Disney animator Fred Moore is credited
with developing the technique of
"squash and stretch." Moore realized that
when people walked, their bodies would
stretch a bit on one step and then squash
down a bit with the next. He incorporated this for the first time in
The Three Little Pigs.
1993:
Hollywood Records releases The Party's Over... Thanks for Coming, the final studio album from The Party (a pop group made up of Disney Channel Mouseketeers).
Also released by Hollywood Records is the soundtrack album for the film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. The collection features performances by Whoopi Goldberg and the rest of the film's cast.
"He was such a help to other guys. Guys would come in his room and say, 'Fred, how would you do this?' Fred would say, 'Well, here!' - and he'd show them - he didn't lecture, he just did it."
-Storyman Larry Clemmons on Disney Legend Fred Moore
2007:
Epcot's Holidays Around the World kicks off as World Showcase
transforms into a mix of international holiday traditions and
storytelling. Disney World's annual Candlelight Processional
also debuts for the 2007 season.
It is reported that Disney's Enchanted, which opened in theaters
Wednesday November 21, has grossed an estimated $14.8 million from
3,632 theaters.
A third sneak preview of a new cartoon series called Phineas and Ferb
airs on Disney Channel after High School Musical Pop-Up Edition.
The voice cast includes Vincent Martella and Thomas Sangster as Phineas and Ferb,
Ashley Tisdale as their sister, Candace, and Dee Bradley Baker as Perry the Platypus.
The series regular run will begin in February 2008.
1942:
South Of The Border With Disney, a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary,
is produced and released by Walt Disney under the auspices of the office of the
Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. The film documents Walt and a group of eighteen artists,
musicians, and writers on their trip to South America. (Saludos Amigos will be the result of this voyage.)
1969:
The Wonderful World of Disney TV series airs part one of "The Secrets of the Pirate's
Inn," starring Ed Begley. Dennis McCarthy, an old Irish sea captain (Begley), and three neighborhood
kids search for the legendary treasure of pirate Jean Lafitte rumored to be hidden somewhere in an old
delapidated inn the sea captain just inherited.
1804:
Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth United States President (serving
from 1853 to 1857), is born in a log cabin near Hillsborough, New
Hampshire. He is the first President to be born in the 19th century. Visit him and all
the U.S. Chief Executives at Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents.
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1971:
Comedic actress Lisa Arch is born in Los Angeles, California. She portrayed the
character of Samantha Samuels on Disney Channel's Cory in the House. (Fans of MADtv
will recognize her as a repertory performer, for the third season.)
1997:
The Wonderful World of Disney airs "The Santa Clause" on ABC-TV.
1934:
An article titled "Santa To Greet All" appears in this day's issue of
The Oakland Tribune. The story includes these words:
"Kahn's Department Store has introduced a new feature in connection with its toy department on the fourth floor.
The two Walt Disney characters, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, will be on hand tomorrow to lead Santa Claus to his
throne. This special feature has been arranged for Saturday only. The Disney characters and Santa Claus will be
on hand to greet Oakland's youngsters all day tomorrow."
NOVEMBER 23
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
NOVEMBER 23
N
O
V
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1958:
Mouseketeer Annette Funicello serves as a special hostess as she accompanies
Princess Sophia of Greece and Madame Mary Carolou around Disneyland.
In Memory of Fred Moore (1911-1952)
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2009:
The Princess and The Frog - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, featuring an original score by Randy Newman, is released on Walt Disney Records.
The collection also includes performances by Dr. John, Ne-Yo, and members of the film's voice cast;
Anika Noni Rose, Jim Cummings, and Keith David.
1963:
Disneyland closes it gates in honor of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, Friday November 22.
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2008:
The 2008 American Music Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, is held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Jonas Brothers perform "Tonight"
and are awarded T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist.
2010:
Disney's The Search for Santa Paws debuts on Blu-ray hi-def and DVD.
When Santa Claus travels to New York City and gets hit by a cab, loses his memory and gets the crystal
that keeps him immortal stolen, it's up to his new friend, Paws (voiced by Zachary Gordon) to save him.
A follow-up to Santa Buddies, it is a spin-off of the Air Buddies series.
Disney also releases a 2-disc special edition of the 1991 Beauty and the Beast.
2011:
Disney The Muppets (the first Muppets theatrical release in
12 years) opens in theaters in North America. Walter (a new
character performed by Peter Linz), the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his
brother Gary (Jason Segel) and friend Mary (Amy Adams) must raise $10 million
to save the Muppet Theater from Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), a businessman
who plans to demolish the theater to drill for oil. Written by Segel and Nicholas
Stoller, the film features six new musical numbers and three classic Muppet
songs.
Playing in front of The Muppets is the Pixar short Small Fry. Directed by Angus
MacLane, it is the second short in the Toy Story Toons series, based on the
characters from the Toy Story feature films. The short centers on Buzz Lightyear
getting trapped at a fast food restaurant!
1972:
Thanksgiving Day
Disney takes part in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade on this chilly day in New York City. To celebrate
the first anniversary of Walt Disney World, giant helium-filled balloons
of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck soar overhead. Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs take part in the festivities below riding atop a majestic
Disney World castle float. Peter Pan and Wendy match wits with
pirates aboard Captain Hook's ship float.
1944:
The United Artists comedy film 3 Is a Family is released. Starring Marjorie Reynolds and Charles Ruggles (whose many Disney credits would later include Ben and Me and The Parent Trap), 3 Is a Family features an opening sequence (with cartoon storks) created by the Disney Studio.
2012:
The first Candlelight Processional of the 2012 holiday season takes place at
Epcot's America Gardens Theatre. Part of the park's Holidays Around The World
celebration, the event retells the stirring story of Christmas with special celebrity narrator Geena Davis,
accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir.
November 23
2016:
Moana, a 3D computer-animated musical fantasy adventure film produced by Walt
Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, opens in U.S. theaters. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the film introduces Auli'i Cravalho as the voice of Moana, a high-spirited 16-year-old who sets sail to an island with an almighty demigod to help save her family from annihilation. Dwayne Johnson is the voice of Maui, the legendary demigod who sets off with Moana on her journey. The voice cast also includes Rachel House as Tala, Temuera Morrison as Tui, Christopher Jackson as the singing voice of Tui, Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa, and Nicole Scherzinger as Sina. The film's soundtrack, released by Walt Disney Records on November 18, 2016, features songs written by Opetaia Foa'i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and a score written by Mancina.
Released along with Moana is Inner Workings a 3D hand-drawn/computer-animated adventure short film
produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The short follows the inner workings of Paul (voiced by Tucker Gilmore),
a man living in California, during the 1980s. Paul's Brain, Heart, Lungs, Stomach and even his Bladder and Kidneys
all awaken on a typical day for work.
2015:
Disney XD airs the comedy movie Mark & Russel's Wild Ride for the first time. Two friends (played by Joey Bragg, Sean Giambrone) embark on a road adventure when the most popular girl in
school needs a ride to a party.
1970:
Actor Oded Fehr is born in Israel. He portrayed Jafar in 3 episodes of ABC-TV's Once Upon a Time
and appeared in an episode of ABC's legal drama How to Get Away With Murder.
2017:
The 91st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place in New York City.
Disney debuts a giant balloon of Olaf the snowman (from Frozen).
1999:
Disney releases the 1998 A Bug's Life on a 2-disc Collector's Edition DVD and the 1955 Lady and the Tramp Limited Issue DVD.
1925:
Songwriter & arranger Johnny Mandel is born in New York City. Known for his film and television compositions, he contributed to Disney's Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) and Freaky Friday (1976). Winner of 5 Grammy Awards, he co-wrote "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "Suicide Is Painless" (the theme to M*A*S*H).
1961:
Animator, director and voice actor Andy Knight is born in Canada. He directed the 1997
direct-to-video Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.
1928:
Composer, conductor, and arranger Will Schaefer is born in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
He orchestrated approximately thirty episodes of The Magical World of Disney (also known as The Wonderful World of Disney) and portions of many Disney films such as Old Yeller and Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus. He received an Emmy nomination (Best Musical Score) for The Magical World of Disney 1979 episode "The Sky Trap." His theme park attractions include Pirates of the Caribbean, America the Beautiful, Bear Country, It's a Small World, and Innoventions.
2020:
It is announced that rockstar Imagineer Joe Rohde will be parting ways with Disney after 40 years in the industry. His last day with the company will be January 4th, 2021. Theme park fans know Rohde as the legendary Imagineer behind Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, Pandora: The World of AVATAR, the Aulani resort in Hawaii, Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: Breakout at Disney California Adventure, Expedition Everest, and countless other iconic projects.
"We can’t thank Joe enough for his infectious passion, being an incredible teacher and mentor, and for inspiring generations of Disney Imagineers and guests from around the world." -WDI
1911:
Animator, producer, and director Ray Patterson is born in Hollywood, California. Younger brother of animator Don Patterson, Ray began working for Disney in 1940. He helped animate Fantasia and Dumbo, as well as several Pluto shorts (Bone Trouble and Pluto's Playmate). By 1942, he mostly worked on Donald Duck shorts such as Donald Gets Drafted. Patterson left Disney in 1943 to work at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio.
1888:
Comedian, actor, mime artist, and musician Harpo Marx is born Adolph Marx in New York City. The second-oldest of the comedy act The Marx Brothers, Harpo wore a curly reddish blond wig and was silent in all his movie appearances. In 1936, he rode an ostrich on a team of polo-playing film stars who appeared as caricatures in the Walt Disney's Mickey's Polo Team (alongside Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy). Disney later featured Harpo (along with his brothers Groucho and Chico) as one of King Cole's "Fiddlers Three" in the Silly Symphony Mother Goose Goes Hollywood. Harpo was also animated in "The Bird Store" and "The Autograph Hound."
