2002:
The Disneyland Resort officially kicks off its holiday season with a Christmas
Tree Lighting Ceremony featuring the manager of the World Champion
Anaheim Angels Mike Scioscia.
2005:
Epcot's Holidays Around the World 2005 kicks off for the season
(running through December 30). The season's first Candlelight Processional
also takes place with guest narrator actress Rita Moreno.
Disney Channel debuts "Save the Last Dance," the 75th episode of That's So Raven.
1911:
Illustrator Paul Murry is born in Missouri. First starting his career at the Disney Studios as an
assistant animator to the legendary Fred Moore, Murry went on to draw Disney comic books; especially the
adventurous 'Mickey Mouse' stories, for Dell Comics and Gold Key Comics from the 1950s-1980s. Although Mickey Mouse's personality and charisma were already formed in the 1930s-1940s through Floyd Gottfredson's daily comic strips, it is the opinion of most that Murry was the primary person to continue this legacy in the comic book form.
1919:
Director Norman Tokar is born in Newark, New Jersey. Arriving on the Disney lot in the early
1960s, his first feature film assignment was the Western adventure Big Red which was followed by the Old Yeller
sequel Savage Sam and Those Calloways. Tokar also directed The Apple Dumpling Gang, Snowball Express,
Rascal, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit and many other live-action features. (Also a writer and producer of
serial television, Tokar directed many of the early episodes of Leave it to Beaver.)
1933:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Giantland is released. A forerunner to the Mickey and the
Beanstalk segment of Fun and Fancy Free, it is directed by Bert Gillett. Giantland shows Mickey Mouse re-telling
the story of "Jack and the Beanstalk," where he plays the main character and takes on Rumplewatt, the "King of
the Giants - Prince of the Tyrants."
1938:
Disney's short Ferdinand the Bull is released. Narrated by Don Wilson, it tells the story of Little
Ferdinand who would much rather smell the flowers than butt heads with the other animals. The voice cast
includes Walt Disney as Ferdinand and animator Milt Kahl as Ferdinand's mother. (It will win an Academy Award
for Best Cartoon.)
1955:
Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Talent Round-Up Day.
1962:
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs part 2 of "The Magnificent
Rebel," the story of composer Ludwig Von Beethoven.
1971:
Thanksgiving Day
"America the Beautiful," a CircleVision 360° film, debuts in Tomorrowland at Disney World. A film technique, refined by The Walt Disney Company (and Kodak), the system uses 9 cameras for 9 huge screens arranged in a circle. America the Beautiful was originally shot as a Circarama
film for the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels. The Circarama version of the film first debuted at Disneyland in 1960 and was later reshot in 1967 as a Circle-Vision
360° film.
1973:
The Wonderful World of Disney features part 1 of "Run, Cougar, Run."
1992:
The 31st Disney animated feature film, Aladdin is generally
released in U.S. theaters. Produced and directed by Ron Clements
and John Musker, it relates a version of the story of Aladdin and the magic
lamp from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. Aladdin, a street
urchin, accidentally meets Princess Jasmine, who is in the city undercover.
They love each other, but she can only marry a prince. Lyricist Howard
Ashman first pitched the idea, and the screenplay went through three drafts
before then-Disney Studios president Jeffrey Katzenberg agreed to its
production. The musical score has been written by Alan Menken and features six songs with lyrics written by both Ashman and Sir Tim Rice, who took over after Ashman's death. (The film's music will earn 2 Academy & 6 Grammy Awards.)
1996:
Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade comes to an end with two final
performances. Disneyland Ambassador Chris Allen does a play by play "color commentary" with one of
the local cable stations from atop Main Street's City Hall. It is estimated that some 75 million people have
marveled at the bright lights of the procession since its introduction in 1972!
2003:
Walt Disney Records releases the CD "The Haunted Mansion Haunted Hits" (a soundtrack from and inspired by their newest feature film The Haunted Mansion).
Disneyland's annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony
takes place in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
2004:
Thanksgiving Day
Disney's Chicken Little (the star of next year's animated film Chicken Little)
debuts in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The giant helium
balloon measures in at 60.5 feet tall, 26 feet wide and 68.5 feet long.
Also performing is Raven-Symoné of Disney Channel's That's So Raven.
2006:
Italian cartoonist Luciano Bottaro, the highly prolific creator of numerous original
series as well as a significant body of work with Disney Comics, passes away in Italy
days after celebrating his 75th birthday. Besides his work with Disney characters, he created many
characters such as Pepito, the comical adventures of a 17-century buccaneer.
Radio Disney is a radio network
with on air studios in Burbank,
California. The network
primarily uses AM stations, but
it is also available on XM
Satellite Radio and Sirius
Satellite Radio, as well as via
Music Choice on most digital
cable-TV systems.
2007:
Mickey and Minnie Mouse take part in the Hollywood Santa Parade (originally known as Hollywood Christmas Parade) in California.
2008:
Burning Up: On Tour with the JONAS Brothers book release and signing takes place
at the Golden Vine Winery Patio inside Disney's California Adventure Park. Kevin, Joe,
and Nick make an appearance to promote their very first book (published by Disney's Hyperion).
Walt Disney Records releases Disney Box Office Hits, a collection of the
best songs from Disney's biggest movies.
NOVEMBER 25
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
NOVEMBER 25
N
O
V
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1987:
Disney's Touchstone Pictures releases the comedy film Three Men and a Baby starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson.
Aladdin generally released
| ||||
"Whassa matta with you, you crazy bull? Fight!" -Matador from
Ferdinand the Bull (released This Day 1938)
WDW kicks off the holidays
2009:
Walt Disney Pictures releases the comedy feature Old Dogs. Starring
John Travolta and Robin Williams as two bachelors who are best friends and co-workers, the cast also includes
Kelly Preston (wife of John Travolta), Matt Dillon, Justin Long, Seth Green, Rita Wilson, Dax Shepard and Bernie
Mac. (Sadly it is Mac's final film, as he passed away last August 2008.) The two best friends—one unlucky-in-love divorcee and the other a fun-loving bachelor—have their lives turned upside down when they are unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives.
On the same day, Walt Disney Animation Studios presents The Princess and The
Frog in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles. The story centers on a young girl named
Princess Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) who lives in New Orleans' French Quarter during the 1920s. The film
will open nationwide December 11.
"She is a rich land. And a rare land. A
fresh and fair land. A land so blessed in natural beauty, resources and people
that she became the world's best hope. Come, take a look at her, Americans. Glimpse a nation's splendor, and be
proud of your heritage."
Opened for less than 2 months ... Walt Disney World Resort is
already the most-talked-about attraction in the Western world!
2010:
Thanksgiving Day
Mickey Mouse and Buzz Lightyear return to New York City for the
84th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
It is reported that Disney's milestone 50th animated feature Tangled earned $11.5 million on its first day of release (Wednesday Nov. 24), earning the highest Thanksgiving holiday opening day grosses ever.
1949:
The Disney short Slide, Donald, Slide is released. Directed by Jack Hannah, Donald Duck
wants to listen to the World Series on the radio, but Spike the bee wants to listen to classical music.
1982:
Thanksgiving Day
The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New
York City features a large balloon of Mickey Mouse.
Natalia Cordova-Buckley, sometimes credited as Natalia Córdova, best known for portraying Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is born in Mexico City, Mexico.
Hugh Harman, an American animator known for creating the Warner Bros. Cartoons and MGM Cartoons and his collaboration with Rudolf Ising during the golden age of American animation, passes away at age 79 in Chatsworth, California. He began his work with Walt Disney in 1922, working on Disney's early Laugh-o-Gram toons.
1993:
Thanksgiving Day
For the second year in a row, a Santa Goofy balloon takes part
in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
The Toontown Railroad Station, located outside of Toontown next to the Fantasyland Theater, opens in Disneyland.
Voice cast:
Scott Weinger - Aladdin
Robin Williams - Genie
Linda Larkin - Jasmine
Jonathan Freeman - Jafar
Frank Welker - Abu
Gilbert Gottfried - Iago
Corey Burton - Prince Achmed
Jim Cummings - Razoul
Douglas Seale - Sultan
Charles Adler - Gazeem
2011:
Academy Award-winning actress Mira Sorvino narrates the very first Candlelight Processional of the 2011 holiday season at Epcot's America Gardens Theatre.
The 10th International Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival begins in Bruges, Belgium.
This year's event features the work of more than 30 artists from around the world who have created an amazing
interpretation of Disneyland Paris Enchanted Christmas. "Ice Wonderland" is a winter kingdom displaying nearly
100 sculptures from Main Street, U.S.A., to Toy Story Playland, through the maze of "Alice in Wonderland." The
famous Partners Statue is also featured, along with characters and princesses like Peter Pan, Rapunzel and Cinderella. The festival runs through January 12, 2012.
Disney announces that they have canceled plans to build a Disney-branded hotel
near Washington, D.C., less than three years after spending $11 million to buy
land for the project. Disney acquired the property (15 acres in a development called National Harbor)
just outside the District of Columbia, in May 2009.
"Given the full slate of expansion currently underway at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, the timing isn't right to proceed with another new
project of this scale." -Disney spokeswoman Kristin Nolt Wingard
1909:
Philip Dey "Phil" Eastman, a screenwriter, children's author and illustrator, is born
in Amherst, Massachusetts. Also known as P.D. Eastman, he worked at Walt Disney Productions from
1936-1941. During that time he met his wife Mary Louise Whitman who worked for Disney as a color model
supervisor. A protégé of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), P.D. Eastman later wrote many books for children, in his
own distinct style under the Dr. Seuss brand of Random House. The Eastmans had two sons, Alan and Peter
Anthony (Tony), who is also an animator.
November 25
2015:
The 3D computer-animated adventure
comedy-drama film The Good Dinosaur,
produced by Pixar Animation Studios, is
released by Walt Disney Pictures. (This
marks the first time Pixar has released two feature films
in the same year, as Inside Out was released last June.)
Set in a world where the dinosaurs never went extinct,
an amiable young Apatosaurus named Arlo, voiced by
Raymond Ochoa, befriends a prehistoric human child
known as Spot, voiced by Jack Bright. Directed by Peter
Sohn in his directorial debut and written by Meg LeFauve
from an original idea by Bob Peterson, the voice cast
also features Sam Elliott as Butch (a Tyrannosaurus), Anna Paquin as Ramsey (Butch's daughter), A. J. Buckley as Nash (Butch's son), Steve Zahn as Thunderclap (the leader of a gang of pterodactyls), and John Ratzenberger as Earl (a Velociraptor).
Playing in front of The Good Dinosaur is the short Sanjay's Super Team. Written and directed by animator Sanjay Patel, it is Inspired by Patel's own childhood when he felt conflicted by the modern world and the Hindu traditions of his family.
2016:
"Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration" airs on
Disney Channel. Musical performers include Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson and Booboo
Stewart, "Descendants 2" star China Anne McClain, Trisha Yearwood with Garth Brooks, and Kelly Clarkson.
2013:
The soundtrack to the 2013 Disney animated film, Frozen, is released.
Frozen: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features 10 original songs written and composed by Kristen
Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and 22 score pieces composed by Christophe Beck. It features the critically acclaimed song "Let It Go"- both the film version (performed by Idina Menzel) and the single version (performed by Demi Lovato).
1963:
Actor Kevin Chamberlin is born in Baltimore, Maryland. Known for his theatrical roles on
Broadway, Disney fans know him best as Bertram Winkle in the Disney Channel Original Series sitcom Jessie
(from 2011 to 2015) and its 2016 spin-off series Bunk'd. Chamberlin also starred as Dr. Fusion in Teen Beach
Movie, a Disney Channel Original Movie.
1991:
Actress Eleanor Audley passes away at age 86 in North Hollywood, California. With a distinctive voice in radio and animation, in addition to her TV and film roles, she is best known for providing Disney animated features with the villainess voices of Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950); and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). Audley also provided the voice of Madame Leota, the spirit medium, for Disney's Haunted Mansion attractions.
2019:
Saks Fifth Avenue debuts its holiday windows in New York City. A collaboration with Disney, the two brands come together to delight shoppers with dazzling "Frozen 2"-inspired windows, exclusive product and a one-of-a-kind in-store experience. Saks's center six windows of its flagship store bring scenes from the film to life.
The unveiling also includes musical performance by Idina Menzel (voice of Elsa) of a song from the "Frozen 2" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, along with a song from her upcoming holiday album, "Christmas: A Season of Love."
1986:
Animator Don Towsley passes away at age 74 in California. Starting out at Disney in the early 1930s, Towsley worked on 3 shorts in the Silly Symphony series, animating the band in The Cookie Carnival
(1935), a scene of dancing hens ultimately cut from Cock o' the Walk (1935), and the introduction and opening scene of Donald's Better Self (1938). In 1938, he became the main animator for the Donald Duck short films (following Fred Spencer's death). Towsley went on to work on such features as Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi.
1906:
Animator, screenwriter and voice actor Larry Clemmons is born in Chicago, Illinois. Taking a
job offer from Walt Disney in 1930 to work at his Hyperion Studios, after several years Clemmons became an assistant animator for the Mickey Mouse film series. When World War II broke out, he left the studio and decamped to the Midwest, where he wrote technical manuals for wartime manufacturing plants. At the end of the war he landed a job on Bing Crosby’s prime-time network radio shows, where he spent nine years writing weekly scripts for Crosby and his guests. Years later he returned to Walt Disney Productions as a writer and segment producer on The Mickey Mouse Club and various shorts and features such as Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Robin Hood and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too. Clemmons retired in 1978.
2020:
Taylor Swift's folklore: the long pond studio sessions (an intimate concert film) premieres exclusively on Disney+.
1997:
The 2nd Epcot International Food and Wine Festival comes to an end.
2021:
The adorable Grogu from The Mandalorian soars over Broadway for the first time at the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Stormtroopers and an augmented reality float (complete with the Millennium Falcon) also make an appearance to promote the new VR game "Star Wars: Tales from The Galaxy's Edge" on Oculus Quest. Disney Cruise Line's "Magic Meets the Sea" float also debuts.
