2005:
Mickey and Minnie Mouse, along with Goofy and Pluto visit
Reliant Center in Houston, Texas, a Red Cross Shelter and
home to many New Orleans Hurricane Katrina survivors.
1925:
Animation work begins on Walt Disney's Alice Comedy film, Alice Rattled by Rats.
1937:
Actor Brian Murray, the voice of John Silver in Disney's 2002 release Treasure Planet, is born in South Africa.
1993:
Disney World's popular Night of Joy event (in its 10th year) kicks
off with performances by Christian music acts. This year's event will be
held for 2 weekends (Sep 10 & 11 and 17 & 18) with such musical acts as Carman, Steven Curtis Chapman, 4HIM, Shirley Caesar, Bruce Carroll, and Susuan Ashton. All attendees are given a cassette tape of Night of Joy music.
Disney releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Money for Nothing to
U.S. theaters. Based on the life of Joey Coyle, an unemployed longshoreman in Philadelphia who, in
February 1981, found $1.2 million in the middle of the street after it had fallen out of the back of an armored car,
the film stars John Cusack.
Cartoon story artist, animator and director Cal Howard passes away in California. Working for several pioneer animators like Walter Lantz, Max Fleischer and Ub Iwerks, Howard worked for a short time at Disney as an in-betweener and a story artist. This was followed by employment at MGM and Screen Gems. Many years later he returned to comic book work as a story editor for Walt Disney Publications (in 1974). In 1980, he received the Annie Award for lifetime achievement for his work in animation. Howard retired 6 years later.
2004:
The 3rd Annual ABC Primetime Preview Weekend begins at Disney's
California Adventure.
The Feisty Fall Sculpture Event featuring Donald Duck debuts for three
days at World of Disney (located in Disneyland's Downtown District).
1990:
The Disney Afternoon, a created-for-syndication two-hour television programming
block, first airs. The show is broken up into four half-hour segments, each of which contain a cartoon series.
(The Disney Afternoon will run until 1997 and even lead to a temporary area at Disneyland called
Disney Afternoon Avenue.)
2007:
Walt Disney World honors the crew of the NASA space shuttle
Endeavour mission and the achievement of teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan.
This is the first official appearance of the STS-118 crew since returning to Earth on August 21. Epcot and Magic
Kingdom hold ceremonies (which include a dedication at Mission: SPACE) and allow school children to interact with
the Endeavour astronauts.
Disney Legend Ralph Kent (a 41-year veteran) passes away in Orlando, Florida. He
worked for Walt himself beginning back in the early 1960s as an art director. Retired since 2004, Kent was also a
merchandise artist, marketer, and Director of Walt Disney Imagineering East overseeing Florida staff support for
EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland. Known by some as "The Keeper of the Mouse," Kent trained other artists to
draw the mouse uniformly, and helped determine which merchandise would carry his image. A friend of many in the
collecting world of Disneyana, Kent was a collector of comics, chess sets, and animation.
Actress, singer and dancer Jane Wyman, whose career spanned more than seven decades, passes away at age 90 in California. The first wife of actor Ronald Reagan (who helped host Disneyland's debut and later became the 40th U.S. president), her Disney film credits included Pollyanna (1960) and Bon Voyage! (1962).
The second Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a themed store offering young guests the
opportunity for a makeover to become a princess or prince, opens in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland. The very first one had opened in WDW's Downtown Disney in April 2006.
"D23 is an unprecedented way we opened doors to Disney to fans in a way they can’t get
through any other venue." -Steven Clark, head of D23
"I always wanted to be Geppetto." -Ralph Kent
1979:
Actor Jacob Young - who played the role of Lumiere in Disney's Broadway hit
Beauty and the Beast - is born in Renton, Washington. (The Emmy Award-winning actor is best known to fans of All My Children as J.R. Chandler.)
1932:
The Silly Symphony short King Neptune, directed by Burt Gillett, is released.
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
SEPTEMBER 10
SEPTEMBER 10
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2009:
Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger launches the
first-ever D23 Expo with an hour-long presentation in the Anaheim
Convention Center Arena in California. Following the presentation, the 2009
Disney Legends Awards are handed out at a ceremony hosted by ABC personality Tom
Bergeron. It is the first time the awards are ever handed out off Disney property. This
year's Disney Legends Award honorees include Robin Williams and Betty White. The D23 Expo will continue with
special events, guest speakers, and exclusive screenings through Sunday September 13.
Also at the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment announces the
launch of the new Diamond Collection - the definitive collection of the Walt Disney
Studios most historic and beloved animated classics that will debut on Blu-ray
Hi-Def. As part of the new Diamond Collection criteria, each film (starting with Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs in October) will be thoroughly restored to the highest level of picture and sound and feature
groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content.
First D23 EXPO begins
1938:
A morning story meeting for Fantasia takes place at the studio's conference room.
Among those present - Walt Disney, orchestral conductor Leopold Stokowski, composer Deems Taylor (who
will act as the film's Master of Ceremonies), animator Dick Huemer and artist-writer Joe Grant.
| ||||
Night of Joy debuts
"I think it's great and it's quite honoring, and more than anything, I just thank Disney for honoring exploration and education. This is not a me thing, this honors all teachers and students and space explorers and my crewmates." -Barbara Morgan
The Walt Disney World
Preview Center (at one time
located near the intersection
of Interstate 4 and State
Road 535) became
the first building on
WDW property to open to the
public in 1970.
2010:
A star-powered, 16-act Christian music lineup kicks off the 28th Night of Joy at Walt Disney World. After 2 years at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Night of Joy 2010 returns to the Magic Kingdom. The special-ticket event features live performances (over the next two nights) on several stages throughout the park. This night's entertainment includes such names as Casting Crowns, Tenth Avenue North, Barlow Girl, and Point of Grace.
"Pair of Kings," a new sitcom starring Mitchel Musso and Doc Shaw, debuts on Disney Channel. (It will first air on Disney XD on September 22). Fraternal twins Brady and Boomer are average Chicago teenagers until the day a representative from the country of Kinkow arrives at their high school to inform them that they are, in fact, heirs to the throne of the island nation. The boys relocate to claim their heritage, but it's not as easy as it sounds. The cast includes Kelsey Chow as Mikayla Makoola and Ryan Ochoa as Lanny. (Musso will be replaced with actor Adam Hicks as Boz for season 3, and the series will end in February 2013.)
Amusement Today announces the winners of its prestigious 2009 Golden Ticket
Awards. Presented to the "Best of the Best" in the amusement industry calculated from an international
poll conducted by Amusement Today, this year's winners include IllumiNations: Reflections of the Earth at
Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center for Best Outdoor Night Show Production.
1982:
Illustrator and voice actor Bret Iwan, the fourth official person to voice
Mickey Mouse, is born in California. With the passing of Wayne Allwine (the third
official voice of Mickey) in 2009, Disney looked within the company to find someone to
perform the recognizable voice. Iwan won the role after a company-wide search where a
animator friend from Pixar submitted Iwan as a possibility. In a final audition, Russi Taylor, the
voice of Minnie Mouse and the widow of Wayne Allwine, helped in selecting Iwan. (The only
other two to voice Mickey full-time was Walt Disney himself and sound effects artist Jimmy Macdonald.)
1948:
The Disney short Pluto's Fledgling, directed by Charles Nichols, is released.
Big-hearted Pluto helps Orville the bird learn to fly.
1983:
The very first Night of Joy ever takes place at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
Performers include Leon Patillo, Shirley Caesar, Petra, Phil Keaggy, Sheila Walsh, Benny Hestor, David
Meece, and Scott Wesley Brown. Leon Patillo has the distinction of being the very first performer to headline
Disney's Night of Joy. It will become an annual contemporary Christian music event and one
of only two Christian rock festivals to be held yearly in the Orlando, Florida area.
1999:
Magic Kingdom host Night of Joy 1999 at Disney World from 8:00PM to 1AM.
Performers include Michael W. Smith, Fred Hammond, Deliriou5?, Jaci Velasquez, Avalon, Audio Adrenaline,
and Out of Eden.
The Tatooine Traders merchandise shop (attached to the Star Tours attraction)
opens at the Disney-MGM Studios. Previously called the Endor Vendors shop, Tatooine Traders
features a wide variety of Star Wars merchandise.
1959:
Disney releases the live-action feature film Zorro the Avenger to theaters in Japan. The film is a compilation of six Zorro television episodes (currently a hit on American TV).
1984:
Ray Watson (Chairman of Walt Disney Productions) and Phil Hawley (senior director)
meet with Dennis Stanfill (formerly of the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation), to
interview him for the position of Disney's new CEO.
1998:
The United States Postal Service issues a 32-cent postage stamp depicting Disney's
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (as part of its series of memories of the 1930s).
2012:
Katie, a syndicated talk show co-owned and hosted by former CBS Evening
News and Today anchor Katie Couric, debuts. It is co-produced by ABC
Entertainment and distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. This premiere
telecast of Katie will be rated as the highest daytime talk show debut in the last decade.
September 10
"I think this is just the beginning of what is really an exciting opportunity for us."
-Bob Iger on the first D23 Expo
2015:
Disney Chief Operating Officer Thomas Staggs announces that ground will be
broken on "Star Wars"-themed lands at Disneyland and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2016. The 14-acre "Star Wars" areas represent the largest expansions in the Burbank-based company’s history for a single-themed area at its parks.
2017:
Hurricane Irma forces Walt Disney World to shut down for only the 5th time (due to
weather) in the resort's 45-year history. This marks the second-straight year Disney World has shut its
gates because of severe weather: Hurricane Matthew forced it to close last October. Although the hotels remain open,
the parks will be closed through Monday, September 11. It is the first time WDW will be closed for 2 days in a row.
Hurricane Irma is the most intense Atlantic hurricane observed in over a decade. (WDW closed twice in 1999 due to Hurricanes Frances and Floyd. In 2001 the parks were evacuated after the September 11 attacks. Hurricane Jean
forced a closure in 2004 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.)
Disney Legend Xavier "X" Atencio, a former Imagineer and Disney animator, passes
away at the age of 98. First starting at Disney in 1938, he went on to help bring to life a number of beloved
Disney Parks attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, as well as such animated classics
as Pinocchio and Fantasia.
2013:
Screenwriter, film producer and jazz musician Don Nelson passes away at age 86 in California. Best known for his work on the situation comedy The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, for which he wrote from1952 to 1966, the series starred his elder brother Ozzie Nelson, his sister-in-law Harriet Nelson and his nephews David Nelson and Ricky Nelson. His Disney credits included the feature films No Deposit, No Return, Gus, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, and Hot Lead and Cold Feet. Nelson also wrote 4 episodes of the television series Herbie, the Love Bug.
2014:
Actor Richard Dawson Kiel, best known for his role as the steel-toothed Jaws in
two James Bond movies; The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979), passes away at age 74 in Fresno, California. He lampooned the role of Jaws with a tongue-in-cheek cameo in
Disney's 1999 Inspector Gadget. Kiel also supplied the voice of Vladamir for Disney's 2010 animated feature Tangled.
2019:
Disney re-releases its 1992 Aladdin on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray as part of the
Walt Disney Signature Collection. In celebration, Disney surprises fans at the Broadway production of Aladdin (at New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City) with a performance by singers Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle. The two take the stage after this evening's show to sing their rendition of "A Whole New World." Belle and Bryson originally performed the pop version of "A Whole New World" for the film’s end credits. Their song was also featured on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Also released on 4K Blu-ray is the 2006 Cars, the 2015 Inside Out, and 2016 Finding Dory.
1996:
Actress Joanne Dru passes away at age 74 in Los Angeles, California. Known for such
films as Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and All the King's Men, she appeared in Disney's 1958
live-action The Light in the Forest.
1960:
Actor Colin Firth is born in Grayshott, Hampshire, England. His Disney credits include the 2009 A Christmas Carol as Fred and the 2018 Mary Poppins Returns as both William Weatherall Wilkins & the voice of Wolf.
1931:
Actor and comedian Philip Baker Hall is born in Toledo, Ohio. Playing the role of Lance Strictland in Disney's 2006 remake of The Shaggy Dog, he also lent his voice to a 2010 episode of Fish Hooks, and appeared in 3 episodes of ABC's Modern Family. (Seinfeld fans will remember him as Lt. Joe Bookman on the episode "The Library.")
1975:
Actor/comedian Kyle Bornheimer is born in Indiana. His ABC credits include episodes of Agent Carter
and Modern Family. He also portrayed Crispin, Patty's boyfriend, in the Disney+ film Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made,
and voiced Wilden Lightfoot, Ian and Barley's late father and Laurel's late husband, in the 2020 Onward.
2020:
Actress Diana Rigg passes away at age 82 in London, England. Best known for her role of Emma Peel in the British TV series The Avengers (1965–1968), she supplied the voice of Mayor Pink Panda in 3 episodes of the Disney XD series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero.
1955:
Joseph "Joe" Rohde, an executive at Walt Disney Imagineering,
is born in Sacramento, California (though raised in Hawaii). Rohde
joined Imagineering in 1980 during the development of Epcot as a model designer and
scenic painter for the theme park's Mexico pavilion. He later worked as a designer on
the refurbishment of Fantasyland at Disneyland, the Captain EO 3-D film attraction
starring singer Michael Jackson, the Norway pavilion at Epcot and the Adventurers
Club, a 1930s-themed bar and lounge within the Pleasure Island entertainment
district at Walt Disney World Resort. Often referred to as a "rock star Imagineer," he
was the lead designer of Disney's Animal Kingdom, and the principal creative force behind the park's Expedition Everest thrill ride. Rohde was also one of the lead designers behind the Disney Vacation Club property Aulani in Oʻahu, Hawaii (chosen for the role because of his experience with the Island and its native people). On November 23, 2020, Rohde announced his retirement from Walt Disney Imagineering after 40 years; effective January 4, 2021.
