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Getting to Know Walt Disney's Tinker Bell & The Nostalgic Art of Animation and NeverEnding Christmas PhilharMagic (November 13, 2018; 2024 Edition)

• The D23 team

• Preface: Andreas Deja, John Canemaker

• Foreword: Pete Docter

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From all of us to all of you! Merry Christmas from Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Wendy, and all your friends from Walt Disney Animation Studios, including the Pixie Hollow gang. In the same jewelry box with the same porcelain ballerina from the first chapter in the rare Tinker Bell series, it produces musical notes from a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder. The popular device best known today as a music box developed from a musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and were originally called chimes of music. Some of the more complex music boxes also contain a tiny drum and/or bells in addition to the metal comb. Enjoy a "philharmagical" holidays with nine popular Christmas melodies (which inspires these nine merry gentlemen—the old-school team of core animators, who he affectionately called Walt Disney's "Nine Old Men," were known for creating Disney's most famous gang of all-star ensemble of beloved characters from the studio during their careers), the Disney holiday favorite from 1958's From All of Us to All of You, and some of Disney's most memorable hits, including You Can Fly" from Peter Pan. Each of the nine Christmas carols inspire each of the Nine Old Men, including Toyland (Ward Kimball, which also inspires him to write Walt Disney's Babes in Toyland). Press the buttons on the keyboard contained within the songbook and the images (which pay tribute to Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the other Disney Legends) will flash to music while it's playing or put the key into the music box to hear very beautifully chimes play ten songs.
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O Christmas Tree
Deck the Halls
Here We Come A-Caroling
Jingle Bells
Toyland
Christmas Is Coming
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Up on the Housetop
From All of Us to All of You

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We dedicate both this Christmas music box and song book to Eric Larson and Marc Davis, who looked like uncles to some of the children who grow up with their seven talented fathers, including some of Walt Disney's all-star animators, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, and their fellow Dixieland Firehouse Five Plus Two musician and railroader Ward Kimball.

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Contents

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Acknowledgments
Preface: John Canemaker
Preface: Andreas Deja
Foreword: Pete Docter

Walt Disney: About the Father Figure to Tinker Bell and the Fairies of Pixie Hollow
Disney Legends
The First
Making an Entrance: 2024 Disney Legends
A Suite Legacy
Legends in Legends Plaza
Fantasy Springs Opens at Tokyo DisneySea
Meet Tinker Bell's Nine Forever Young Fairies

O Christmas Tree / Marc Davis
Deck the Halls / Frank Thomas
Here We Come A-Caroling / Les Clark
Jingle Bells / Eric Larson
Toyland / Ward Kimball / "Our Lucky Star"
Christmas Is Coming / Ollie Johnston
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas / John Lounsbery
We Wish You a Merry Christmas / Wolfgang Reitherman
Up on the Housetop / Milt Kahl
From All of Us to All of You / The Disney Legends

Personalities of the Parks
Legends on the Lot
The PhilharMagic Makers
Legends One and All
Studio Stars
Sounds Like Magic
In His Own Words
New York, New York
Preserving the Legacy
The Disneys
Frozen Ever After soundtrack ideas

Load (with Oaken's speech)
1st Olaf ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman")
The Trolls
Lift ("Vuelie")
Olaf, Anna, and Kristoff ("For the First Time in Forever")
Elsa and Young Iduna's Voice ("Into the Unknown")
Marshmallow and Drop ("Instrumental Theme (Elsa & Anna)")
Arendelle Ice Castle ("For the First Time in Forever" instrumental)
Anna, Elsa, and Olaf Finale ("In Summer")
Unload (with Oaken's speech)

Walt Disney's Last Productions
Glossary
Index

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Acknowledgments

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• Michael Barrier (Norm Ferguson, Ham Luske, Bill Tytla, John Sibley)

• Dale Baer† (John Lounsbery)

• John Canemaker (Les Clark, Ham Luske, Grim Natwick)

• Ron Clements (Frank Thomas)

• Andreas Deja (Milt Kahl)

• Didier Ghez (Ub Iwerks, Ham Luske)

• Eric Goldberg (Ward Kimball)

• Don Hahn (Woolie Reitherman)

• Glen Keane (Ollie Johnston)

• Bob Kurtz (Marc Davis)

• Burny Mattinson† (John Sibley)

• John Musker (Eric Larson)

Floyd Norman (Hal King)

Dave Smith† (Fred Moore)

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• Robin Allan† (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Make Mine Music, Melody Time)

• Didier Ghez (The Reluctant Dragon)

• Mindy Johnson (Cinderella, Peter Pan)

• J.B. Kaufman (Bambi, South of the Border)

• Daniel Kothenschulte (Silly Symphonies, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Burbank Studios (1939—1940), Dumbo)

• Katja Lüthge (Fun and Fancy Free)

• Leonard Maltin (Song of the South)

• Russell Merritt (Laugh-O-grams, From Alice to Mickey)

• Andreas Platthaus (Lady and the Tramp)

• Brian Sibley (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh)

• Charles Solomon (Hyperion Studios (1926—1940), Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, The Jungle Book)

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• Orphan's Benefit (Les Clark)

• Mickey's Elephant (Frank Thomas)

• The Country Cousin (Les Clark)

• Woodland Café (Ward Kimball)

• Hawaiian Holiday (Wolfgang Reitherman)

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Les Clark, Wolfgang Reitherman, Ward Kimball, John Lounsbery)

• The Brave Little Tailor (Frank Thomas)

• Goofy and Wilbur (Wolfgang Reitherman)

• Donald's Cousin Gus (Wolfgang Reitherman)

• Pinocchio (Eric Larson, Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas)

• Fantasia (John Lounsbery)

• Dumbo (Wolfgang Reitherman, Ward Kimball)

• The Symphony Hour (Les Clark)

• Bambi (Eric Larson, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Marc Davis)

• Saludos Amigos (Milt Kahl)

• Make Mine Music (John Lounsbery)

• Song of the South (Eric Larson, Marc Davis)

• Fun and Fancy Free (John Lounsbery)

• Melody Time (Ollie Johnston)

• The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston)

• Cinderella (Marc Davis)

• Alice in Wonderland (Eric Larson, Milt Kahl, John Lounsbery, Marc Davis)

• Peter Pan (Wolfgang Reitherman, Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, John Lounsbery, Marc Davis)

• Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (Marc Davis)

• Lady and the Tramp (Les Clark, Wolfgang Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery)

• Sleeping Beauty (Ollie Johnston, Marc Davis)

• One Hundred and One Dalmatians (Milt Kahl, John Lounsbery, Marc Davis)

• The Sword in the Stone (Milt Kahl)

• The Jungle Book (Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery)

• The AristoCats (Milt Kahl)

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• Flowers and Trees (Les Clark)

• The Country Cousin (Les Clark)

• Ferdinand the Bull (Ward Kimball)

• Donald's Cousin Gus (Wolfgang Reitherman)

• Pinocchio (Wolfgang Reitherman, Milt Kahl, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery)

• Fantasia (Les Clark, Wolfgang Reitherman, Ward Kimball)

• The Symphony Hour (Les Clark)

• Bambi (Marc Davis)

• Saludos Amigos (Wolfgang Reitherman)

• The Three Caballeros (Eric Larson)

• Make Mine Music (Ward Kimball)

• The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Wolfgang Reitherman, Frank Thomas)

• Cinderella (Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis)

• Alice in Wonderland (Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston)

• Peter Pan (Les Clark, Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston)

• Lady and the Tramp (Eric Larson, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery)

• Sleeping Beauty (Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, John Lounsbery, Marc Davis)

• One Hundred and One Dalmatians (Eric Larson, Marc Davis)

• The Sword in the Stone (Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, John Lounsbery)

• The Jungle Book (Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery)

• The AristoCats (Milt Kahl)

• The Rescuers (Milt Kahl)

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Colors of Ribbons that edited as the Christmas song sheet

• Red (O Christmas Tree (Marc Davis), Jingle Bells (Eric Larson), Christmas Is Coming (Ollie Johnston), From All of Us to All of You (The Disney Legends)

• Green (Deck the Halls (Frank Thomas), Jolly Old Saint Nicholas (John Lounsbery), Up on the Housetop (Milt Kahl))

• Yellow (Here We Come A-Caroling (Les Clark))

• Pink (Toyland (Ward Kimball), We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Wolfgang Reitherman))

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PREFACE: John Canemaker

I first became aware of Walt Disney's Nine Old Men when, as a teenager in 1958, I read Bob Thomas's book The Art of Animation. In a black-and-white photograph spread over two pages, there they were: Les Clark, Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery, and Marc Davis. Nine great animators, described as "the group Walt has called 'the nine old men.'"

They looked middle-aged, not old, and the text did not explain that Walt Disney's sobriquet was a joking reference to President Roosevelt's description of his hostile Supreme Court as "nine old men, all too aged to recognize a new idea." But the book introduced to the public a filmmaking team whose ironic appellation has come to represent some of the highest achievements in character (or personality) animation. The Nine Old Men were, wrote Thomas, "the creators who add the touch of genius to the Disney features."

Think of your favorite moments and characters in Disney films from the 1930s through the 1970s—pathos, comedy, or action performed by heroes, heroines, villains, or clowns—and chances are most were animated by one of the Nine Old Men. Although the principles and techniques of character animation were forged by an earlier group at Disney, the Nine Old Men developed and refined those methods to a high degree of expressiveness and subtlety over a forty-year period. In films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Song of the South, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and The Rescuers, among others, their virtuosity remains a benchmark against which all other character animation continues to be measured.

After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the studio publicity department perpetuated and built the legend of the Nine Old Men with a second and final group photograph, this time in color; magazines and books touted the group's accomplishments. It was an attempt to personalize the continuation of the art form that Walt developed by shining a spotlight on his closest, most loyal, and gifted collaborators.

But the term obscured the individual achievements of nine unique talents and temperaments, even as it purportedly illuminated them. One got the impression that the Nine Old Men were similar, interlocking, and equal parts of a smoothly running machine. Nothing could have been further from the truth, which makes them and their achievements all the more remarkable.

I saw how different they were from each other during my first visit to the Disney Studio in Burbank, California, in the summer of 1973. Researching an academic paper on the development of Disney animation, it was my good fortune to meet and interview several of the Nine. I found them to be individualists with widely differing artistic gifts, viewpoints, personalities, and degrees of ambition and competitiveness. That they had worked together so well for so long seems, upon reflection, miraculous. Of course, the attributes and liabilities of one man complemented another's, and they had much in common.

An example of their commonality is the fact that each man came to Disney merely seeking a job. All were affected by the Depression, a period of rampant unemployment in America; Disney was one of the few places offering paying jobs to artists. The studio's 1933 short Three Little Pigs, with its theme song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?," became a national symbol of the spunk and optimism of the American people. It also held a special relevance for the future Nine Old Men, who arrived at the studio with the wolf literally at their door. But the film also demonstrated a powerful new kind of animation that could communicate with vast audiences by inspiring as well as amusing them. The Nine Old Men stayed at the Disney studio for decades not merely out of loyalty; they became fascinated with character animation and excited by the opportunity to expand the art form's potential.

At the time of my first visit, the Nine were no longer working as a complete team. Wolfgang Reitherman was directing and producing the features; Les Clark was directing television shows; Eric Larson was in charge of training new animators; Marc Davis was designing Disney theme park attractions; Ward Kimball was less than a month from officially retiring. (In fact, I interviewed him at his home where I had the pleasure of riding the cars of his life-size train collection.) Only Milt Kahl, John Lounsbery, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston were still animating. (I was privileged to observe the latter two gentlemen at their drawing boards animating scenes for 1977's The Rescuers.)

Over the years, during subsequent visits to research articles or books, I learned more about the Nine Old Men: their individual relationships with Walt and with each other; their predecessors and mentors at the studio upon whose inspirations and innovations the Nine built; their artistic break-throughs and failures; their rivalries and their involvement in studio politics.

My closest friendships have been with Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, who have shared a unique and long-lived loyalty to each other as well as a deep dedication to their art. For over a quarter century we have shared phone calls, letters, and meals in different parts of the world, from Chicago, Illinois, to Cakovec, Yugoslavia. I have interviewed them countless times privately and in front of audiences large and small. I have been privileged to receive their warm encouragement and bracing "tough-love" critiques of my films and writings.

My books on animation history include biographies of Winsor McCay, Tex Avery, and even Felix the Cat; two recent books concentrated on aspects of preanimation processes at the Walt Disney Studio, namely the conceptual artwork and the storyboards. When I was finally offered the opportunity to write about the art of Disney animation itself—through the prism of the Nine Old Men, in a candid assessment of their lives and contributions to a special form of cinema—I leaped at the chance.

Both Frank and Ollie were, as always, enthusiastic. They encouraged me to tell the truth as I see it about the remarkable Disney animated films, how they were made, and who made them. Here, for example, is an excerpt from a September 28, 1998, letter to me from Frank Thomas:

So have fun and choose a heart-wrenching philosophy that will make your audience cheer while wiping a tear from their eye. The subject is BIG, from the casual way it all started, to the resentments, the unhappiness that went hand in hand with the glow of success, the failures, the continuous changes in the studio and in Walt, down to his death and the degeneration of the whole idea surrounding the 9 Old Men.
Don't give it that sugary Disney treatment, these are real people leading real lives. And what's more, they are real artists, extremely talented artists, and few talented writers, historians, teachers, critics, and animators themselves, ever get a chance to do a book with this much importance and potential. Go to it!

I have always wanted to write a book on animators modeled after Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists, the famous sixteenth-century biographical work about the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance. This project attempts to fulfill that wish.

My purpose is the same as Vasari's: "to revive the memory of those who adorned these professions, who do not merit that their names and works should remain the prey of death and oblivion."

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PREFACE: Andreas Deja

One day in the late 1970s I discussed Disney animation with my life-drawing teacher. "Anybody can learn how to animate like Disney," he claimed. "It's all technique, but no art." I was shocked! This man was a terrific teacher and an artist in his own right. I doubted his judgment quietly, having already spent endless hours studying the fluid motion of Disney animation with the help of Super-8 film clips. I could not imagine that anybody could learn to animate like this by picking up a few simple tricks. It seemed to me that in order to create life through drawings, an artist had to become very involved and committed.

My art school didn't offer any animation classes, which meant if I wanted to pursue a future career in animation, a self-taught method would be the only option. After giving myself assignments like walk cycles and other pencil tests, I found out that Disney Studios had started a training program for new talent joining the animation department. It turned out that veteran animator Eric Larson worked with newcomers on developing their craft to eventually become fully fledged animators.

About one year later, in August 1980, I applied for the program and was lucky enough to get accepted. One of the things I remember is Eric going over my drawings from a scene I was trying to animate. Looking over the shoulder of one of Disney's great animators and watching him as he strengthened my poses and timing was intimidating and thrilling at the same time.

When viewing my corrected scene, I couldn't believe my eyes. Eric's input added pure magic; the character's actions became more clear and believable. What started out as messy graphic motion, now seemed to show signs of life.

It was Eric who first introduced me to two other Disney animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, who were in the midst of writing their first book on Disney animation, The Illusion of Life. Conversations with these artists were fascinating because, after all, they had been involved with almost all of Disney's animated films. These movies shaped my childhood and made me wonder, how on earth this level of excellence was achieved. Now I had the opportunity to ask endless questions about the art of character animation.

When I was still in Germany, the term "Disney's Nine Old Men" had been familiar to me; I knew the names of this elite group of animators from books and magazine articles. What I wasn't aware of was the fact that two of them had already passed away when I started working for the studio. John Lounsbery and Les Clark were no longer alive, but I was lucky to get to know and become friends with seven of the nine, including Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston.

Woolie Reitherman still worked at the studio during the early 1980s, developing ideas for new projects. Marc Davis had retired, but lived close by, and he and his wife Alice enjoyed interacting with a new generation of animators. Ward Kimball lectured occasionally at the studio and was always up for a lunch date. Milt Kahl had moved to San Francisco after spending more than 40 years as an animator at Disney. I visited him once or twice a year and, despite his rough reputation, found him to be generous with his time and stimulating to talk to. I was lucky to be able to join Disney at a time when so many master animators were still alive and, as it turned out, very approachable. Every conversation with each of them left me incredibly inspired and compelled to study their work in greater detail. At that time the studio kept all of the animated, hand-drawn scenes ever done in a makeshift archive called the Morgue, which was placed in the basement of the Ink and Paint Department. Newcomers like myself were encouraged to study this material up close and learn from it. And what a school it was! Whether it was Medusa pulling off her false eyelashes, Bambi chasing a butterfly, or Baloo dancing with Mowgli, flipping those scenes left me with a feeling of either frustration—I am never going to be as good as this—or utter elation—look how incredible this medium can be!

In this book I try to share anecdotes and reflections by these incredible artists—as related to me—and present some of their brilliant work.

My art teacher was wrong; Disney animation is so much more than technique. Creating personalities on the screen through drawings is extremely difficult and only succeeds if the animator finds a way to express him, or herself personally. As Marc Davis said, it is the ultimate art form, involving drawing, acting, music, dancing, and painting, all combined into one medium.

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FOREWORD: Pete Docter

One of the questions I get asked most often is, "Who are my favorite Disney characters?" For many animators and directors, that question is like asking them to pick their favorite children. But for me, I can say without hesitation that one of my absolute favorites has always been Tinker Bell.

I must confess it was love at first flight, seeing Tinker Bell in the Walt Disney classic Peter Pan when I was just a young boy. Not only could she fly, but she had magic pixie dust that could make anyone fly. Who didn't want to fly? She was incredibly appealing, especially to an adolescent boy. She had a mischievous side to her that was human, fun, and something we could all relate to. I loved that Tinker Bell had so many facets to her personality, and she was able to beautifully communicate all of them without even saying a word. And despite her sometimes impetuous behavior, you always sensed that she had a big heart. She has a very important sibling in the very rare magical place called Pixie Hollow. She has a name based on the periwinkle flower. Her name was Periwinkle and she shared many similar traits with Elsa from Frozen.

As my interest and fascination with animation grew, including the foundation of the characteristic similarly sisterhood between Tink and Anna and Peri and Elsa, I learned to appreciate the incredible design and draftsmanship that Marc Davis, the father of Tinker Bell and one of the greatest animators to ever work at Disney, put in to bringing her to life. And make no mistake about it; Tinker Bell is full of life. These talented individuals contributed their efforts to many Disney projects over the years. One very special effort was Disney's classic Peter Pan, which they all worked on together. Marc Davis was one of Walt's creative team, the "nine old men" faced many exciting challenges in bringing this story to the screen. Not only did they need to find new ways to bring the characters to life, they added elements of the tale that had not been possible in the stage versions of the story.

The first "nine old men" were Supreme Court justices—all more than 90 years old—who were trying to block President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" in the mid-1930s. When Walt Disney selected his first-string supervising animators, he was doing a wry nod to the headlines when he dubbed these then-young artists his "Nine Old Men," who were honored as Disney Legends along with the non-member, Ub Iwerks. As husbands and fathers, some of Disney's talented animators had offspring (known as sons and daughters, including brothers and sisters), except for Marc Davis and Eric Larson, who was the trainer of new generation of Disney animators, including Chris Buck, Ron Clements, John Musker (who had previously finished working on Moana), and some of the new Disney Legends: Andreas Deja, Glen Keane, and Mark Henn. They looked like uncles to some of the children who grow up with his talented fathers. Les Clark, Milt Kahl, and Ollie Johnston had two while Wolfgang Reitherman, Ward Kimball, and John Lounsbery had three and Frank Thomas had four. I get to know and become friends with some of their children, including Thomas' son Theodore, filmmaker of 1995 documentary Frank & Ollie, and Reitherman's son Bruce who voiced Mowgli in The Jungle Book while his older brothers Dick and Bob voiced King Arthur in The Sword in the Stone. Kimball's son John was the animation director of many television series including 1989's Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers.

Both Peter Pan and Tinker Bell's Pixie Hollow glory days were very, very special to Walt himself. As a young boy, Walt had portrayed Peter in a school play; he had been enchanted with the story every since. Walt long dreamed of putting this story on the silver screen. His dream became a reality in 1953 when Peter Pan was first released, which was followed by the Disney Fairies' Tinker Bell film franchise over 50 years later.

The beloved tale, based on Sir James M. Barrie's play, is the story of Peter and of the Darling children, Wendy, John and Michael, who embark on an exciting journey to Never Land. Their fantastic adventure involves an engaging assortment of characters, including a jealous fairy named Tinker Bell, a villainous pirate, Captain Hook, the crocodile, and a myriad of mermaids, Lost Boys and Indians. This dynamic team helped to sprinkle a little pixie dust into the lives of millions.

The term "Disney's Nine Old Men" had been familiar to me; we knew the names of this elite group of animators from books and magazine articles. What I wasn't aware of was the fact that five of them, including Woolie Reitherman, Milt Kahl, and Eric Larson, had already passed away and didn't survive to get handprints in the Disney Legends Award ceremony in 1989 and see the origins of the Disney Renaissance era and DisneyToon Studios when I started working for the company in the early 1990s. However, I was lucky to get to know and become friends with John Lasseter (former CEO of Disney and Pixar Animation), Bradley Raymond, Peggy Holmes, the team behind The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, and four of the nine, including Marc Davis, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston. Animation supervisor Mike Greenholt—who has worked on all of the films in the Tinker Bell series—was lucky to be able to join Disney at a time as a clean-up in-betweener working on Tarzan (directed by Frozen's Chris Buck) and Treasure Planet (directed by Moana's Ron Clements and John Musker) when four of many master animators, including Ollie Johnston and Ward Kimball (who were John Lasseter's two fellow railroaders), were still alive through the 1990s and the 2000s decades and, as it turned out, very approachable.

More than 40 years after Walt Disney's death in the same year Mike was born, all of the members of the Nine Old Men were deceased, starting from John Lounsbery in 1976 to Ollie Johnston in 2008 — 32 years later; the same year we decided to create the Disney Fairies films, where Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman, who previously voiced Shanti in the 2003 sequel to The Jungle Book, in which she was also animated by Ollie in the ending of the classic film) would speak for the first time, we carefully analyzed the magic that makes Tink tick. She displays the full range of human emotions from jealousy, envy, and anger, to joy and love, which inspires Joy from 2015's Inside Out and its 2024 sequel, Inside Out 2. Today, her magic is just as potent as ever, and she's still very much the same character we fell in love with long ago.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful musical jewelry box and song book, which presents some incredible visual development sketches, production art, photographs and galleries of Disney animation for the very first time, also understanding why growing up was or wasn't important to consider it as a good recognition for some of the material from the Disney Fairies' Tinker Bell franchise from DisneyToons Studios since its closures in 2015 and 2018. From earliest Walt Disney origins in his marvelous era to Tinker Bell's magical world of Pixie Hollow, there's quite an adventure ahead. If it's hard to remember those nine Supreme Court justices, think of some wonderful thoughts, turn on the Christmas music box, and get ready to sing along as the work of the nine Disney Legends continues to enchant the world...

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Walt Disney (1901—1966)
About the Father Figure of Tinker Bell and the Fairies of Pixie Hollow

During a 43-year Hollywood career, which spanned the development of the motion picture medium as a modern American art, Walter Elias Disney, a modern Aesop, established himself and his product as a genuine part of Americana.

David Low, the late British political cartoonist, called Disney "the most significant figure in graphic arts since Leonardo." A pioneer and innovator, and the possessor of one of the most fertile imaginations the world has ever known, Walt Disney, along with members of his staff, received more than 950 honors and citations from throughout the world, including 48 Academy Awards® and 7 Emmys® in his lifetime.

Walt Disney's personal awards included honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, the University of Southern California, and UCLA; the Presidential Medal of Freedom; France's Legion of Honor and Officer d'Academie decorations; Thailand's Order of the Crown; Brazil's Order of the Southern Cross; Mexico's Order of the Aztec Eagle; and the Showman of the World Award from the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Walt Disney V, who had been the genius behind his famous fairy, Tinker Bell (the star of her own film collection), the creator of Mickey Mouse, and founder of Disneyland and Walt Disney World was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1901. His father, Elias Disney, was an Irish-Canadian. His mother, Flora Call Disney, was of German-American descent. Walt was one of five children, four boys and a girl.

Raised on a farm near Marceline, Missouri, Walt early became interested in drawing, selling his first sketches to neighbors when he was only seven years old. At McKinley High School in Chicago, Disney divided his attention between drawing and photography, contributing both to the school paper. At night he attended the Academy of Fine Arts.

During the fall of 1918, Disney attempted to enlist for military service. Rejected because he was only 16 years of age, Walt joined the Red Cross and was sent overseas, where he spent a year driving an ambulance and chauffeuring Red Cross officials. His ambulance was covered from stem to stern, not with stock camouflage, but with drawings and cartoons.

After the war, Walt returned to Kansas City, where he began his career as an advertising cartoonist. Here, in 1920, he created and marketed his first original animated cartoons, and later perfected a new method for combining live-action and animation.

In August of 1923, Walt Disney left Kansas City for Hollywood with nothing but a few drawing materials, $40 in his pocket and a completed animated and live-action film. Walt's brother Roy O. Disney was already in California, with an immense amount of sympathy and encouragement, and $250. Pooling their resources, they borrowed an additional $500 and constructed a camera stand in their uncle's garage. Soon, they received an order from New York for the first "Alice Comedy" short, and the brothers began their production operation in the rear of a Hollywood real estate office two blocks away.

On July 13, 1925, Walt married one of his first employees, Lillian Bounds, in Lewiston, Idaho. They were blessed with two daughters — Diane, married to Ron Miller, former president and chief executive officer of Walt Disney Productions; and Sharon Disney Lund, formerly a member of Disney's Board of Directors. The Millers have seven children and Mrs. Lund had three. Mrs. Lund passed away in 1993.

Mickey Mouse was created in 1928, and his talents were first used in a silent cartoon entitled Plane Crazy. However, before the cartoon could be released, sound burst upon the motion picture screen. Thus Mickey made his screen debut in Steamboat Willie, the world's first fully synchronized sound cartoon, which premiered at the Colony Theatre in New York on November 18, 1928.

Walt's drive to perfect the art of animation was endless. Technicolor® was introduced to animation during the production of his "Silly Symphonies." In 1932, the film entitled Flowers and Trees won Walt the first of his 32 personal Academy Awards®. In 1937, he released The Old Mill, the first short subject to utilize the multiplane camera technique.

On December 21 of that same year, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated musical feature, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. Produced at the unheard of cost of $1,499,000 during the depths of the Great Depression, the film is still accounted as one of the great feats and imperishable monuments of the motion picture industry. During the next five years, Walt completed such other full-length animated classics as Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi.

In 1940, construction was completed on Disney's Burbank studio, and the staff swelled to more than 1,000 artists, animators, story men and technicians. During World War II, 94 percent of the Disney facilities were engaged in special government work including the production of training and propaganda films for the armed services, as well as health films which are still shown throughout the world by the U.S. State Department. The remainder of his efforts were devoted to the production of comedy short subjects, deemed highly essential to civilian and military morale.

Disney's 1945 feature, the musical The Three Caballeros, combined live action with the cartoon medium, a process he used successfully in such other features as Song of the South and the highly acclaimed Mary Poppins. In all, 81 features were released by the studio during his lifetime.

Walt's inquisitive mind and keen sense for education through entertainment resulted in the award-winning "True-Life Adventure" series. Through such films as The Living Desert, The Vanishing Prairie, The African Lion and White Wilderness, Disney brought fascinating insights into the world of wild animals and taught the importance of conserving our nation's outdoor heritage.

Disneyland, launched in 1955 as a fabulous $17 million Magic Kingdom, soon increased its investment tenfold and entertained, by its fourth decade, more than 400 million people, including presidents, kings and queens and royalty from all over the globe.

A pioneer in the field of television programming, Disney began production in 1954, and was among the first to present full-color programming with his Wonderful World of Color in 1961. The Mickey Mouse Club and Zorro were popular favorites in the 1950s.

But that was only the beginning. In 1965, Walt Disney turned his attention toward the problem of improving the quality of urban life in America. He personally directed the design on an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or EPCOT, planned as a living showcase for the creativity of American industry.

Said Disney, "I don't believe there is a challenge anywhere in the world that is more important to people everywhere than finding the solution to the problems of our cities. But where do we begin? Well, we're convinced we must start with the public need. And the need is not just for curing the old ills of old cities. We think the need is for starting from scratch on virgin land and building a community that will become a prototype for the future."

Thus, Disney directed the purchase of 43 square miles of virgin land — twice the size of Manhattan Island — in the center of the state of Florida. Here, he master planned a whole new Disney world of entertainment to include a new amusement theme park, motel-hotel resort vacation center and his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. After more than seven years of master planning and preparation, including 52 months of actual construction, Walt Disney World opened to the public as scheduled on October 1, 1971. Epcot Center opened on October 1, 1982.

Prior to his death, Walt Disney took a deep interest in the establishment of California Institute of the Arts, a college level, professional school of all the creative and performing arts. Of Cal Arts, Walt once said, "It's the principal thing I hope to leave when I move on to greener pastures. If I can help provide a place to develop the talent of the future, I think I will have accomplished something."

California Institute of the Arts was founded in 1961 with the amalgamation of two schools, the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Chouinard Art Institute. The campus is located in the city of Valencia, 32 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Walt Disney conceived the new school as a place where all the performing and creative arts would be taught under one roof in a "community of the arts" as a completely new approach to professional arts training.

Walt Disney is a legend, a folk hero of the 20th century. His worldwide popularity was based upon the ideas which his name represents: imagination, optimism and self-made success in the American tradition. Walt Disney did more to touch the hearts, minds and emotions of millions of Americans than any other man in the past century. Through his work, he brought joy, happiness and a universal means of communication to the people of every nation. Certainly, our world shall know but one Walt Disney.

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List (in order of appearance in Walt Disney V's personal touch)

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (December 21, 1937)

The Little Mermaid (November 17, 1989)

Pinocchio (February 7, 1940)

Fantasia (November 13, 1940)

Dumbo (October 23, 1941)

Beauty and the Beast (November 22, 1991)

Bambi (August 13, 1942)

Aladdin (November 25, 1992)

Saludos Amigos (February 6, 1943)

The Lion King (June 24, 1994)

The Three Caballeros (February 3, 1945)

Pocahontas (June 23, 1995)

Toy Story (November 22, 1995)

Make Mine Music (April 20, 1946)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (June 21, 1996)

Hercules (June 27, 1997)

Fun and Fancy Free (September 27, 1947)

Melody Time (May 27, 1948)

Mulan (June 19, 1998)

A Bug's Life (November 25, 1998)

Tarzan (June 18, 1999)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (October 5, 1949)

Toy Story 2 (November 24, 1999)

Fantasia 2000 (December 17, 1999)

Cinderella (February 15, 1950)

The Emperor's New Groove (December 15, 2000)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (June 15, 2001)

Alice in Wonderland (July 26, 1951)

Lilo & Stitch (June 21, 2002)

Treasure Planet (November 27, 2002)

Peter Pan (February 5, 1953)

Finding Nemo (May 30, 2003)

Brother Bear (November 1, 2003)

Home on the Range (April 2, 2004)

The Incredibles (November 5, 2004)

Lady and the Tramp (June 22, 1955)

Chicken Little (November 4, 2005)

Cars (June 9, 2006)

Meet the Robinsons (March 30, 2007)

Ratatouille (June 29, 2007)

Enchanted (November 21, 2007)

WALL-E (June 27, 2008)

Bolt (November 21, 2008)

Sleeping Beauty (January 29, 1959)

Up (May 29, 2009)

The Princess and the Frog & Tinker Bell (December 11, 2009)

Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010)

Tangled & Muppets & Fairies' Autumn Treasure (November 24, 2010)

101 Dalmatians (January 25, 1961)

Cars 2 (June 24, 2011)

Winnie the Pooh & Tinker Bell's Midsummer Rescue (July 15, 2011)

Brave (June 22, 2012)

Monsters University (June 21, 2013)

Frozen & Muppets & Fairies' Wintry Secret (November 27, 2013)

The Sword in the Stone (December 25, 1963)

Planes (July 18, 2014)

Mary Poppins (August 27, 1964)

Frozen Fever & Muppetational & Winged Pirate (March 13, 2015)

Inside Out (June 19, 2015)

The Good Dinosaur (November 25, 2015)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (February 4, 1966–March 11, 1977)

Zootopia & Tinker Bell's NeverZootropolis Legend (March 4, 2016)

Finding Dory (June 17, 2016)

Moana (November 23, 2016)

Cars 3 (June 16, 2017)

The Jungle Book (October 18, 1967)

Coco (November 22, 2017)

Incredibles 2 (June 15, 2018)

Frozen & Tinker Bell Ever After (November 21, 2018)

Toy Story 4 (June 21, 2019)

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2 hours, 20 minutes: Mary Poppins

2 hours, 1 minute: Disenchanted

2 hours, 00 minutes: Fantasia

1 hour, 58 minutes: Incredibles 2

1 hour, 57 minutes: Cars

1 hour, 55 minutes: The Incredibles

1 hour, 52 minutes: Ralph Breaks the Internet

1 hour, 51 minutes: Ratatouille

1 hour, 49 minutes: Cars 3, Coco

1 hour, 48 minutes: Enchanted, Zootopia, Raya and the Last Dragon

1 hour, 47 minutes: Cars 2, Moana

1 hour, 45 minutes: Strange World

1 hour, 43 minutes: Finding Dory, Frozen II, Onward

1 hour, 42 minutes: Toy Story 3, Monsters University, Frozen, Big Hero 6

1 hour, 41 minutes: Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Elemental

1 hour, 40 minutes: Finding Nemo, Toy Story 4, Soul, Turning Red, Lightyear, Moana 2

1 hour, 39 minutes: Encanto

1 hour, 38 minutes: Luca

1 hour, 37 minutes: WALL-E

1 hour, 36 minutes: A Bug's Life, Bolt, Up, Inside Out 2

1 hour, 35 minutes: Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, Inside Out

1 hour, 34 minutes: Meet the Robinsons

1 hour, 33 minutes: Brave

1 hour, 32 minutes: Hercules, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., The Good Dinosaur, Wish

1 hour, 30 minutes: Aladdin

1 hour, 28 minutes: Mulan, Tarzan

1 hour, 27 minutes: Pinocchio, The Lion King, Pocahontas

1 hour, 26 minutes: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1 hour, 25 minutes: Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear

1 hour, 24 minutes: Beauty and the Beast

1 hour, 23 minutes: Robin Hood, The Fox and the Hound

1 hour, 22 minutes: The Little Mermaid, Dinosaur

1 hour, 21 minutes: Chicken Little

1 hour, 20 minutes: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Sword in the Stone, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, Toy Story

1 hour, 19 minutes: 101 Dalmatians, The Emperor's New Groove

1 hour, 18 minutes: The Jungle Book, The AristoCats

1 hour, 16 minutes: Peter Pan, The Rescuers

1 hour, 15 minutes: Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Fantasia 2000, Home on the Range

1 hour, 14 minutes: Cinderella, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers Down Under

1 hour, 13 minutes: Fun and Fancy Free

1 hour, 12 minutes: Oliver & Company

1 hour, 10 minutes: Bambi, The Three Caballeros

1 hour, 8 minutes: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

1 hour, 4 minutes: Dumbo

45 minutes: Saludos Amigos

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The Walt Disney-era (1937–1966)

2 hours, 20 minutes: Mary Poppins

2 hours, 00 minutes: Fantasia

1 hour, 27 minutes: Pinocchio

1 hour, 20 minutes: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Sword in the Stone

1 hour, 19 minutes: 101 Dalmatians

1 hour, 16 minutes: Peter Pan

1 hour, 15 minutes: Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty

1 hour, 14 minutes: Cinderella

1 hour, 13 minutes: Fun and Fancy Free

1 hour, 10 minutes: Bambi, The Three Caballeros

1 hour, 9 minutes: Winnie the Pooh

1 hour, 8 minutes: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

45 minutes: Saludos Amigos

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The Disney Renaissance era (1989–1999)

1 hour, 32 minutes: Hercules

1 hour, 30 minutes: Aladdin

1 hour, 28 minutes: Mulan, Tarzan

1 hour, 27 minutes: The Lion King, Pocahontas

1 hour, 26 minutes: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1 hour, 24 minutes: Beauty and the Beast

1 hour, 22 minutes: The Little Mermaid

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Tinker Bell's Revival era (2009–2016)

2 hours, 4 minutes: Zootopia & Tinker Bell's Legend of the NeverBeast

1 hour, 57 minutes: Tangled & Tinker Bell's Lost Treasure

1 hour, 53 minutes: Frozen & Tinker Bell's Secret of the Wings

1 hour, 49 minutes: The Princess and the Frog & Tinker Bell

1 hour, 26 minutes: Frozen Fever & Tinker Bell's Pirate Fairy

1 hour: 22 minutes: Winnie the Pooh & Tinker Bell's Great Fairy Rescue

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G-rated

1 hour, 57 minutes: Cars

1 hour, 51 minutes: Ratatouille

1 hour, 49 minutes: Cars 3

1 hour, 48 minutes: Enchanted (animated world and musical numbers only)

1 hour, 47 minutes: Cars 2

1 hour, 43 minutes: Frozen II (Anna and Elsa's childhood and "Into the Unknown" musical number only)

1 hour, 42 minutes: Toy Story 3, Monsters University, Frozen (Anna and Elsa's childhood only until their accident occurs)

1 hour, 40 minutes: Finding Nemo, Toy Story 4

1 hour, 37 minutes: WALL-E

1 hour, 36 minutes: A Bug's Life

1 hour, 35 minutes: The Princess and the Frog

1 hour, 34 minutes: Meet the Robinsons

1 hour, 32 minutes: Toy Story 2

1 hour, 25 minutes: Brother Bear

1 hour, 23 minutes: The Fox and the Hound

1 hour, 21 minutes: Chicken Little

1 hour, 20 minutes: The Great Mouse Detective, Toy Story

1 hour, 19 minutes: The Emperor's New Groove

1 hour, 18 minutes: The Jungle Book, The AristoCats

1 hour, 16 minutes: The Rescuers

1 hour, 15 minutes: Fantasia 2000

1 hour, 14 minutes: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

1 hour, 12 minutes: Oliver & Company

1 hour, 9 minutes: Winnie the Pooh

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Grade A

* A+:

• The Little Mermaid (November 17, 1989)

• Beauty and the Beast 3D (January 13, 2012)

• The Lion King 3D (September 16, 2011)

• Tinker Bell collection (October 28, 2008—March 3, 2015)

• Frozen Ever After / Walt Disney World vacation (June 21, 2016; July 21—28, 2016)

• Anna and Elsa's Childhood (June 21, 2016—present)

* A:

• Finding Nemo 3D (May 30, 2003 / September 14, 2012)

• WALL-E (June 27, 2008)

• Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010)

• Monsters University (June 21, 2013) (based on the C grade)

• Coco (November 22, 2017)

• Incredibles 2 (June 15, 2018)

* A–:

• The Incredibles (November 5, 2004)

• Ratatouille (June 29, 2007)

• Enchanted (November 21, 2007) (based on the B– grade)

• Inside Out (June 19, 2015)

• Zootopia (March 4, 2016)

• Frozen II (November 22, 2019) (the childhood sister bond and "Into the Unknown" musical number only)

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PG-rated

1 hour, 58 minutes: Incredibles 2

1 hour, 55 minutes: The Incredibles

1 hour, 49 minutes: Coco

1 hour, 48 minutes: Enchanted (live-action world only), Zootopia

1 hour, 47 minutes: Moana

1 hour, 43 minutes: Finding Dory, Frozen II (Anna and Elsa's adulthood), Onward

1 hour, 41 minutes: Tangled

1 hour, 40 minutes: Soul, Turning Red

1 hour, 38 minutes: Luca

1 hour, 36 minutes: Bolt, Up

1 hour, 35 minutes: Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Treasure Planet, Inside Out

1 hour, 33 minutes: Brave

1 hour, 32 minutes: The Good Dinosaur

1 hour, 25 minutes: Lilo & Stitch

1 hour, 15 minutes: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home on the Range

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Grade B

* B+:

• Cars (June 9, 2006)

• Up (May 29, 2009)

• The Princess and the Frog (December 11, 2009)

• Tangled (November 24, 2010)

• Brave (June 22, 2012) (based on the C+ grade)

• Cars 3 (June 16, 2017) (based on the D+ grade)

• Frozen II (November 22, 2019) (the adult sister bond only)

* B:

• The Simpsons Movie (July 27, 2007)

• Cars 2 (June 24, 2011)

• Rise of the Guardians (November 21, 2012)

• Planes: Fire & Rescue (July 18, 2014)

• The Good Dinosaur (November 25, 2015)

• Finding Dory (June 17, 2016)

* B–:

• Bolt (November 21, 2008)

• Moana (November 23, 2016) (based on the B+ grade)

• Frozen II (November 22, 2019) (the ending only)

• Onward (March 6, 2020) (based on the B+ grade)

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2 hours, 1 minute: Disenchanted

1 hour, 52 minutes: Ralph Breaks the Internet

1 hour, 48 minutes: Raya and the Last Dragon

1 hour, 45 minutes: Strange World

1 hour, 42 minutes: Frozen, Big Hero 6

1 hour, 41 minutes: Wreck-It Ralph, Elemental

1 hour, 40 minutes: Lightyear

1 hour, 39 minutes: Encanto

1 hour, 32 minutes: Monsters, Inc., Wish

1 hour, 23 minutes: Robin Hood

1 hour, 20 minutes: The Black Cauldron

1 hour, 14 minutes: The Rescuers Down Under

1 hour, 4 minutes: Dumbo

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Grade C

* C+:

• Frozen (November 27, 2013) (based on the B+ grade)

• Beauty and the Beast (March 17, 2017)

* C:

• Lightyear (June 17, 2022) (based on Keke Palmer's performance)

* C–:

• Planes (August 9, 2013)

• Big Hero 6 (November 7, 2014) (based on the B– grade)

• Frozen II (November 22, 2019) (the darker climax only, especially if Elsa and Olaf are dead and their home Arendelle will be washed away in torrents after Anna screamed a wake-up call twice to the Earth Giants who bring destruction to the dam)

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Grade D

* D:

• Monsters, Inc. 3D (November 2, 2001 / December 19, 2012) (based on the B grade)

• Wreck-It Ralph (November 2, 2012) (based on the B grade)

* D+:

• Ralph Breaks the Internet (November 21, 2018) (based on the B+ grade)

• Encanto (November 24, 2021) (based on the B+ grade)

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Not Reviewed and Watched

*Not Reviewed and Watched

• Raya and the Last Dragon (March 5, 2021) (based on the A- grade)

• Strange World (November 23, 2022)

• Elemental (June 16, 2023)

• Wish (November 22, 2023)

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The Disney Legends Awards is a Hall of Fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1987, the honor was traditionally awarded annually during a special private ceremony. Today, it has been awarded biennially during Disney's D23 Expo since 2009.

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Criteria

Recipients are chosen by a selection committee, formerly appointed and chaired by Disney Legend Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney's nephew, former vice chairman and director emeritus of The Walt Disney Company. The committee consists of long-time Disney executives, historians, and other authorities. Besides the award statuette itself, each honoree is represented by a bronze commemorative plaque featuring the recipients' handprints and signature if they were living when inducted, or simply an image of the statuette emblem if the induction was posthumous. The plaques are placed on display in Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, across from the Michael D. Eisner Building.

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The award

Imagineer Andrea Favilli created the Disney Legends award, which is handcrafted from bronze each year. The award depicts the arm of Mickey Mouse holding a star-tipped wand.

Disney describes the award as follows:

The Disney Legends award has three distinct elements that characterize the contributions made by each talented recipient.

The Spiral ... stands for imagination, the power of an idea.

The Hand ... holds the gifts of skill, discipline and craftsmanship.

The Wand and the Star ... represent magic: the spark that is ignited when imagination and skill combine to create a new dream.

The first Disney Legends committee consisted of Dave Smith†; Arlene Ludwig; Marty Sklar†, Randy Bright*; Jack Lindquist†; Sharon Harwood; Art Levitt; Shelley Miles; Paula Sigman; Doris Smith; and Stacia Martin.

In 2017 Kermit the Frog Muppeteer Steve Whitmire alleged that the company offered him "consolation prizes" including the Disney Legends award in return for keeping quiet about the details surrounding his termination.

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_
October 13, 1987: Fred MacMurray†.
July 19, 1989: Ub Iwerks*, Les Clark*, Marc Davis†, Ollie Johnston†, Milt Kahl*, Ward Kimball†, Eric Larson*, John Lounsbery*, Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman*, Frank Thomas†.
October 18, 1990: Roger Broggie†, Joe Fowler†, John Hench†, Richard Irvine*, Herb Ryman*, the Sherman Brothers†.
October 22, 1991: Ken Anderson†, Julie Andrews, Carl Barks†, Mary Blair*, Claude Coats†, Don DaGradi*, Sterling Holloway†, Fess Parker†, Bill Walsh*.
October 21, 1992: Jimmie Dodd*, Bill Evans†, Annette Funicello†, Joe Grant†, Jack Hannah†, Winston Hibler*, Ken O'Connor†, Roy Williams*.
October 20, 1993: Pinto Colvig*, Buddy Ebsen†, Peter Ellenshaw†, Blaine Gibson†, Harper Goff*, Irving Ludwig†, Jimmy Macdonald*, Clarence Nash*, Donn Tatum*, Card Walker†.
November 22, 1994: Adriana Caselotti†, Bill Cottrell†, Marvin Davis†, Van France†, David Hand*, Jack Lindquist†, Bill Martin†, Paul J. Smith*, Frank Wells*.
November 30, 1995: Wally Boag†, Fulton Burley†, Dean Jones†, Angela Lansbury†, Edward Meck*, Fred Moore*, Thurl Ravenscroft†, Wathel Rogers†, Betty Taylor†.
October 16, 1996 : Bob Allen*, Rex Allen†, X Atencio†, Betty Lou Gerson†, Bill Justice†, Bob Matheison†, Sam McKim†, Bob Moore†, Bill Peet†, Joe Potter*.
April 11, 1997: Lucien Adès*, Angel Angelopoulos*, Antonio Bertini, Armand Bigle†, Poul Brahe Pedersen*, Gaudenzio Capelli, Roberto de Leonardis*, Cyril Edgar*, Wally Feignoux*, Didier Fouret, Mario Gentilini*, Cyril James*, Horst Koblischek†, Gunnar Mansson†, Arnoldo Mondadori*, Armand Palivoda*, Poul Brahe Pedersen*, André Vanneste*, Paul Winkler*.
October 16, 1998: James Algar*, Buddy Baker†, Kathryn Beaumont, Virginia Davis†, Roy E. Disney†, Don Escen†, Wilfred Jackson*, Glynis Johns†, Kay Kamen*, Paul Kenworthy†, Larry Lansburgh†, Hayley Mills, Al and Elma Milotte*, Norman "Stormy" Palmer†, Lloyd Richardson†, Kurt Russell, Ben Sharpsteen*, Masatomo Takahashi†, Vladimir "Bill" Tytla*, Dick Van Dyke, Matsuo Yokoyama.
November 10, 1999: Tim Allen, Mary Costa, Norm Ferguson*, William Garity*, Yale Gracey*, Al Konetzni†, Hamilton Luske*, Dick Nunis†, Charlie Ridgway†.
October 12, 2000: Grace Bailey*, Harriet Burns†, Joyce Carlson†, Ron Dominguez†, Cliff Edwards*, Becky Fallberg†, Dick Jones†, Dodie Roberts†, Retta Scott*, Ruthie Tompson†.
December 5, 2001: Howard Ashman*, Bob Broughton†, George Bruns*, Frank Churchill*, Leigh Harline*, Fred Joerger†, Alan Menken, Marty Sklar†, Ned Washington*, Tyrus Wong†.
March 15, 2002: Ken Annakin†, Hugh Attwooll*, Maurice Chevalier*, Phil Collins, John Mills†, Robert Newton*, Sir Tim Rice, Robert Stevenson*, Richard Todd†, David Tomlinson*.
October 16, 2003: Neil Beckett*, Tutti Camarata†, Edna Disney*, Lillian Disney*, Orlando Ferrante, Richard Fleischer†, Floyd Gottfredson*, Buddy Hackett*, Harrison Price†, Al Taliaferro*, Ilene Woods†.
September 17, 2004: Bill Anderson*, Tim Conway†, Rolly Crump†, Alice Davis†, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber*, Leonard Goldenson*, Bob Gurr, Ralph Kent†, Irwin Kostal*, Mel Shaw†.
September 20, 2005: Chuck Abbott*, Milt Albright†, Hideo Amemiya*, Hideo "Indian" Aramaki*, Charles "Chuck" Boyajian*, Charles Boyer†, Randy Bright*, Jim Cora†, Bob Jani*, Mary Jones†, Art Linkletter†, Mary Anne Mang, Steve Martin, Tom Nabbe, Jack Olsen*, Cicely Rigdon†, William Sullivan†, Jack Wagner*, Vesey Walker*.
October 9, 2006: Tim Considine†, Kevin Corcoran†, Al Dempster*, Don Edgren†, Paul Frees*, Peter Jennings*, Elton John, Jimmy Johnson*, Tommy Kirk†, Joe Ranft*, David Stollery, Ginny Tyler†.
October 10, 2007: Roone Arledge*, Art Babbitt*, Carl Bongirno†, Marge Champion†, Dick Huemer*, Ron Logan†, Lucille Martin†, Tom Murphy†, Randy Newman, Floyd Norman, Bob Schiffer*, Dave Smith†.
October 13, 2008: Wayne Allwine†, Bob Booth†, Neil Gallagher*, Frank Gifford†, Toshio Kagami, Burny Mattinson†, Walt Peregoy†, Dorothea Redmond†, Russi Taylor†, Oliver Wallace*, Barbara Walters†.
September 10, 2009: Tony Anselmo, Harry Archinal†, Bea Arthur*, Bill Farmer, Estelle Getty*, Don Iwerks, Rue McClanahan†, Leota Toombs Thomas*, Betty White†, Robin Williams†.
August 19, 2011: Jodi Benson, Barton "Bo" Boyd*, Jim Henson*, Linda Larkin, Paige O'Hara, Regis Philbin†, Anika Noni Rose, Lea Salonga, Ray Watson†, Guy Williams*, Bonita Wrather*, Jack Wrather*.
August 10, 2013: Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell*, Dick Clark*, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs*, Glen Keane, Ed Wynn*.
August 14, 2015: George Bodenheimer, Andreas Deja, Johnny Depp, Eyvind Earle*, Danny Elfman, George Lucas, Susan Lucci, Julie Reihm Casaletto, Carson Van Osten†.
July 14, 2017: Carrie Fisher*, Clyde Geronimi*, Whoopi Goldberg, Manuel Gonzales*, Mark Hamill, Wayne Jackson, Jack Kirby*, Stan Lee†, Garry Marshall*, Julie Taymor, Oprah Winfrey.
August 23, 2019: Christina Aguilera, Wing Chao, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, James Earl Jones†, Bette Midler, Kenny Ortega, Barnette Ricci, Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Ming-Na Wen, Hans Zimmer.
September 9, 2022: Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Chadwick Boseman*, Rob't Coltrin, Patrick Dempsey, Robert Price "Bob" Foster*, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Don Hahn, Doris Hardoon, Idina Menzel, Chris Montan, Ellen Pompeo, Tracee Ellis Ross.

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Legends in 2016–2017 (the people (including the collaborators from Mickey's PhilharMagic) whose some of them helped the voice cast and musicians for Secret of the Wings think big to launch one of the remaining soundtracks in the Tinker Bell series by October of 2017)

September 7, 2016: Richard Sherman† (age 88)

October 7, 2016: Hayley Mills (age 70)

October 21, 2016: Bob Gurr (age 84), Jim Cora† (age 79).

November 5, 2016: Burny Mattinson† (age 81), Ruthie Tompson† (age 106), Andreas Deja (age 59), Glen Keane (age 62).

November 10, 2016: Karen Dotrice (age 60), David Stollery (age 75), Regis Philbin† (age 85).

November 11, 2016: Toshio Kagami (age 80)

November 15, 2016: Tom Murphy† (age 91), George Bodenheimer (age 58), Susan Lucci (age 69), Linda Larkin (age 46).

November 17, 2016: Carl Bongirno† (age 79), Marty Sklar† (age 82), Orlando Ferrante (age 84), Don Iwerks (age 87).

• Bill Farmer (age 64), Kathryn Beaumont (age 78), Tony Anselmo (age 56).

November 18, 2016: Charlie Ridgway† (age 93), William Sullivan† (age 80).

November 20, 2016: Dick Nunis† (age 84), Ron Logan† (age 78), Bob Matheison† (age 82), Tom Nabbe.

December 15, 2016: Dick van Dyke (age 91)

December 27, 2016: Lea Salonga (age 45)

January 18, 2017: Kurt Russell (age 65)

January 19, 2017: Marge Champion† (age 97), Floyd Norman (age 81), Tony Baxter (age 69).

February 6, 2017: Paige O'Hara (age 60)

February 28, 2017: Tim Allen (age 63)

• Russi Taylor† (age 72)

April 19, 2017: Anika Noni Rose (age 44)

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Legends as of October 17, 2017 (the date of the release of the Secret of the Wings soundtrack)

45: Anika Noni Rose

46: Lea Salonga

47: Linda Larkin

57: Tony Anselmo

59: George Bodenheimer

60: Andreas Deja

61: Karen Dotrice, Paige O'Hara

63: Glen Keane

64: Bill Farmer, Tim Allen

66: Kurt Russell

70: Susan Lucci, Tony Baxter

71: Hayley Mills

73: Russi Taylor†

76: David Stollery

79: Kathryn Beaumont, Ron Logan†

80: Jim Cora†, Carl Bongirno†

81: William Sullivan†, Toshio Kagami

82: Burny Mattinson†, Floyd Norman

83: Bob Matheison†

85: Bob Gurr, Orlando Ferrante, Dick Nunis†

86: Regis Philbin†

88: Don Iwerks

89: Richard Sherman†

91: Dick van Dyke

92: Tom Murphy†

98: Marge Champion†

107: Ruthie Tompson†

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The First: Fred MacMurray (1908–1991)
Film • 1987

On October 13, 1987, Fred MacMurray, accompanied by his wife, June Haver (and the Shaggy Dog), arrived at The Walt Disney Studios lot in a 1915 Model T to receive the first Disney Legends Award. It was a fitting way for the beloved actor to make his appearance on the lot; after all he was, and still is, beloved by Disney fans the world over for his iconic performance as Professor Ned Brainard in the 1961 film The Absent-Minded Professor, in which he flew a "Flubberized" Model T of the same vintage.

MacMurray enjoyed a prolific film career, starring in such classic films as Double Indemnity (1944), The Caine Mutiny (1954), and The Apartment (1960). But it was his work at The Walt Disney Studios that made him one of the biggest stars in family entertainment, appearing in such timeless Disney films as The Shaggy Dog (1959), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), Son of Flubber (1963), Follow Me, Boys! (1966), and The Happiest Millionaire (1967).

The inaugural ceremony was held at what was formerly known as the "Disney Legends Promenade; a section of the sidewalk found in front of the Studio Theatre originally intended to display the handprints and signatures of all Disney Legends. Eventually, that space was outgrown and, on October 18, 1998, the new Legends Plaza was dedicated to honor all Disney Legends. The Disney Legends Award is the Company's highest honor.

"We chose to establish (the Disney Legends program) on the Studio lot to share our rich past with the employees who will be part of our company's future," said Disney's then-Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner. "Fred MacMurray is the epitome of what we hope the Disney Legends Promenade will come to represent."

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Making an Entrance: 2024 Disney Legends

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Colleen Atwood
Costume Design

For Colleen Atwood, designing costumes for movies both fantastical and fabulous is like creating her own Wonderland. This prolific costume designer has been nominated for an Academy Award® a dozen times and has won four Oscars, including for her visually evocative work in Alice in Wonderland (2010).

Born in Ellensburgh, Washington, Colleen briefly studied painting at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Working in high fashion retail at designer boutiques, her strong sense of visual style enabled her start as a fashion advisor. Through that world, Colleen was offered an unexpected opportunity to be a production assistant in the art department on Ragtime (1981). In New York, she was fortunate enough to align with many filmmakers such as Jonathan Demme, Michael Apted, and Michael Mann.

Colleen was then introduced to filmmaker Tim Burton—and soon would be Burton's "go to" costume designer. Their first film together, Edward Scissorhands, was the first of 12 Burton movies she designed costumes for, including Disney's live-action reimagining of Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Dumbo (2019). The upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) will mark the creative duo's 13th collaboration.

For the over 50 films and TV series she's costumed, many of them center on visually stunning imaginary environments that call for a lot of world-building. It's Colleen's ability to cross and blend genres in her approach to character costuming that has enabled her work in such fantastic films as Planet of the Apes (2001), Into the Woods (2014), Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), Lady and the Tramp (2019), and The Little Mermaid (2023).

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Angela Bassett
Film & Television

It takes a strong woman to portray a strong female character, and Angela Bassett fits the bill. From her breakout role as single mother Reva Devereaux in John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood (1991), to her portrayal of fierce Queen Ramonda of Wakanda in Marvel's Black Panther films, Angela's unmistakable voice, signature delivery, and grand presence command immediate attention.

Born in New York City, Angela lived in North Carolina until the age of four, when her family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. The first Black student attending Boca Ciega High School to be admitted to the National Honors Society, Angela went on to Yale, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in African American Studies in 1980 and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1983. In 1988, she moved to Los Angeles.

Angela has portrayed many real-life characters, including Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks, but it was her powerful portrayal of Tina Turner in Touchstone's What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) that earned her numerous accolades, including an Academy Award® nomination and a Golden Globe® for Best Actress, making her the first Black performer to win this category. She received two Emmy nominations for outstanding narrator for National Geographic's The Flood (2018) and the Disney+ docuseries The Imagineering Story (2019), and was nominated for her second Academy Award, this time in the Best Supporting Actress category, for the role of Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). She is also the star and executive producer of the hit ABC drama 9-1-1; voiced Dorothea Williams in Disney and Pixar's Oscar-winning animated feature Soul (2020); and received an Honorary Academy Award in 2024.

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Martha Blanding
Parks & Resorts

Martha Blanding helped put the "happy" in The Happiest Place on Earth. As the first-ever full-time Black Tour Guide, Martha personified the philosophy of creating happiness for others while embodying the principles of hospitality and courtesy Walt Disney sought to establish for Disneyland cast members.

A proud native of South Central Los Angeles, Martha was studying to become a teacher when she decided to take a chance working at Disneyland in 1971. Hired as a Tour Guide, she quickly attained full-time status and, within a year, climbed the ladder to become a VIP Hostess—touring such notables as Diana Ross, Elton John (who would later become a Disney Legend), Olivia Newton-John, Cary Grant, and Cher, plus domestic and international government officials, including a delegation from the USSR.

Martha later became the first-ever Black female in management at Disneyland (and one of the first Black management members at The Walt Disney Company), as an expert merchandise, candy, and film buyer for nine years, and eventually as the senior manager of Disneyland Resort Merchandise Special Events. In this role, she worked with world-renowned artisans, celebrities, and Disney Legends. She also became a pioneering producer of the Official Disneyana Convention, a forerunner of today's D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

A co-founder of PULSE, an employee resource group for Black cast members, Martha routinely served as a trusted mentor to fellow employees. Adding to her many "firsts" during her groundbreaking career before retiring in 2022, Martha also became the first Black employee to commemorate 50 years with The Walt Disney Company—and now she becomes the first Black Disney Parks employee designated a Disney Legend.

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James L. Brooks
Television

Acclaimed for character-driven, writer-centric projects that deftly combine comedy and poignancy—such as 20th Century's Broadcast News (1987)—James L. Brooks is a TV and film icon responsible for some of the most beloved entertainment projects of all time. Jim made one of the most impressive directorial debuts in film history with Terms of Endearment (1983), for which the multi-hyphenate took home three Oscars® for writing, producing, and directing.

Growing up in New Jersey, Jim's career trajectory kicked-off as a writer for CBS News in New York. When he moved to Los Angeles in 1965, a chance meeting with established writer Allan Burns led to his writing for television comedies—and before long, he created the groundbreaking ABC series Room 222 in 1969 and Taxi in 1978.

In 1986, Jim founded his production company, Gracie Films, where he and his team are trailblazers in the world of television. At Jim's invitation, Matt Groening created animated interstitials for the company's The Tracey Ullman Show featuring a dysfunctional family that led to a full-fledged animated series—the first since the 1960s: The Simpsons, in 1989. The longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, The Simpsons quickly exploded into a cultural phenomenon.

Currently in its 35th season, The Simpsons has won 37 Emmy® Awards. Jim also co-produced and co-wrote The Simpsons Movie in 2007. He continues to serve as executive producer of the misadventures of the animated citizens of Springfield, and maintains that the series has not outlived its popularity—especially now with it streaming on Disney+. He's currently working on his next feature film for 20th Century Studios, Ella McCay.

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James Cameron
Film

James Cameron is an acclaimed filmmaker, ocean explorer, and environmental advocate. As director, writer, and producer, he's responsible for some of the world's most memorable films—including The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009), and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), the latter three being among the four highest-grossing films of all time. Titanic alone won 11 Oscars®, including James' for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Editing. He is currently in post-production on Avatar 3, and in pre-production on Avatar 4 and 5.

Teaming up with Walt Disney Imagineering in 2011, he helped to steer the creation of an Avatar-inspired area of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The result, Pandora – The World of Avatar, is an area which immerses guests in an interactive environment that brings the world of the film series to life, and features the popular attractions Avatar Flight of Passage and Na'vi River Journey.

Under his Earthship Productions banner, James has produced 12 documentaries, including six about Titanic, as well as three other deep ocean exploration films—most in partnership with National Geographic. He executive produces National Geographic's Secrets series, including the Emmy® Award-winning Secrets of the Whales and Emmy-nominated Secrets of the Elephants, with Octopus launching on Earth Day 2024. He also executive produced the OceanXplorers series, due in fall 2024 from National Geographic.

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Jamie Lee Curtis
Film

Born in Santa Monica, California, to Hollywood power couple Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, Jamie Lee Curtis excelled as a performer early on—winning people over with her exuberant personality. Originally planning to major in law enforcement, an acting manager suggested Jamie Lee try auditioning. To her surprise, she was signed to a contract at Universal, one of the last performers to be so engaged. She was later cast as iconic "Scream Queen" Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's thrilling classic Halloween (1978), establishing her trajectory as a bona fide movie star.

The Oscar® winner has demonstrated her versatility with a variety of captivating roles over her career, including suburban housewife-turned-international-spy Helen Tasker in True Lies (1994), and no-nonsense mom Tess Coleman in Disney's remake of the classic body-swap comedy Freaky Friday (2003). In 2023, Jamie Lee returned to both Disney and the macabre genre to portray the legendary Madame Leota in Haunted Mansion, inspired by the classic Disneyland theme park attraction. The author of 13 best-selling books, all exploring core childhood issues, she is also the founder and CEO of My Hand In Yours™—a charitable organization that offers comfort and celebratory gifts where 100% of every sale is donated directly to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

For her many performances, Jamie Lee has received a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globes®, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy® and a Grammy®. Most recently, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).

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Miley Cyrus
Music & Television

Miley Cyrus is an award-winning superstar singer, songwriter, and actress, who first rose to fame as a Disney Channel sensation.

Miley started her acting career at 8 years old—and at 13, she auditioned for the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. The series premiered in March 2006 to the largest audience for a Disney Channel Original Series, drawing an average of 4.4 million viewers per episode. A 2007 episode of the series still ranks as the highest-rated basic cable series telecast ever, with 10.7 million total viewers.

She embarked on her wildly popular "Best of Both Worlds Tour" in 2007, and in 2008, she voiced the character of Penny in Walt Disney Animation Studios' feature Bolt. For the film, Miley earned a Golden Globe® Award nomination for Best Original Song ("I Thought I Lost You"). The following year, she would take center stage once again as the lead in Hannah Montana: The Movie, which included the hit song "The Climb."

2023 saw the release of Miley's new album, Endless Summer Vacation, which inspired the documentary concert special Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions), airing on Disney+. At the 66th Annual Grammy® Awards in 2024, Miley was honored with her first-ever wins for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. At just 31 years old, Miley is now the youngest honoree ever to be named a Disney Legend.

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Steve Ditko (1927–2018)
Publishing

Originally hailing from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Steve Ditko's love for comics began at a young age. After serving in the U.S. Army, where he drew comics for the Army newsletter, one of his idols, Batman artist Jerry Robinson, became his mentor. By the early 1950s, Steve's first work appeared in print, and shortly thereafter he made his way to Atlas Comics—the precursor of Marvel Comics.

The artist would quickly leave his mark, leading Stan Lee to rechristen Amazing Adventures as Amazing Adult Fantasy (later Amazing Fantasy) to showcase Steve's talents. In 1962, that collaboration led to one of the most popular comic book characters of all time. The introduction of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 stands as one of the landmarks of both Steve's career and Marvel history.

Steve went on to co-create most of Spider-Man's now-infamous rogues' gallery and re-envisioned many of Marvel's iconic characters to what we know today. He redesigned Iron Man's armor into the popular red-and-gold design, and in the Hulk comics, he codified Bruce Banner's transformations to be a function of his anger. It is perhaps with Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts, that Steve truly expressed his visionary impulses—the early stories in Strange Tales could only have come from the mind of Steve Ditko. He left Marvel to pursue other work in 1966 but returned in 1979. In the 1990s, Steve helped to co-create all-new characters, including Speedball and Squirrel Girl.

One of the greatest artist-writer talents in comic book history, Steve's imagination and creative vision changed the comics industry and super hero storytelling forever.

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Harrison Ford
Film

Harrison Ford has portrayed some of the most iconic action heroes to ever burn up the big screen. After appearing in a small but impressive role in American Graffiti (1973), directed by fellow Disney Legend George Lucas, Harrison proved to be perfect for the role of Han Solo, cynical smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). He would go on to portray Han in all three episodes of the original Star Wars trilogy. Harrison also stars as the titular character in the blockbuster Indiana Jones films.

Over his decades-long career, Harrison has been widely honored for his many contributions to the film industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Cecil B. DeMille Award, the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2023 was the recipient of an honorary Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival.

Some of his most notable film credits include an Oscar®-nominated performance in Witness (1985), along with Blade Runner (1982), 20th Century's Working Girl (1988), Presumed Innocent (1990), Patriot Games (1992), The Fugitive (1993), Clear and Present Danger (1994), Sabrina (1995), Air Force One (1997), Touchstone Pictures' Six Days, Seven Nights (1998), What Lies Beneath (2000), Morning Glory (2010), 42 (2013), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and 20th Century Studios' The Call of the Wild (2020). Harrison also stars in the hit television shows 1923 and Shrinking.

More recently, Harrison returned to a couple of his most celebrated roles. For the fourth time in the film series, he portrayed Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), and once again donned Indy's fedora in the fifth Indiana Jones installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Harrison will also appear as President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in the Marvel Studios live-action adventure Captain America: Brave New World, to be released in 2025.

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Mark Henn
Animation

Mark Henn joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1980, where he became an assistant animator on The Fox and the Hound (1981). His first major assignment was animating Disney's most beloved character, Mickey Mouse, in Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)—Mickey's first big-screen appearance in 30 years.

Mark would go on to serve as the supervising animator for five female leads, more than any one artist in the history of the studio: Ariel (supervised with fellow Disney Legend Glen Keane), Belle (supervised with James Baxter), Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana. He also animated Simba from The Lion King (1994), the title character in Pocahontas (1995), and Giselle from Enchanted (2007). Most recently, Mark has helped a whole new generation of Disney animators bring "the illusion of life" to character animation in CG features such as Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). He was lead 2D animator on Big Hero 6 (2014) and Frozen (2013), and served as a 2D animator for "Mini Maui" in Moana (2016). In 2000, Mark brought his vast animation experience to directing with the acclaimed short, John Henry.

In 2013, he received the prestigious Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement, ASIFA's highest award in animation. And in 2018, befitting his longtime association with Mickey Mouse, Mark was commissioned to paint Mickey's official portrait for the character's 90th anniversary. From Mickey and a little mermaid to Mini Maui, the enchantment of Disney animation is personal for this animator.

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Frank Oz
Film & Television

Creator. Director. Producer. Performer. Writer. Actor. Icon. Superlatives all that describe the one and only Frank Oz.

As a respected director, Frank has helmed more than a dozen films—including co-directing The Dark Crystal (1982) with Jim Henson, The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Touchstone Pictures' What About Bob? (1991), In & Out (1997), Bowfinger (1999), The Score (2001), Death at a Funeral (2007), Muppet Guys Talking (2017), and others, as well as the 2021 Hulu presentation of the long-running Off-Broadway hit he also directed, Derek Del Gaudio's In & Of Itself.

A four-time Emmy® winner, Frank is the recipient of The Art Director's Guild Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award, The Comedy Awards' Creative Achievement Award, The Saturn Lifetime Achievement Award, two George Foster Peabody Awards, three Gold Records, two Platinum Records, and a host of other accolades and honors.

He originated and performed the characters of Grover, Bert, and Cookie Monster for Sesame Street, along with Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Sam Eagle, and Animal for The Muppet Show, performing in hundreds of television shows and specials with The Muppets—including the memorable Muppet*Vision 3D for Disney Parks.

Frank also originated and performed the character of Yoda for George Lucas' Star Wars galaxy, first in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and followed by Return of the Jedi (1983), The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), Revenge of the Sith (2005), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

He's also acted in several live-action movies, from The Blues Brothers (1980) to Knives Out (2019), and has voiced characters in Disney and Pixar's Monsters, Inc. (2001), Inside Out (2015), and Inside Out 2 (2024).

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Kelly Ripa
Television

Kelly Ripa is one of the most powerful voices in media, with a diverse body of work both on and off camera. With a career at ABC spanning over 30 years, Kelly has welcomed viewers with her sharp wit every morning as co-host and executive producer of the nationally syndicated show Live.

Beginning her career in entertainment as an actress, Kelly has starred in numerous celebrated television series—appearing on such shows as the soap opera All My Children and the sitcom Hope & Faith.

Kelly and her husband Mark Consuelos ventured into the development side of entertainment when they began their production company, Milojo Productions. Milojo produces content across multiple platforms, producing the Emmy®-nominated documentary The Streak for ESPN and the critically acclaimed documentary Off The Rez for TLC.

She's earned numerous accolades over the years, including multiple Daytime Emmy® Awards, the prestigious Excellence in Media Award from GLAAD and Glamour's Woman of the Year Award. She was also recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as part of the Women in Entertainment Power 100 list, as well as the publication's 35 Most Powerful People in Media.

In September 2022, Kelly added New York Times best-selling author to her resume, when her collection Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories was published. Additionally, she recently launched the second season of her own podcast titled Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa. She lives in New York City with Mark Consuelos, and together the couple have three children.

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Joe Rohde
Imagineering

Retiring in 2021 as a portfolio creative executive with 40 years at Walt Disney Imagineering, Joe Rohde was the overall creative executive and supervising designer for Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, including later expansions such as Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Pandora – The World of Avatar. Joe's other notable projects include The Adventurers Club (formerly a part of Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World); Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaiʻi; and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney's California Adventure Park.

Joe grew up in Honolulu and the San Fernando Valley, creating art and theater sets, acting in school productions, and exploring film backlots with his cameraman father. He attended Occidental College, graduated with a major in studio art, and went to work as teacher—where at 25, he was recruited by Walt Disney Imagineering. His first assignment was as a model builder for the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT.

Joe's big Imagineering break came with the development of a certain animal-focused theme park for the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park would prove to be a celebration of animals; a passionate argument for the coexistence of conservation and communities; and a recognition of the essential role that ecosystems play in our existence. Joe was also instrumental in creating the Disney Conservation Fund, which has disbursed over $125 million in grants to projects worldwide. He is well known for his intensive focus on the philosophy of narrative placemaking and experiential storytelling.

Joe now uses his art to raise funds for both international conservation and local community projects. In 2022 he received the Disney Conservation Fund's first Conservation Legacy Award, and he's appeared on numerous documentaries about Imagineering.

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John Williams
Music

The unforgettable music of John Williams is the soundtrack of our lives.

In a career spanning more than six decades, this most prolific of movie composers has created the music for more than 100 films—including all nine Star Wars saga films and all five Indiana Jones films. Born and raised in New York, John moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1948. Venturing back to the East Coast to attend The Julliard School, he later returned to Los Angeles to commence his career.

Early on, Williams composed the music for more than 200 television films and numerous TV series including Lost in Space for 20th Century Fox. John's artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg, now in its 50th year, led to an introduction to fellow Disney Legend George Lucas and what became the biggest film phenomenon of its time, Star Wars (1977).

John has received five Academy Awards® and 54 Oscar® nominations—most recently for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)—making him the Academy's most-nominated living person and the second-most-nominated person in the history of the Oscars... a number second only to Walt Disney. He has also received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), 26 Grammys®, four Golden Globes®, and five Emmys®, as well as the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, and an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.

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Hollywood Stars as Imaginary Disney Legends

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Amy Adams, Film (2024)

Actress Amy Adams Honored With Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Watch as the Hollywood Chamber honors Amy Adams with Walk of Fame Star below.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce proudly honored actress Amy Adams today with the 2,598th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. The star in the category of Motion Pictures was dedicated at 6280 Hollywood Boulevard next to the W Hollywood Hotel.

Helping Emcee and Hollywood Chamber President/CEO Leron Gubler to unveil the star was actor and Adam's co-star in Arrival, Jeremy Renner.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce which administers the popular star ceremonies encourages people who are unable to attend and fans around the world to watch the event live exclusively on www.walkoffame.com.

Five-time Academy Award-nominated and two-time Golden Globe winning actress Amy Adams has built an impressive body of work, challenging herself with each new role.

Adams can currently be seen starring in Denis Villenueve's Arrival opposite Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker. Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, the film follows the story of an expert linguist (Adams), who is recruited by the military to determine whether the aliens come in peace or are a threat. Paramount Pictures released the film on November 11, 2016.

Adams can also currently be seen starring in Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. The film, based on Austin Wright's 1993 novel "Tony and Susan" was released by Focus last November.

Adams was most recently seen in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, the sequel to the highly successful Man of Steel which was released in 2013. She reprised her role of Lois Lane opposite Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. The film was released by Warner Bros. on March 25, 2016.

Adams recently wrapped production on Justice League Part One in which she reprises her role as Lois Lane opposite Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot. Directed by Zack Snyder, the DC Comics film will be released by Warner Brothers in 2017.

Adams will next go into production on HBO's high-profile drama series Sharp Objects in which she will star and executive produce with Jean-Marc Vallée at the helm as director. Based on Gillian Flynn's New York Times Best Selling book by the same name, the series centers on a reporter (Adams) who confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to cover a violent murder. The series will be released in 2017.

Adams has teamed with Maven Pictures' Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray to produce Object of Beauty, in which she is also set to star. The film is based on the novel by Steve Martin and follows a clever young art entrepreneur who climbs from gallery assistant to gallery owner.

Additional film credits include starring in Tim Burton's Big Eyes opposite Christoph Waltz. In this biographical drama, Adams plays Margaret Keane, and Waltz plays her husband Walter Keane. The film tells the real-life story of the iconic couple who found immense success marketing paintings of large eyed children back in the 1950s and '60s, with Walter taking the credit for his shy wife's creations. Adams won a Golden Globe for "Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy" and earned a BAFTA nomination for the performance. The Weinstein Company released the film December 25, 2014.

Adams starred in David O. Russell's American Hustle opposite Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner. The film was released December 18, 2013 by Columbia Pictures. Adams won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy", a Critics' Choice Award for "Best Actress in a Comedy" and a SAG Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" for her performance in the film. Adams' role also garnered her fifth Academy Awardnomination and BAFTA nomination. Adams was also recently seen in Spike Jonze's Her opposite Joaquin Phoenix which was released by Warner Bros. December 18, 2013.

Adams previously starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master opposite Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The 1950s-set drama centers on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as "The Master" whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man. Adams plays Peggy Dodd, the wife of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Adams' role garnered her a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination in addition to her fourth Academy Award nomination.

In summer of 2012, Adams played the "Baker's Wife" in Into the Woods as part of Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte.

Adams starred in David O. Russell's The Fighter opposite Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Adams played Charlene, a tough, gritty bartender from Massachusetts who begins dating boxer "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg). The film revolves around Ward and trainer-brother Dicky Eklund (Bale), chronicling their early days in Massachusetts, through Eklund's battle with drugs and Ward's eventual world championship in London. Adams' role garnered her Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nominations as well as her third Oscar nomination in five years. Adams also starred in Nora Ephron's Julie and Julia, reuniting with co-star Meryl Streep, having previously starred opposite Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in John Patrick Shanley's Oscar-nominated film Doubt which earned Adams her second Academy Award nomination.

Adams starred in Kevin Lima's Enchanted opposite Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon. Enchanted is a romantic fable that mixes live action with CG animation for Disney. The film was released November 21, 2007 and grossed over $300-million worldwide and earned Adams a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.

It was Adams' role in Phil Morrison's Junebug in 2005 in which she earned her first Academy Award and SAG nominations. She won an Independent Spirit Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, National Society of Film Critics Award, San Francisco Film Critics Society Award and the Breakthrough Gotham Award for her role. Adams also won the Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival for her role as the pregnant, childlike Ashley, who is awe-struck by the arrival of her glamorous sister-in-law.

Adams' other film credits include Robert Lorenz's Trouble with the Curve opposite Clint Eastwood; Walter Salle's adaptation of Jack Kerouac's seminal beat generation novel, On The Road; Disney's The Muppets opposite Jason Segal; Shawn Levy's Night At The Museum 2: Battle at The Smithsonian opposite Ben Stiller; Christine Jeffs and Karen Moncrieff's critically acclaimed film Sunshine Cleaning opposite Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin; Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War opposite Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Phillip Seymour Hoffman; Bharat Nalluri's Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day opposite Frances McDormand, and Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Stephen Schwartz, Music (2024)

A Broadway composer who has also worked frequently in Hollywood, Stephen Schwartz has penned some of the most successful musicals of the American theater, including "Godspell," "Pippin" and "Wicked."

Schwartz was born and raised in New York where he studied at the Juilliard School of Music. After earning a degree from Carnegie Mellon University, he started working in musical theater, earning his first Broadway credit at age 21 for composing the title song for the play "Butterflies Are Free."

The '70s were a highly productive decade for Schwartz. "Pippin" opened on Broadway in 1972, garnering the composer his first Tony nomination for original score. (The production won Tonys for Bob Fosse's direction and choreography.) In 1974, "The Magic Show" bowed on Broadway, featuring music by Schwartz, and ran for more than four years.

"Godspell," Schwartz's musical based on parts of the New Testament, opened on Broadway in 1976 after a successful off-Broadway run. The show earned Schwartz a Tony nomination for original score.

His other stage credits include the musicals "Working" and "Rags," both of which bombed on Broadway.

The composer's film career took off with the 1995 Disney animated movie "Pocahontas," for which he won two Academy Awards for original song and score for a musical or comedy. He also won an original-song Oscar in 1999 for the DreamWorks animated film "The Prince of Egypt."

Schwartz's other film credits include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Enchanted," both of which earned him a combined total of four Oscar nominations.

"Wicked," which opened on Broadway at the George Gershwin Theater in 2003, represented Schwartz's big return to the stage. The musical, which is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," spawned a successful national tour while continuing to play in New York. Schwartz received a Tony nomination for his score to "Wicked" but lost again.

In 2009, the composer produced his first opera, "Seance on a Wet Afternoon," which premiered at Opera Santa Barbara.

Schwartz's son, Scott, is an theater director who works frequently with his father.

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In Memoriam (We salute the following Disney Legends and members at the Walt Disney Family Foundation who have passed away during Tinker Bell's absence from Pixie Hollow until its recognition (March 3, 2015 – June 6, 2024)

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A Suite Legacy
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October 7, 2016: Hayley Mills (Film • 1998)
December 15, 2016: Dick Van Dyke (Film • 1998)
December 27, 2016: Lea Salonga (Voice • 2011)

It's not every day that you get to watch Dick Van Dyke flash that infectious smile of his and stride with a dancer's elegance into Walt Disney's office suite at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank—the place where Walt first played the music for Mary Poppins for him. For Mr. Van Dyke, walking with a little extra pep in his step came naturally to him whenever he was working with Walt or The Walt Disney Studios.

"From the first time I met Walt Disney, I was walking on air. Just to be a part of the whole Disney operation was an absolute thrill for me," he says.

Disney Legends Van Dyke, Hayley Mills, and Lea Salonga were only too happy to visit this fabled space—fully restored to its original splendor by the Walt Disney Archives in 2015—and to talk about how important it was to each of them to be honored as Disney Legends.

"When I was a young man, I had no idea of what I wanted to do when I grew up," Dick adds. "But I was such a fan of Disney. My favorite movie was always Pinocchio [breaks into singing 'Hi Diddle Dee Dee, an actor's life for me']. When I got to Disney, I felt I arrived where I belonged in the first place. You know, I was told that someone asked Walt's grandson who Walt's favorite person was. He said that I was. That made my life! I'm just glad that he thought as much of me as I thought of him."

Hayley Mills, who starred in such Disney classics as Pollyanna and The Parent Trap, says that as she's grown older, "I realize more and more the power of those films that I made with Disney when I was a child, and the enjoyment and pleasure that they still give to people to this day is a tremendous source of happiness for me. I see that I was part of something really worthwhile, something that made people laugh and feel happy, and I do believe, were then better able to deal with the challenges in their own lives."

Lea Salonga, who provided the singing voices for Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan in the film of the same name, says being a part of the Disney legacy is one of her most satisfying accomplishments. "It means a lot. I remember being a little girl and listening to 'A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.' How many young women have ever listened to a Disney song and grown up dreaming of doing this? And it happened for me.

"I remember when we recorded 'A Whole New World' like it was yesterday. I went into the studio with this massive orchestra, and then I saw it on screen. My jaw hit the floor, came back, and hit the floor again I don't know how many times!"

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Legends in Legends Plaza
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October 21, 2016: Bob Gurr (Imagineering • 2004), Jim Cora (Parks & Resorts • 2005).
November 11, 2016: Toshio Kagami (Parks & Resorts • 2008)
November 17, 2016: Carl Bongirno (Imagineering • 2007), Marty Sklar (Imagineering • 2001), Orlando Ferrante (Imagineering • 2003), Don Iwerks (Film • 2009).

Disney Legends Plaza, dedicated on October 18, 1998, stands grandly on the eastern edge of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank—a pleasant retreat from the bustle of the Studios lot. The pillared plaza, located between the Team Disney and Frank G. Wells buildings, pays homage to all Disney Legend honorees—with bronze plaques, mounted on the pillars, that contain each honoree's name and handprints (unless awarded posthumously). The plaza also features the "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse—designed by Imagineer and Disney Legend Blaine Gibson—and a "Sharing the Magic" statue of Roy O. Disney and Minnie Mouse that is also located at Walt Disney World.

It's the perfect place for Disney fans, guests, and employees to pause and remember the contributions of the men and women who are recipients of the Company's highest honor. It's also the ideal backdrop to catch up with some Disney Legends who contributed significantly to Disney parks and films. "The people represented here in Legends Plaza made this Company," says Jim Cora, taking a 360-degree look around this special place. Jim, who was part of the opening team for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, says Walt was "a real meticulous guy who was striving for perfection."

"When they told me I was going to be a Disney Legend, it just kind of took my breath away," remembers Bob Gurr. "I just designed vehicles for amusement rides." His visit to Legends Plaza also seems to make Bob remember Walt. "The pixie look in his eyes and that little eyebrow going up when he knew he had something, and no one else had it—that's what remember, When Walt showed then-vice president Richard Nixon the Monorail in 1959, he was like a little kid!"

"I come here pretty often, because I keep thinking maybe they made a mistake," laughs Orlando Ferrante. "So, I have to see if it's still up here, or they've taken it down." Adds Carl Bongirno, "I know no place that has the talent Walt Disney Imagineering has, so I feel tremendous pride in having my name up here." For his part, Don Iwerks feels a strong sense of family pride. "My father [Ub Iwerks] was Walt's first employee," he says. "He was honored in 1989—the same year as the 'Nine Old Men.' To be in that same company is just unbelievable to me. I keep my Legends statue in my office side-by-side with my father's.

"You sit here in Legends Plaza and look around at all these plaques with the names of all the great people who have helped make the magic that this company has produced for families all around the world," says Marty Sklar, "and you see the statues of Walt and Mickey Mouse and Roy and Minnie Mouse... you see the Team Disney Building with the Dwarfs... this is history. It means so much to come here and remember the people who made this company great."

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Toshio Kagami is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Oriental Land Company, and the representative director, chairman, and CEO of the Tokyo Disney Resort, where Fantasy Springs, the eighth themed port at Tokyo DisneySea® Park, celebrated its grand opening today, welcoming a large number of guests.

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Jim Cora (1937–2021)
Parks & Resorts

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Carl Bongirno (1937–2024)
Imagineering

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Marty Sklar (1934–2017)
Imagineering

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 6, 2024 (Publicity Department Oriental Land Co., Ltd.)
Fantasy Springs Opens at Tokyo DisneySea

URAYASU, CHIBA—Tokyo Disney Resort® announced that Fantasy Springs, the eighth themed port at Tokyo DisneySea® Park, celebrated its grand opening today, welcoming a large number of guests.

Themed to magical springs that lead to a world of Disney fantasy, Fantasy Springs is the only themed port of its kind in the world and consists of three areas inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios films: Frozen Kingdom (the Frozen-themed area), Rapunzel's Forest (the Tangled-themed area) and Peter Pan's Never Land (the Peter Pan-themed area), as well as Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel.

A ceremony was held before the grand opening where representatives of Oriental Land Co., Ltd.: Toshio Kagami, Representative Director and Chair of the Board of Directors; Yumiko Takano, Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO; and Kenji Yoshida, Representative Director, President and COO — as well as representatives of The Walt Disney Company: Bob A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, and Josh D'Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, took to the stage to express their gratitude to guests and others who support Tokyo Disney Resort and announced the opening of Fantasy Springs.

The ceremony was also attended by 100 members (50 pairs) of the Tokyo Disney Resort Official Park Fan Club Funderful Disney who had been selected through a lottery to be part of the commemoration. Furthermore, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse made appearances, as well as beloved Disney Animation characters – Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled, and Peter Pan and Wendy from Peter Pan.

Opening Ceremony

After the ceremony concluded, cast members, who had anticipated this occasion just as eagerly as the guests, waved flags and extended a warm welcome to guests as they entered the new themed port. Within Fantasy Springs, guests were seen enjoying the magical springs featuring Disney character motifs in the rockwork, and immersed in the atmosphere that brings the world of Disney films to life. Others were taking pictures, experiencing attractions, and tasting the new menu items on offer.

Left: Cast members welcoming guests entering Fantasy Springs; Right: Guests enjoying the pirate ship at Peter Pan's Never Land

Taking approximately five years from the start of construction for this project in May 2019, there has been a total investment amounting 320 billion yen, and spanning an area of approximately 140,000 m2, Fantasy Springs is the largest development of Tokyo DisneySea since its opening in 2001.

The addition of Fantasy Springs brings even more excitement to Tokyo DisneySea, and Tokyo Disney Resort will continue to evolve to bring happiness and enjoyment for our guests.

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Meet Tinker Bell's Nine Forever Young Fairies

"Have you ever wondered how nature gets its glow? Who gives it light and color as the seasons come and go? Well, it's me, Tinker Bell, and my friends from Pixie Hollow. Only fairies and sparrowmen are allowed to see the magic that happens on our little island. But like I always say, rules are made to be broken. So, have a little pixie dust and come on—I'll show you how fairies are born, how we live and work, and how we bring flowers, fireflies, waterfalls, and wonderful things to the world you live in. Do you think you have the magic to see inside our world? If you believe in fairies, I bet you can!" — Tinker Bell

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Sweet and sassy TINKER BELL always has her friends' backs—even if it means keeping a secret about a massive and mysterious creature.

In September 2010, Tinker Bell received the 2,418th star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Tink is joined by Disney Legend Alice Davis, the wife of animator and fellow Disney Legend Marc Davis.

The magic of Tinker Bell dates to the 1904 stage play "Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up" by J.M. Barrie and "Peter and Wendy," his 1911 novel, and really took off with Disney's animated 1953 "Peter Pan."

"Along with Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell is probably the most recognizable character of all time," said Bradley Raymond, director of the Disney 2010 direct-to-video feature "Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue," one in a series on the famous fairy. "She's been popular from 1953 to now because of that multifaceted character we all fell in love with in 'Peter Pan.' ... There's something mysterious about her."

For children who grew up during the baby boom era, there were two "Peter Pans": the TV version with Mary Martin and the animated feature by Walt Disney. Each had its special charms, and the cartoon "Peter Pan" remains one of the most exciting and colorful films in the Disney canon.

Disney discarded the wistful nostalgia for the illusory innocence of childhood that pervaded Sir James Barrie's original play and replaced it with brash Yankee energy. This Peter Pan is a cocky, all-American boy, more like Tom Sawyer than the smug British popinjay Barrie envisioned.

The Disney artists also changed or discarded much of the traditional stage business. For the first time, Peter was voiced by an actor (Bobby Driscoll), rather than portrayed by an actress. The Crocodile, who had always been an offstage sound effect, appeared on the screen. The artists eliminated Peter's impassioned plea to the audience to clap their hands to prove they believe in fairies and save Tinker Bell's life.

When the film was first released, critics complained about the portrayal of Tinker Bell as a human pixie rather than as a beam of light. This depiction is actually very close to Barrie's descriptions of her as feminine, vain and slightly vulgar. Watch her monumental self-pity as she collapses into tears while Captain Hook bewails her abandonment by Peter.

The movements of Tinker Bell in the Disney classic were modeled on Margaret Kerry. On a bare soundstage, wearing her own bathing suit as a costume, and assisted only by an occasional oversized prop or mattresses to pad a fall, the then-22-year-old Kerry, along with other actors, enacted the production's storyboards, giving animators reference films for gestures, key poses and timing.

That old footage is still preserved in the Disney archives and was pulled out nearly 50 years later for animators creating 2002's "Return to Never Land."

"Lots of people don't understand all this," says Kerry. "They think the entire movie comes from the animator's head, but I say wait a minute — Marc Davis [Tinker Bell's animator] is a man's man — how does he know how a 3 1/2-inch sprite is going to move, get angry, or stamp her foot? And how does he know what kind of emotion would go behind that? How does he know how Wendy's skirt will wrap when she walks? Or flies for that matter? What Marc did was take something and then exaggerate it so it was more truly delightful."

Kerry easily recognizes her own body language in the 1953 film. So did her second husband, Jack Willcox, whom she once took to a "Peter Pan" screening. "I was so excited and nudging him," she recalls. "'There I am!' I said. 'Jack! Jack! Jack, that's me!' He just leaned over and said, 'Margaret, I'd recognize those thighs anywhere.'"

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Periwinkle is a Frost Fairy who lives in the Winter Woods. She learns that Tinker Bell is her sister when their wings both glow. She is curious and loves to go on adventures.

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Iridessa is a Light Fairy who always looks on the bright side of things. She likes order and following the rules. She is warm and welcoming and makes all new fairies feel at ease.

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Silvermist has a go-with-the-flow personality. She is a Water Fairy who can charm even the most stubborn dew drop. Sweet and sympathetic, she knows just how to lend a helping hand.

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Rosetta is a true artist who loves bringing beauty into the world. Despite being a Garden Fairy, she dislikes bugs, dirt, mud, or anything that will ruin her dress. She embraces exactly who she is.

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Fawn never judges a book by its cover. She is an Animal Talent Fairy who loves all animals.

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Lyria is the best story-telling fairy in all of Pixie Hollow. She tells magical tales at Fairy Tale Theater, which she brings to life by creating moving illustrations out of pixie dust.

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Vidia is the fastest of the fast-flying fairies. She is confident and caring in her own way. She loves her friends, but may not say it out loud.

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Ambitious dust-keeper fairy Zarina, captivated by Blue Pixie Dust, teams up with scheming pirates when her ideas get her into trouble.

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Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast Animators: What Inspires a "NeverBeast"

In Disneytoon Studios' latest release, Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast, Pixie Hollow's most famous fairy, Tinker Bell, is back, lending support to her good friend Fawn, an animal fairy always willing to break the rules to help an animal in need. But when that animal turns out to be massive and strange with glowing green eyes, "Gruff" is deemed unwelcome in Pixie Hollow; and a band of skilled scout fairies become determined to capture him out of fear he'll destroy their beloved home.

...that animal turns out to be massive and strange with glowing green eyes

Actress Ginnifer Goodwin voices Fawn, and director Steve Loter is quick to point out, "You can feel the smile behind her voice." But the film's true scene-stealer is Gruff, the NeverBeast himself—a brand-new creature that might remind you of a rhino... or he might remind you of a hippo. But, as the filmmakers explained to D23, he probably reminds you most of your own pet dog or cat; and it's this adherence to reality that explains how Gruff manages to overcome his inherently beastly qualities and endear himself to Fawn—and the audience.

Gruff cuts an imposing figure when he and Fawn meet. But Gruff quickly puts Fawn—and the audience—at ease with the subtlest of gestures. The film's producer, Michael "Makul" Wigert, observes, "I think there’s one moment where Fawn sees him for the first time in the cave and you see his ear twitch; and that just reminds you, 'Oh, I've seen my dog do that. I can relax a little bit.' So we wanted to use something like that sparingly, to remind audiences that it's going to be okay." The filmmakers provided this video of an animation test. Check it out and see if you recognize any of your own beloved pets' characteristics:

To see the video, click here.

According to Animation Supervisor Mike Greenholt—who has worked on all of the films in the Tinker Bell series—told D23, "One of the challenges that Steve gave us was that he wanted this animal to feel like an animal and not a person in an animal costume." And for help facing that challenge, Greenholt found inspiration in the Disney classic Dumbo (which features a now-iconic character that doesn't speak), as well as another unlikely source: his wife's dog.

"You can see thought happening behind the eyes, and it's not the way a human would react."

And while we're on the subject of eyes, Gruff's are unusual, even for a NeverBeast. They're a deep green and have the distinction of having no pupils. Story Artist Ryan Green—whose prior background in biology was an invaluable resource for the NeverBeast team—explains that Loter wanted a "glass ball feeling," like two mirrors in which Fawn sees herself. The lack of pupils, Green says, means "Gruff doesn't emote as much as an animal would that would have an iris and would look around, so his tail became a good way to show emotions," in much the way that a housecat's tail emotes for the animal.

This early sketch illustrates Gruff's prehensile—and emotive—tail, as well as his orb-like eyes.

Greenholt adds, "The moment you get a smaller pupil with white around it, it feels more cartoon-y or more human. We did tests where we had a smaller pupil and he suddenly looked like a man in a mask and it lost the animal quality to it." The filmmakers had to rely on body language and story beats to get Gruff's emotions and intent across, in much the same way that a certain other legendary animator did, Greenholt suggests. "When you look at the first Mickey Mouse cartoons, his eyes were black dots as well, and again, it relies all on the staging. You pose the character so it's very clear where they’re looking." The Muppets were also a great influence with respect to body language, Greenholt admits. "In some cases you'll have puppets that just have button eyes and it all comes down to, how do they move? Can you move sad? Can you move excited? Can you move nervous? It's just using all of that in your toolbox."

But the animators were a little nervous their toolboxes weren't equipped to tackle their biggest challenge: fur. "Fur is hard to do, even on a good day," Greenholt confesses. And Green adds, "It's amazing how much it could distract from the animal's performance sometimes, where you just see nothing but hair moving everywhere. We had to be delicate with how much the audience notices it."

This life-size Gruff has taken up residence at Disneytoon Studios in advance of the film's release on video in March.

Though modern technology and animation techniques allowed the filmmakers to give their CG NeverBeast hair that quite realistically evokes that of a yak, Greenholt is quick to tip his cap to animators of the past. "I think for me, my big influences are the "Nine Old Men," the old animators: Marc Davis, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston. Every time I read about them or hear an interview with them, I'm always inspired because they really get into the mind of their characters and they think about what they're doing." He adds, "It shows, even after years have gone by, their stuff still looks good."

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Forever Young

While Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Woolie Reitherman, and Frank Thomas would eventually fulfill the "old" part of their nickname, they were given the title early in their careers from Walt Disney himself—an affectionate allusion to President Franklin D. Roosevelt description of the nine Supreme Court justices. But while a juror's job is to stick to the letter of the law, these nine brilliant animators took, pride in breaking all the rules of animation and creating new ones—and were named Disney Legends in 1989. "People still think of me as a cartoonist, but the only thing I lift a pen or pencil for these days is to sign a contract, a check, or an autograph," Walt once joked. Indeed, while Walt was the Studios guiding force, it was the Nine Old Men who led Disney into a new era of animation contributing to such beloved films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, Saludos Amigos, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Rescuers, and many, many more. Many of Disney's more recent artistic Legends, such as Andreas Deja, Burny Mattinson, and Glen Keane, were mentored or influenced by the work of these animators, and their remarkable work continues to inspire and transport fans of all ages to this day.

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♪ O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

You boughs are green in summer's glow,

And do not fade in winter's snow.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches! ♪

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Marc Davis (1913–2000)

Legends Award Category: Animation & Imagineering

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Bambi, Fun and Fancy Free, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
Directing animator, Song of the South, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

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–
Mark Henn, Burny Mattinson†.
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Animator, artist, Imagineer. Marc Davis dedicated his creative genius to helping Walt Disney realize his dreams, from helping perfect the animated story to creating Disneyland, the world's first theme park. About his years at Disney, Marc once said, "I rarely felt confined to the animation medium. I worked as an idea man and loved creating characters, whether they be for animation or any other medium."

Marc is probably best known as the father of some of Disney's most memorable animated women, including Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, and Tinker Bell from Peter Pan. When once asked to choose a favorite among his bevy of grand Disney dames, he replied, "Each of my women characters has her own unique style; I love them all in different ways."

The only child of Harry and Mildred Davis, Marc was born on March 30, 1913, in Bakersfield, California, where his father was engaged in oil field developments. Wherever a new oil boom developed, the family moved with Harry and, as a result, Marc attended more than 20 different schools across the country while growing up.

After high school, he enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute, followed by the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco and Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. While studying, Marc spent hours at the zoo drawing animals, which became one of his specialties.

His story drawings for Bambi are considered some of the finest studies of animal characters ever created at the Disney Studio.

Marc joined Disney in 1935 as an apprentice animator on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and moved on to story sketch and character design on Bambi and Victory Through Air Power. Over the years, he animated on classic Disney features such as Song of the South, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as shorts, including African Diary, Duck Pimples, and Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom.

He later transferred to Disney's design and development organization, today known as Walt Disney Imagineering. As one of Disney's original Imagineers, Marc contributed whimsical story and character concepts for such Disneyland attractions as the Enchanted Tiki Room, it's a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise.

After 43 years with the Studio, Marc retired in 1978, but continued to lend his expertise to the development of Epcot Center and Tokyo Disneyland. He and his wife, Alice, who designed costumes for the Audio-Animatronics® characters featured in Pirates of the Caribbean and it's a small world, were also long-time supporters of the California Institute of the Arts, which was founded by Walt Disney.

Marc Davis passed away on January 12, 2000, in Glendale, California.

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Two-year-old Marcus Fraser Davis in San Francisco, 1915.

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Myron "Grim" Natwick, who lived to be 100 years old, in 1929; during his long animation career he designed Betty Boop and was one of Snow White's main animators.

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Snow White dances in the dwarfs' cottage.

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Davis in 1987.

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These head studies show that Bambi was able to go through a wide range of human emotions.

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These sketches show Davis' extraordinary draftsmanship.

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Early studies show Marc's attempts to capture the essence of a skunk. Black and white fur markings already create interesting design patterns.

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Once the inner workings of the skunk's body are explored, the animation will appear believable and plausible.

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Flower and Thumper (Seq. 10.1, Sc. 41) (00:47:49–53)

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Flower's over-the-top reaction to his first kiss was unusual in the otherwise realistic film, but Marc Davis made it work.

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Davis, third from left, working in 1943 on Victory Through Air Power, a wartime feature to which he contributed extensive story work, but received no screen credit.

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These story sketches show Davis' ability to visualize a fierce action sequence.

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The personalities of Brer Fox and Brer Bear come across even in these early sketches.

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Right from the first scene Marc lets the audience know what kind of character Brer Rabbit is.

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Early color sketches already reveal Cinderella as a fun-loving person, who finds herself caught in a bad predicament.

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Cinderella and the letter from the palace.

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Cinderella (Seq. 3, Sc. 10) (00:43:21–22)

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It is interesting to see that the final clean-up drawings were made right over Marc's rough animation drawings. This process saved time, but was only possible whenever the animator drew the character completely on model.

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Marc's rough drawings are delicate and appealing.

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Alice at the Mad Tea Party; The animator explores the dimensional forms of Alice's face in detail.

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Actress Kathryn Beaumont, Alice's voice and model, poses with a kitten before concept art by Mary Blair.

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Tinker Bell

A feisty fairy who is highly protective of Peter Pan.

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Designed with ultimate appeal and feminine elegance, Tinker Bell admires her mirror image; Marc Davis's love of women comes through in his animated portrayals, such as Tinker Bell.

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Model Margaret Kerry provides reference footage to aid the animation.

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Marc's animation sketches were turned into clean-up drawings by Clair Weeks. To see Tinker Bell's scene in CGI, click here.

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One of Marc's "doodle" sheets shows his research for Tinker Bell's facial features and hair movement. By placing her mouth low and practically eliminating the jaw, she appears more pixie-like and less realistic.

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This initial design represents a young, princess, who does look 16 years old; In the final version, Aurora's age could be 25. It is unclear why this aging process took place, perhaps a juvenile-looking girl didn't fit the film's sophisticated story.

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In this elegant key drawing, Aurora dances with a prince made up of various animals, including an owl and a squirrel. What a beautiful composition, even for a back view!

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Aurora (Seq. 12, Sc. 17) (00:38:09–14)

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An early version of Maleficent's design.

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In the end, added horns gave her appearance a devilish quality, and sleeves shaped like flames were used to great dramatic effect.

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A couple of dynamic, rough sketches demonstrate the way Marc lays out key moments of a scene, before animating it.

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Actress Eleanor Audley performs as Maleficent for the live-action reference film.

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Maleficent (Seq. 18, Sc. 67) (01:04:26–31)

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Early ideas for Cruella De Vil's design.

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Cruella De Vil is one of the most entertaining screen creations ever and was Marc's final work as an animator before he devoted his talents to designing characters and rides for Disney theme-park attractions.

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Actress Mary Wickes performing as Cruella for live-action reference footage.

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Cruella De Vil (Seq. 16, Sc. 182) (01:12:40–52)

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Strong curved and straight lines define the appearance of the film's characters.

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4 Artists Paint 1 Tree, a short film made for the Disneyland TV program in 1958, showcased paintings by, left to right, Joshua Meador, Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle, and Walt Peregoy.

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Davis sketches whimsical ideas for the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

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A maiden, in an elongated painting by Davis for The Haunted Mansion, is unaware that danger lurks.

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More Haunted Mansion concepts by Davis.

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Marc consulting with Walt Disney and Blaine Gibson.

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Marc and Alice Davis, married for forty-four years, posed with their impressive collection of objets d'art from Papua New Guinea.

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Two grand old men of Disney: Marc Davis and Joe Grant.

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Bob Kurtz Remembering Marc

How do you write about greatness? Where do I start about my dear friend and mentor, the legendary Marc Davis?

I first met Marc as a student in his Life Drawing class. I watched, fascinated, as Marc slowly twisted his cigarette into a black plastic cigarette holder. Then, through clenched teeth and cigarette pointed up at 45 degrees, Marc would reveal amazing gems of drawing wisdom. It was the best of times.

One of Marc's mantras was that good drawings and clear thinking went together, along with observation and life experience. Marc would say, "Who you are comes out in your drawings." That probably explains why Marc's animation was so versatile and full of life.

As the years passed, Marc and I grew closer. Together with Marc's talented wife and soul mate, Alice, and my wife, Theresa, we would laugh and talk into the late hours. Marc was a wonderful storyteller, and colorfully shared the experiences of his life with their many guests. Then there were those delicious late-night gourmet meals that Alice would whip up in a mere four hours. And always there would be those beloved, spoiled little dogs wandering around and about our feet.

Marc, always the thoughtful host, was also Marc the martini Zen master. With his back to you, secretly and patiently, you would see a bit of a hand move, a squeeze of this, a shake of that. No, Marc would not let you see what he was creating; it was a Houdini magic act. Each of Marc's finely crafted martinis took ten minutes to make and ten hours to recover from.

Marc and Alice's home was like a bustling railroad station; only the train whistle was missing. There was always someone about to leave, and more would drop in. There was a constant parade of affection and love. It was musical chairs without the music.

Together, Marc and Alice traveled the world, making even more friends. Every holiday season their house was filled with baskets and baskets overflowing with Christmas cards. Cards sent from around the world, maybe a thousand or more, all with warm, personal inscriptions. Marc and Alice always answered each of them personally.

Once, I brought Marc a magazine article about "Who Was the Greatest Villainess in Motion Picture History." At the top of the list, the number-one villainess was not Joan Crawford or Bette Davis; it was Cruella De Vil! Marc responded with that wonderful deep chuckle.

Beyond his prodigious talent, and in addition to being so generous with his time and encouragement to young artists, Marc was warm, open, gracious, caring, and always a gentleman. Marc was a class act.

No, Marc Davis was not a saint, but he was pretty damn close.

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♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

Don we now our gay apparel,

Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. ♪

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Frank Thomas (1912–2004)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Three Caballeros, Mary Poppins, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Directing animator, Pinocchio, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood, The Rescuers.
Supervising animator, Bambi, The Fox and the Hound.
Story, The AristoCats, Robin Hood.

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–
Randy Haycock, James Baxter.
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Animator Frank Thomas instilled vivid personality into his characters. He drew some of Disney animation's most memorable, as well as touching, moments, including the Dwarfs crying at Snow White's bier, Bambi and Thumper learning how to ice skate, and the charming spaghetti-eating sequence in Lady and the Tramp.

To Frank, personality was always the key to successful animation. As he once said:

"Until a character becomes a personality, it cannot be believed.

Without personality, the character may do funny or interesting things, but unless people are able to identify themselves with the character, its actions will seem unreal."

Born on September 5, 1912, Frank was raised in Fresno, California, where his father was President of Fresno State College. By age nine, Frank already knew what he wanted to do in life; he once recalled asking his father how he could make money just drawing pictures. By the time he was a sophomore at Fresno State, his interest in art expanded to motion pictures. As a class project, Frank wrote and directed a movie spoofing college life, which played in local theaters.

After finishing his education at Stanford University, Frank went on to study at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. While living in a rooming house in Hollywood, he met another young Stanford graduate who worked as an artist at the Walt Disney Studio. The artist told Frank about a job opening and, on September 24, 1934, he joined Disney as employee no. 224, assigned to work on the short Mickey's Elephant.

Over the years, Frank worked on nearly 20 animated features including Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians, as well as numerous shorts. He also accompanied Walt Disney and a select group of artists on a goodwill tour of South America in 1941 on behalf of the American Government, which inspired the films Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros.

In his spare time, Frank played piano with the internationally famous "Firehouse Five Plus Two" jazz band, along with fellow Disney artists including Ward Kimball.

After nearly 45 years with the Studio, Frank retired in 1978. He went on to co-author four books with lifelong friend and fellow animator Ollie Johnston, including the definitive Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life, Too Funny For Words: Disney's Greatest Sight Gags, Walt Disney's Bambi: The Story and the Film, and The Disney Villain.

He and Ollie were also the subjects of the 1995 documentary Frank and Ollie, which chronicles their unique friendship from its beginnings at Stanford to their creative relationship at Disney. That same year, Disney artists paid tribute to the legendary animators in the Mickey Mouse short Runaway Brain, which featured a villain whimsically named "Dr. Frankenollie." Frank and Ollie also made vocal cameos in two animated features by director Brad Bird, 1999's The Iron Giant and the 2004 Pixar film The Incredibles.

Frank Thomas passed away on September 8, 2004, in La Cañada Flintridge, California.

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Pluto shows strong emotions, he is annoyed with the antics of a little elephant.

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Delicate facial expressions combined with subtle timing communicate believable emotions of sadness and loss.

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The lack of squash and stretch when Pinocchio falls reminds audiences that he is made out of solid wood; Pinocchio gives the performance of his life on stage in Stromboli's puppet theatre, exuding the show-off joy of the amateur entertainer.

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His spontaneity required detailed planning by animator Thomas. The final impression is that the puppet is "making it up as he goes along."

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A caricature of hirsute Thomas as Pinocchio's alter ego.

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Pinocchio is starting to show a sense of compassion and responsibility.

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The deer in Bambi, developed by Frank Thomas and Milt Kahl, brought a rare compliment from Walt: "Thanks, fellows. Those personalities are pure gold."

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Thomas feeds a model for Bambi in 1942.

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Perfectly staged and animated, this charming scene became on iconic image for the film.

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A rough layout pose shows Thumper's confidence on the ice.

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Captain Hook

Pirate Captain who would like nothing more than to get revenge on his nemesis Peter Pan, who is responsible for his hook.

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Hook is looking for Peter Pan's hiding place.

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Captain Hook (Seq. 11, Sc. 4) (00:53:11–15)

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Frank excelled at showing Hook's mood swings.

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Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas view test animation for the three good fairies in Sleeping Beauty on a Moriola, circa 1958. Thomas's intensity working on this film landed him in the hospital.

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The three fairies have very different personalities.

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Merryweather (Seq. 7, Sc. 12) (00:11:27–31)

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The final animation for The Flying Gauchito.

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Frank explores range and flexibility within Toad's body.

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Brom Bones and Tilda (Seq. 7, Sc. 36)

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Frank animated this Ichabod Crane sequence at the rate of 40 to 50 feet per week.

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A classic villain for the ages.

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Lady Tremaine's subtle movements help to establish her truly evil personality.

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Thomas continued in the early 1950s to bring life to villains, such as the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland; Frank originally struggled finding the balance between the menace and the comedy for the Queen of Hearts.

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Queen of Hearts (Seq. 11, Sc. 29) (01:08:05–10)

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A full range of expressions for Alice in Wonderland's talking Doorknob.

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Baloo, being upset at Bagheera, responds by mimicking him.

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The characters' contrasting attitudes communicate clearly in this one sketch.

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In this layout sketch Frank positions the dogs effectively as a group.

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One of the most charming moments ever animated.

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Thomas drawing a canine model for 101 Dalmatians in 1961.

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Sketches showing the proportions and physical makeup of Dalmatians.

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A charming moment from One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

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This sequence from The Sword in the Stone was one of Frank's favorite Disney assignments.

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Madam Mim (Seq. 10, Sc. 13.1) (01:04:52–58)

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Three of the penguins who do their best to keep up with Dick Van Dyke; The dancing penguin waiters in Mary Poppins, stole the show from Van Dyke.

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Frank's animation of Thomas O'Malley is believable and fun to watch; The two canine stars from The Aristocats.

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Frank Thomas, at age 61, working on Robin Hood.

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A convincing disguise for Robin Hood.

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Reluctant agents Bernard and Bianca.

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The young Tod and Copper from The Fox and the Hound, Frank Thomas' final film.

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Frank Thomas, sketching in Argentina, was the only animator among the artists, writers, and musicians Walt brought to South America in 1941.

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Frank Thomas (far right) relaxed by playing piano in the Firehouse Five Plus Two, a Dixieland jazz band formed by Ward Kimball (on trombone) in the 1940s.

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Thomas used his piano perch for people-watching opportunities.

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Frank Thomas, entertaining at a 1947 studio function was the Huggajeedy 8, forerunner of the Firehouse Five Plus Two. Thomas is behind Walt Disney (seated right) and Kimball stands at right.

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Ron Clements Remembering Frank

I worked closely with Frank Thomas for around two years, starting in 1974, on the movie The Rescuers. I was a 21-year-old animation trainee, and he was my mentor. It was an unbelievably rewarding time. I felt like kind of a sorcerer's apprentice. These guys, the master Disney animators, truly were magicians. They created life, personality, entertainment out of nothing more than pencil and paper, and what a privilege to see how they did it!

Frank was thoughtful, intelligent, and articulate. He analyzed things to death and did tons of thumbnails and diagrams. He always pushed you to explore multiple options in approaching any scene before finally settling on what you felt was the very best. He was passionate, hard to please, and harder on himself than anybody. He flipped his scenes so relentlessly they were ragged, like the texture of an old treasure map. He once told me, in his whole career, he had only done a handful of scenes he was really satisfied with. He never said what they were. Pinocchio in the "I've Got No Strings" scene? Bambi on ice? Captain Hook? Certainly, I would hope, the Dwarfs tearfully mourning the death of their beloved Snow White, or the spaghetti-eating sequence in Lady and the Tramp would be among them.

Chuck Jones once called Frank the Laurence Olivier of animators, and that was accurate. He was a brilliant actor, always getting into the specific, unique thought processes of each character, pushing relationships, feelings, sincerity. The great thing is, the life he created will exist forever, to be experienced over and over again. And what could be more magical than that?

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♪ Here we come a-caroling

Among the leaves so green.

Here we come a-wand'ring

So fair to be seen.

Love and joy come to you,

And to you glad tidings, too

And God bless you and send you a happy New Year,

And God send you a happy New Year. ♪

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Les Clark (1907–1979)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Directing animator, Song of the South, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp.
Sequence director, Sleeping Beauty.

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–
Mark Henn.
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_________________________________

While in high school, Les Clark worked a summer job at a lunch counter near the Walt Disney Studio in Hollywood. Walt and Roy Disney used to eat there, and, one day, Les got up the courage to ask Walt for a job.

He recalled Walt's reply, "'Bring some of your drawings in and let's see what they look like.' So, I copied some cartoons and showed them to Walt. He said I had a good line, and why don't I come to work on Monday.

"I graduated [from high school] on a Thursday and went to work [the following] Monday." THIS IMAGE: At the Walt Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue, circa 1930: standing left to right: Jack King, Dick Lundy, Burt Gillett, Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney, Carl Stalling, Wilfred Jackson; kneeling left to right: Johnny Cannon, Norm Ferguson, Merle Gibson, Ben Sharpsteen, Les Clark.

Les, who was the first of Walt Disney's legendary "Nine Old Men" (an affectionate term Franklin D. Roosevelt coined for his Supreme Court Justices, which Disney adopted when referring to his key animators), spent the next 48 years of his life animating and directing for Disney.

Born in Ogden, Utah, in 1907, Les attended elementary school in Twin Falls, Idaho, until his family moved to Los Angeles. After graduating from Venice High School in 1927, he joined the company's Ink and Paint Department. Les developed an adept hand at animating Mickey Mouse, beginning with one scene in Mickey's debut film, Steamboat Willie. By 1929, he won his first animation assignment on Disney's first Silly Symphony, The Skeleton Dance. He would later animate a memorable scene in the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia, when Mickey's sleeves keep falling down as he brings the magical brooms to life.

Les animated on or directed nearly 20 features, including Pinocchio, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, So Dear to My Heart, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Song of the South, Fun and Fancy Free, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp, as well as more than 100 shorts.

After Les served as sequence director on Sleeping Beauty, Walt asked him to direct television specials and educational films. For two decades, Les directed dozens of such productions, including Donald in Mathmagic Land and Donald and the Wheel.

Like Walt, Les didn't believe in resting on his laurels, but in always expanding his talent. As Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston recalled in their book Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life, "Les quietly went ahead perfecting what he did best, constantly at art class working hard to improve and learn. There was much admiration for this quiet, thoughtful man, who came in with no art background yet through sheer determination and desire not only kept up, but helped advance the art with his refinements of many fundamentals."

Les Clark retired from Disney in 1976; he passed away on September 12, 1979.

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Eighteen-year-old Leslie James Clark in 1925, the year he met Walt Disney.

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Original animation drawings by Ub Iwerks for Steamboat Willie, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon with a soundtrack.

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A couple of frivolous skeletons marked the beginning of Clark's career as an animator.

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Animating in close quarters at the Disney studio are, left to right, David Hand, Dick Lundy, Norm Ferguson, and Les Clark.

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The Disney studio polo team, left to right, unknown, Les Clark, Norman Ferguson, Walt, Roy Disney, Bill Cottrell, Dick Lundy, Gunther Lessing.

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Les Clark added greater appeal and range to Mickey's performances.

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Les Clark animated a complex scene of Snow White dancing with the dwarfs in their cottage.

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Clark animated Sleepy playing a flute in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

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Pinocchio turns around; Sincere emotions help to make Pinocchio come alive to an audience.

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Art Babbitt prepares to animate Geppetto in Pinocchio.

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Deems Taylor watches Fred Moore draw Mickey Mouse for Fantasia in 1940.

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Mickey Mouse (Seq. 7, Sc. 11)

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In The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Clark gave Mickey an intensity that had not been seen before.

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Delicate drawing and subtle timing added a graceful touch to the fairies.

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The train in The Three Caballeros displays emotions, despite having no limbs or face.

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Clark created a memorable character in the Singing Harp from Mickey and the Beanstalk.

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Appealing design and energetic timing helped to make this tiny character come alive.

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Clark's animation of Cinderella proved that he was perfectly able to deal with difficult, realistic assignments.

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Clark tackled the challenge of fitting an enormous Alice into the White Rabbit's house.

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Tinker Bell

A feisty fairy who is highly protective of Peter Pan.

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Even though Marc Davis supervised the animation of Tinker Bell, Les Clark did not mind being the second-in-command.

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Wendy Darling

Oldest of the Darling children, an eternal believer, mother figure to the Lost Boys and friend to Peter Pan.

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Wendy (Seq. 14, Sc. 102) (01:11:43–49)

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Clark's final animation before moving into other areas of animated film production.

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John Canemaker Remembering Les

When shy, part-time confectionery waiter Leslie James Clark (1907-1979) graduated from high school on a Thursday and reported to work the following Monday (February 23, 1927), his new boss, Walt Disney, warned him the job might be temporary. By the time Les Clark retired in 1975, he was a senior animator and director, and the longest continuously employed member of Walt Disney Productions.

I met Clark in July 1973, two years before he retired at age 68, during my first visit to the Disney Studio. I found him to be reserved, quiet, and, yes, shy. Yet he gave me an interview so full of information that I used much of it almost three decades later in my book Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation.

That was one of the remarkable things about Les Clark his mild-mannered, reticent, apparently ego-free qualities belied his tremendous gifts as a masterly animator of surpassing skill. Everything he drew came alive with charm and personality.

He entered animation at a crucial time during the silent era—a year before Mickey Mouse's "birth"—and participated in events that shaped not only Disney's future, but also the art form of character animation itself. At first, Clark was apprentice to sorcerer/legendary animator Ub Iwerks, whom Clark fondly remembered as a "very gifted" and very patient" teacher.

Clark emulated his master in "rhythm animation"—smooth "ripple" actions repeated in pleasing cycles and patterns of motion in many a Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony short. Traces of this magical, cartoony animation style are in the elastic pink train sambaing to "Baia" in The Three Caballeros.

Soon the pupil surpassed his mentor. Diligently working on his draftsmanship skills throughout his career, Clark became a first-rate character animation "actor," specializing in Mickey Mouse. It was Les Clark who animated dynamic personality scenes in The Band Concert and Fantasia, both among the mouse's greatest acting performances.

What was also amazing about Clark was his versatility as an animator. He "played" everything from a buxom operatic hen (Clara Cluck) to a delicate dewdrop fairy to an inebriated country bumpkin of a rodent (The Country Cousin) to a frustrated bee trapped in a surreal landscape (Bumble Boogie); Clark's animation ranged from gigantic Paul Bunyan to tiny Jiminy Cricket and Tinker Bell on TV's Mickey Mouse Club.

Often, Clark was handed technically difficult assignments, which he accepted with good humor and managed with seriousness of purpose and consummate skill. One such assignment was Snow White dancing with dwarfs, a sequence of subtle changes in perspective as the characters cavort; another was the combining of a live actor with animated animals in the joyous "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah'" musical number from Song of the South.

Clark's animation provided the necessary emotional mortar to hold scenes together in many films, including Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland. Art Babbitt, another great animator and a tough critic, always spoke admiringly of Clark, who "never received the recognition the others [animators] did. And he should have, Babbitt said, "because he was marvelous! Terrific animator, very inventive. But taken for granted."

Les Clark's development from a "rubber-hose-and-circle" patternmaker into a master personality animator matches the best of his peers. His work through the years deserves careful study, and today's DVDs—and this flipbook offer the ambitious student an opportunity to learn from one of the greats.

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♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh. Hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh. ♪

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Eric Larson (1905–1988)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Directing animator, Pinocchio, Song of the South, Melody Time, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Sequence director, Sleeping Beauty.
Supervising animator, Fantasia, Bambi.
Titles, The Rescuers.

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–
Mark Henn, Burny Mattinson†, Chris Buck, James Baxter.

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Toward the end of his enduring career at The Walt Disney Studios, animator Eric Larson became a gentle and devoted mentor to the next generation of up-and-coming Disney artists. Former student Andreas Deja, who animated such Disney characters as Jafar from Aladdin and Scar in The Lion King, remembered Eric as "the best animation teacher ever." "No one was more concerned with passing on the Disney legacy than Eric," Deja once said.

In the late 1970s, Eric expanded the Studio's Talent Program to find and train new and talented animators from colleges and art schools across the nation. This program, which still exists today, came at a crucial juncture in Disney's history, when many veteran animators were stepping down from their drawing boards. Subsequently, through his close work with young animators, Eric helped preserve the integrity of Disney animation for generations to come.

Born in Cleveland, Utah, in 1905, Eric avidly read comic humor magazines, such as Punch and Judge, while growing up on the plains. After high school, he went on to major in journalism at the University of Utah. While there, Eric edited the campus magazine and won a reputation as a creative humorist in both literature and graphic arts. He also sketched cartoons, which appeared in the local Deseret News.

After graduation, Eric traveled around America for a year freelancing for various magazines and, in 1933, landed in Los Angeles. There, he developed an adventure serial for KHJ Radio, called The Trail of the Viking.

That same year, taking the advice of a friend who was familiar with his exceptional drawing skill, Eric decided to submit some of his sketches to the Walt Disney Studio.

He was hired as an assistant animator (to Hamilton Luske), and his journalism aspirations changed for good.

Over the years, Eric animated on such feature films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Bambi, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and The Jungle Book, as well as nearly 20 shorts and six television specials. Later, he served as a consultant on The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective.

After 52 years at Disney, Eric retired in 1986. In an interview at that time, he said, "The important thing is not how long I've been here, but how much I've enjoyed it and what I've accomplished in all that time. When I think about my contribution to the animation that people enjoy so much, it makes me feel good."

Eric Larson passed away in La Cañada Flintridge, California, on October 25, 1988.

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Eric Larson at his drawing board in 1970.

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Synchronizing so many woodland creatures was more like choreographing a ballet than animating a scene.

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Figaro crossing a soft bedcover and opening a window in the film Pinocchio.

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Larson at work on Pinocchio in 1939.

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A unique approach was required to make audiences believe the marionettes were made out of wood.

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For years Larson bemoaned his "poor" animation of Fantasia's centaurs.

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Eric Larson questioned the quality of the centaurs' design as well as his animation.

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Eric had more success with the flying horses in the "Pastoral" section of Fantasia.

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Larson's own gentle character and sense of humor are reflected in the personality of Friend Owl.

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Eric researched a range of facial expressions as well as simplified horse and partial bird anatomy.

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Gauchito and Burrito (Sc. 37) (00:18:30–32)

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Slow, calm, and deliberate Larson brought to life the madly destructive South American Aracuan; A small character with big emotions.

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Brer Rabbit displaying unlimited confidence despite limited movement.

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Stylized designs allowed for smooth, fluid animation.

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Little Toot manages to demonstrate childlike qualities, despite having no arms or legs.

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In the 1950s Larson animated his share of humans, such as Cinderella, seen with frames of the live-action reference film; Cinderella is instantly likeable in the opening scene.

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The animation for Alice was based on live-action reference.

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Peter Pan promises the Darling children a flight to Never Land.

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Peter Pan and Wendy (Seq. 2.1, Sc. 52) (00:17:09–14)

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Peter Pan and Wendy flying to Never Land.

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Larson obviously enjoying a close encounter with Peggy Lee, the voice and model for Peg, a sexy singing pooch in Lady and the Tramp.

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A beautiful animation showing Peg in mid-song.

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Peg (Seq. 10, Sc. 81) (00:59:13–23)

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Discussing storyboards in 1958 for the troublesome Sleeping Beauty are, left to right, supervising director Eric Larson, storymen Joe Rinaldi and Don DaGradi, and animator Marc Davis.

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The very expensive scene 31.

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Larson was a directing animator on 101 Dalmatians, but for most of the 1970s and '80s he was the revered teaching head of Disney's training program for new, young animators.

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Rolly (Seq. 15, Sc. 46) (01:02:39–42)

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Madam Mim as Dragon (Seq. 10, Sc. 144) (01:09:21–24)

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Roquefort's model sheet, made up of Eric's rough animation drawings.

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John Musker Remembering Eric

A gifted animator and a natural teacher with a soft spot for young people trying to learn the craft, Eric Larson had been placed by Studio management in charge of their new in-house talent development program. It was there that, with great patience, clarity, and warmth, he essentially taught me and many others—people like Glen Keane and Ron Clements, for example—how to animate. He himself was mentored by Ham Luske, one of the principal animators at Disney in the thirties, and later its primary director, Ham's lessons of sincerity, action analysis, and caricature were deeply imprinted on Eric, who passed them on, along with countless other things he had learned from artists like Freddie Moore and Bill Tytla, not to mention Walt himself, to wide-eyed trainees like me.

Eric had an understated touch to his own animation. He found the essential truth, warmth, and sincerity of whatever character he animated. He gave us a Figaro in Pinocchio, full of gentle humor, and well-observed traits, both of a real kitten and an inquisitive and occasionally exasperated child. The grandfatherly curmudgeon owl in Bambi was his. He animated the loopy Aracuan bird who motored along the frame's edge in The Three Caballeros, and Sasha, the Russian-hatted bird in Peter and the Wolf, who, like many of Eric's characters, steals the show without trying to. But where this genteel and gentlemanly Mormon came up with Peg, the saucy show dog in Lady and the Tramp, I'll never know, although I can personally attest that Eric's courtly manner and twinkling blue eyes had legions of young, pretty female admirers from the ranks of the new trainees.

While in the training program, I would bring Eric a "scene" of my animation. From my haphazard stack of drawings, he would pull out the "keys," the crucial poses. He would put a sheet of fresh paper over them on the disk, and holding his pencil counterbalanced by his extended pinkie riding along the paper (a pinkie calloused from years of animation—a callous, he said all good animators had), Eric would draw far more powerful, clear, and carefully analyzed versions of what I had done. These drawings were often diagrams, which did not necessarily look like my character. But the silhouettes, arcs, paths of action, the clear "anticipations," and the ideas on timing, all honed from his years on the board, were magically transformative. Poses now related to one another in a fluid and dynamic way. Actions were clearer. Thought processes were communicated. "Positive statements" was his mantra.

Eric's words to me then still ring in my ears now, some 35 years later. He also said. "Our only limit in animation is our own imaginations, and our ability to draw what we imagine." I try and live my animation life by those words that came from the always supportive, gentle, powerful mentor with the high-waisted pants and the sparkling blue eyes: Eric Larson. I owe him everything.

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♪ Toyland! Toyland!

Dear little girl and boy land!

While you dwell within it,

You are ever happy then.

Childhood's joy land!

Mystic, merry Toyland!

Once you pass its borders,

You can never return again. ♪

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Ward Kimball (1914–2002)

Legends Award Category: Animation & Imagineering

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Mary Poppins.
Directing animator, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan.
Supervising animator, Fantasia.

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–
Eric Goldberg.
_________________________________

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While some Disney animators sought to touch the hearts of audiences, Ward Kimball sought to astound. As he once explained to a reporter, "Old Wardie got into audience's hearts his own way. He made them laugh."

Fellow Disney Legend Eric Larson once wrote of Ward's animation style: "A powerful caricaturist of mood and action, Ward often used the same approach in his scene planning and cutting, as was shown in the first meeting of Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito in The Three Caballeros. The action and cutting was wild, woolly, and humorous."

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 4, 1914, Ward's first recognizable drawing as a child was of a steam locomotive.

He once said that his mother called him a "marked" baby because of his early obsession with railroads, a theme that would resonate throughout his life.

After high school, Ward set his mind upon becoming a magazine illustrator and enrolled at the Santa Barbara School of Art in California. While there, however, he happened to catch Walt Disney's Three Little Pigs at a local matinee and, with portfolio in hand, Ward headed for Hollywood.

He joined the Walt Disney Studio in 1934, and contributed to most of its animated features up until his retirement in 1972. Among the many memorable Disney characters he brought to life were Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio, Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Alice in Wonderland, and Lucifer the Cat in Cinderella.

Ward also directed two Academy Award®-winning short subjects, Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom—the first CinemaScope cartoon—and It's Tough to Be a Bird, which combined both live action and animation. During the 1950s, he produced and directed three one-hour space films for the Disneyland television show. The first of his television productions, Man in Space, was given a command performance before President Dwight Eisenhower.

During the 1960s, Ward helped write the story and script treatment for Walt's first live-action musical fantasy, Babes in Toyland, for which he directed the stop-motion toy sequences. A trombone-player, Ward led several fellow Disney employees in the internationally known Dixieland jazz band Firehouse Five Plus Two. He also restored and operated a full-size locomotive on his two-acre orange grove, and was instrumental in sparking Walt Disney's own interest in backyard railroads.

After retirement, Ward consulted with Walt Disney Imagineering on theme park projects such as the World of Motion pavilion at Epcot Center.

Ward passed away on July 8, 2002, in Los Angeles, California, at age 88. In 2005, the Disneyland Railroad named their newly acquired Engine No. 5 the Ward Kimball in his memory. Famously, the handprints Ward left on his Disney Legend plaque feature an extra finger, a reminder of his sterling sense of humor.

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Early designs based on real crickets and Kimball's final version of Jiminy.

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All drawings are key, there are no in-betweens when animating a scene this complex.

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Ward turned the song number in The Three Caballeros into one of animation's most hilarious and surreal moments.

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Kimball's model sheet of Lucifer reveals strong poses and evil expressions, in spite of an overall cartoony appearance.

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Kimball had fun animating Lucifer in Cinderella.

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Lucifer (Seq. 1.6, Sc. 63) (00:19:35–00:20:11)

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Tweedledum and Tweedledee move as if their bodies were water balloons.

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Tweedledum (Seq. 5, Sc. 36) (00:15:15–19)

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Alice in Wonderland is a veritable vaudeville of Kimball's comedic gifts. His tea party is filled with slapstick; The Mad Hatter's tongue was used to animate his dialogue with a lisp; The equally mad March Hare.

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Walt admires Kimball's Mad Hatter sketch.

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The psychotic Cheshire Cat might move slowly, but he expresses pure insanity.

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Modern graphics help alter the conventional Disney style.

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The film Mars and Beyond explored the possibilities of alien life forms.

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Working on the Man in Space TV program in 1954: (seated) Ward, (left to right) Charles Shows, Ruby Barbera, scientist Willy Ley, Julius Svendsen, and Bill Bosche.

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Kimball with the Oscar he won for the irreverent 1969 short It's Tough to Be a Bird.

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A caricature of the Firehouse Five Plus Two, a Dixieland jazz band formed by trombonist Ward Kimball, was featured in the short How to Play Baseball: Harper Goff on banjo, Ed Penner tuba, Clark Mallery clarinet, Ham Hamilton (or Monty Montjoy) drums, Danny Alguire trumpet, and Frank Thomas on piano.

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Kimball plays trombone in his office.

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Eric Goldberg Remembering Ward

Ward Kimball certainly the most whacked-out member of Disney's Nine Old Men, was the studio maverick. Ward would try anything, and even though that was frequently interpreted as "anything-for-a-laugh," this quality extended far beyond the mere joke. He could do the warm, sympathetic stuff (like Jiminy Cricket), as well as the crazy, inspired lunacy (Panchito's gun barrel mouthing some of his lyrics in The Three Caballeros title song) that would become his trademark. Ward also experimented with limited animation and modern design, UPA-style, in films like Melody and Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (an Academy Award winner). The bottom line is that Ward's work always had ideas behind it—planned insanity, if you will.

Ward's animation shared a unique quality with that of his close friend Freddie Moore—sheer boldness. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the piece selected for this flipbook. From Alice in Wonderland, Tweedledee and Tweedledum bounce and cavort outlandishly in a scene that looks great when you see it at speed, but reveals its true audaciousness when you look at it frame by frame. They squish like water balloons, flatten out like pancakes, poke each other, and do all manner of facial contortions and rubber-legged gavottes, leaving the viewer with this distinct thought: I can't believe he got away with that. In a nutshell (not a bad place for Ward to be), Ward Kimball spent his entire career "getting away with it," and we are all the richer and more amused for it.

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"Our Lucky Star": Annette Funicello (1942–2013)
Film & Television • 1992

Disney Legend Richard Sherman shares his memories of Disney Legend Annette Funicello and the creation of the timeless musical magic known as the "Annette" sound.

Sweet. Unassuming. Hard-Working. Self-Deprecating. A Talent. That Was Annette.

[Fellow Disney Legend and brother] Bob and I always referred to her as our "lucky star." Before we ever dreamed of working at Disney, we were just two guys trying to make a buck writing pop songs. Back in the '50s, we wrote a little ditty called "Tall Paul." Julie Harriet recorded it on a little label, and it wasnt doing that well. One day, Bob got a call from Jimmy Johnson, the general manager of the Walt Disney Music Company, and he said, "We want to record the song with one of our Mouseketeers, Annette. Can we make a deal?" And Bob said, "Annette who?" We didn't know much about Disney at the time.

Well, young Annette came in to sing it, and she was absolutely terrified! There was this wall of sound coming from everywhere, and she was overcome by it. She started saying, "I cant do this. I cant do this." But Bob and I had a trick. We would have her do a first take of the vocal against the orchestra separately and swim it in echo. Then she would sing the song again, and we would lay that track—crisp with no echo on top of the first one. Now it sounded like she had a powerful voice. She said, "Gee, I dont sound too bad now" She got a little confidence. When you blended both vocal tracks together, you had pure magic—the "Annette" sound. "Tall Paul" became a smash hit in 1959. And, over a period of a year and a half, we wrote 36 songs for our lucky star.

She was a musician. She had a great feel for singing along with herself. If she emphasized a word in one take, she'd mimic that perfectly the next time. She wasn't just a kid singing.

We stayed close friends. One year at the Disney Legends ceremony at the Studios, we sat at the same table and reminisced with her and her husband, Glen, about the old days and had a great time. She was using a cane to get around. She never said she had MS. She said she pulled a muscle in her leg. She didnt want anyone feeling sorry for her. She was brave.

Today, I feel proud and happy every time I see her on TV or hear her music. We loved her like she was our kid sister. We never had anything but a good time. I will always miss her.

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♪ Christmas is coming,

The goose is getting fat.

Please to put a penny

In the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,

A halfpenny will do.

If you haven't got a halfpenny,

Then God bless you! ♪

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Ollie Johnston (1912–2008)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Pinocchio, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Mary Poppins, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Supervising animator, Fantasia, Bambi, The Fox and the Hound.
Directing animator, Song of the South, Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood, The Rescuers.

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–
Mark Henn, Randy Haycock, James Baxter, Pete Docter.
_________________________________

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Animator Ollie Johnston infused an unusual level of warmth and heartfelt emotion into his characters. As lifelong friend and fellow animator and Disney Legend Frank Thomas recalled, "Ollie was the only one of the Studio animators who was sensitive to character relationships and how they affected story." Explained Frank: "Back then, cartoon characters seldom touched unless they hit each other. But one day Ollie said, 'You know, the act of two people holding hands communicates in a powerful way.' And he was right. His warmth made a difference in so many of our characters."

Ollie animated such memorable friendships as those of Baloo and Mowgli in The Jungle Book and the sycophantic relationship between Sir Hiss and Prince John in Robin Hood. And he valued his own relationship with the characters he animated, including Thumper from Bambi, Mr. Smee from Peter Pan, and the trio of fanciful fairies from Sleeping Beauty. "They were all good friends whom I remember fondly," he once said.

Born in Palo Alto, California, on October 31, 1912, Ollie attended grammar school on the campus of Stanford University, where his father served as professor of romance languages. After graduating from Palo Alto High School, he returned to Stanford and spent his last year of study at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.

On January 21, 1935, Ollie joined the Walt Disney Studio as an apprentice animator, working on early Disney shorts such as Mickey's Garden and The Tortoise and the Hare, which won an Academy Award® for Best Short Subject (Cartoons). He went on to work as animator and directing animator on more than 24 feature films, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Song of the South, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty.

An avid train enthusiast, Ollie created a backyard railroad at his home and was instrumental in helping stir Walt Disney's own personal interest in trains.

After 43 years with the Studio, Ollie retired in 1978. He went on to co-author four books with Frank Thomas, beginning with the definitive Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life. This was followed by Too Funny for Words: Disney's Greatest Sight Gags, Walt Disney's Bambi: The Story and the Film, and The Disney Villain.

He and Frank were the subjects of the 1995 documentary Frank and Ollie, which chronicles their unique friendship from its beginnings at Stanford to their creative relationship at Disney. That same year, Disney artists paid tribute to the legendary animators in the Mickey Mouse short Runaway Brain, which featured a villain whimsically named "Dr. Frankenollie." Frank and Ollie also made vocal cameos in two animated features by director Brad Bird, 1999's The Iron Giant and the 2004 Pixar Animation Studios film The Incredibles.

On November 10, 2005, Ollie was presented the prestigious National Medal of the Arts by President George W. Bush at a ceremony in the Oval Office.

Ollie passed away on April 14, 2008, in Sequim, Washington—the last surviving member of Walt's legendary "Nine Old Men."

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Frank Thomas and Johnston goof around on the Stanford campus, circa 1932.

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"March 23, 1936, a most important day," wrote Johnston years later. "I become Fred Moore's assistant." One of Disney's most gifted animators, Moore makes a drawing for Johnston.

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Vladimir Tytla brought strong inner emotions to animation acting for the first time; here he draws the magnificent devil on Bald Mountain for Fantasia.

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Pinocchio might be made out of wood, but he acts like a real kid; Johnston literally brought Pinocchio to life in his earliest scenes.

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Pinocchio (Seq. 4.9, Sc. 21) (00:48:24–27)

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Pinocchio's nose begins to grow.

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Johnston animated plump cupids and sultry centaurettes in Fantasia's Pastoral Symphony; A makeup moment in the "Pastoral" sequence. Clean-up artists would later add floral covers to the topless centaurettes.

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Bambi's early attempt to walk was poetry in motion.

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Thumper advises Bambi that clover's green parts "sure is awful stuff to eat!" and tells him a secret.

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Johnston finds the right staging for Peter and Grandpa in this layout sketch.

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"The simplicity, the honesty, the emotion. The essence of a little kid with his toy gun going into the wood. All of that was there," says Andreas Deja in praising Johnston's animation of Peter in Peter and the Wolf.

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Brer Rabbit is all shook up by Brer Bear's grip.

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Brer Fox proved Ollie could handle more eccentric animation.

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Johnny stays in the air just a beat longer than is realistic, adding elegance to the scene.

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Not only does Ollie plays up the comedy in Ichabod's animation, but the much more realistic Brom Bones goes through a hysterical routine as well.

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Making Anastasia as ugly as possible.

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Although Ollie found working with live-action reference challenging, he admitted that he learnt a lot from the experience.

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Alice (Seq. 3, Sc. 22) (00:09:04–07)

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A Peter Pan model sheet of Mr. Smee, who was animated by Ollie Johnston.

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Smee is one of Ollie's most entertaining creations.

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Smee (Seq. 11, Sc. 6) (00:53:15–19)

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Trusty, the old bloodhound who has lost his sense of smell.

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Trusty (Seq. 11, Sc. 17) (01:02:35–39)

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Watching Johnston draw are, left to right, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, Frank Thomas, Walt Disney, and director Wilfred Jackson.

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Flora and Fauna gently encourage Merryweather to give her gift.

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Ollie observes the anatomy and motion of real Dalmatians; A rough concept sketch for the moment when Pongo faces Cruella De Vil for the first time.

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Pongo straining to catch up with Anita and Perdita.

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Nanny is similar in style to Merryweather from Sleeping Beauty.

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Wart, Merlin, and Archimedes from The Sword in the Stone, animated by Johnston.

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Johnston and Thomas make like penguins at a Mary Poppins story session.

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The penguin waiters from Mary Poppins.

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Baloo's dance walk was inspired by a demonstration given by Walk Disney.

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Baloo (Seq. 4, Sc. 126) (00:26:46–51)

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Although a dog-owner, The Aristocats proved that Ollie also had an affinity for felines.

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The insecure Prince John; Ollie captures the uneasy relationship between two comic villains.

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Ollie Johnston put a lot of himself into his role of the orphan Penny and the cat Rufus in The Rescuers.

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A Johnston exposure sheet for a scene in which Rufus reacts to the orphan Penny saying she was not adopted because another girl was chosen who "was prettier than me."

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Johnston explored personality in key pose drawings, and also made numerous thumbnail sketches laying out action and positions for important dialogue.

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Ollie's final animation assignment was The Fox and the Hound.

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Christmas in Flintridge, 1984: John Canemaker seated on Johnston's model steam locomotive, with (left to right) Ollie Johnston, Jeanette Thomas, Frank Thomas, and Marie Johnston.

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In the 1980s, animator/authors Frank and Ollie struck a running pose similar to one at Stanford nearly fifty years before.

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Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas performing for the 1995 documentary Frank and Ollie, coproduced by Theodore Thomas and Kuniko Okubo.

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Glen Keane Remembering Ollie

It is 1975, and for over 35 years Ollie has had the corner office 1D-12 at the end of the "Hall of Kings," referring to the animation greats who share that wing with him.

I am filled with awe as I knock on his door and hear Ollie's soft, airy voice say with a blend of humility and curiosity, "Come in?"

Entering, I see Ollie dressed in his cardigan sweater, surrounded by delicate pencil studies of Penny from The Rescuers. On the wall is a photo of his pride and joy, a full-sized locomotive in the snow on his property in Julian, California.

Resting on the table behind him is a brown paper sack. He and Frank Thomas are creatures of habit and sit together each day over lunch talking about the sequences they are working on, plotting how to convince the director, "Woolie" Reitherman, to see things their way. Like inseparable brothers, they have worn a path in the floor between their offices.

Holding out a wrinkled stack of animation paper, I ask, "Ollie, can you take a look at my scene?"

Without hesitation Ollie takes my drawings, and after deftly flipping them several times so he can study the movement, he takes the top and bottom drawings and sets aside the hundred or so in-betweens and comments, "I think these two are all you need. They will be our Golden Poses."

I stand behind peering over his shoulder as the master places a clean sheet over one of my drawings and proceeds to sketch with his "Kobalt Hell" blue-colored pencil. His hand moves effortlessly as his pencil appears to just "kiss" the paper.

I watch in amazement as my stiff, rudimentary drawing of a little girl is transformed into a living, breathing being. The world and the room seem to disappear, and I can actually feel the softness of her cheeks, the intensity in her brows, the sculpted dimension of her form. She appears to be alive. "Don't draw what the character is doing he says. "Draw what the character is thinking."

This is the hallmark of all of Ollie's animation, from Thumper to Mr. Smee to Mowgli. His characters actually simmer with the spark of life.

Ollie Johnston was not only a master animator but a gifted teacher who broke down the dizzying complexities of animation into bite-size principles that even the most neophyte animator could apply.

Thirty-six years later, I still see Ollie drawing.

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♪ Jolly old Saint Nicholas,

Lean your ear this way.

Don't you tell a single soul

What I'm going to say.

Christmas Eve is coming soon.

Now, you dear old man,

Whisper what you'll bring to me,

Tell me if you can. ♪

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John Lounsbery (1911–1976)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Mary Poppins, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Directing animator, Dumbo, Song of the South, Fun and Fancy Free, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood.
Co-director, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers.

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–
Randy Haycock.
_________________________________

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John Lounsbery had his own special way of looking at things, according to fellow animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. In their book, Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life, they wrote that no matter how bad a situation might be, John could always make "some funny observation to lighten the situation."

And while shy by nature, John created animated characters that were anything but. Thomas and Johnston wrote, "Hardly subtle, John's characters were always fun to watch."

In fact, John once said that one of his all-time favorite characters was the bold and unabashed Ben Ali, the dancing alligator, who starred in the "Dance of the Hours" sequence of Fantasia.

Other memorable characters he animated include the "less-than" Honest John from Pinocchio, faithful Timothy the mouse in Dumbo, and the ever-so-jolly Tony the cook from Lady and the Tramp.

The youngest of three sons, John was born March 9, 1911, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in Colorado, where he enjoyed winter sports, drawing and summer trips to the mountains. After graduating from East Denver High School, he enrolled in the Art Institute of Denver, where he received his diploma in 1932. That same year, John moved to Los Angeles; there, he worked as a freelance commercial artist while attending illustration courses at the Art Center School of Design. One of the school's instructors spotted John's talent and pointed him in the direction of the Walt Disney Studio, which was searching for artists at the time.

In 1935, John joined Disney's animation team and, for several years, he specialized in "Pluto" shorts, such as Pluto's Playmate, Pluto at the Zoo, and Private Pluto, among others. Later, he was promoted to directing animator on such classic Disney films as Dumbo, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, and Robin Hood.

He also served as directing animator on such beloved Pooh featurettes as Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree and Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, which won an Academy Award® in the category of Best Short Subject (Cartoons). John also directed Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, which earned an Oscar® nomination.

John Lounsbery passed away on February 13, 1976, in Los Angeles. At the time of his death, he was still giving Disney his all as one of the directors of the animated feature The Rescuers.

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A couple of key drawings show the potential in young John Lounsbery as an animator.

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Honest John and Gideon have their eyes set on Pinocchio.

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Honest John and Gideon (Seq. 3, Sc. 45.2) (00:34:24–37)

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Fantasia conductor Leopold Stokowski chats with Lounsbery who draws a dancing alligator in love with a hippo ballerina. "Thanks to this assignment," wrote John Culhane, "Johnny Lounsbery became a star animator."

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Ben Ali Gator has all the style of a professional dancer.

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Voice actor Ed Brophy (right) and Norm Ferguson (left) watch Lounsbery draw Timothy Mouse from Dumbo.

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Lounsbery ponders a plaster maquette of Dumbo.

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Dumbo experiences the effects of champagne.

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Enormous teeth and drooling saliva enhance the Wolf's horrifying personality.

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Brer Rabbit persuades Brer Bear to take on his job.

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Lounsbery animating Willie the Giant from the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" in Fun and Fancy Free.

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A not so giant-size sneeze from Willie.

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Jaq and Gus need to outsmart Lucifer in order to collect clothing items for Cinderella's dress.

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Bruno, the dog and Major, the horse begin their magical transformation.

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"Who are you?"

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The Mad Hatter explains to Alice what an unbirthday is.

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The friendly and sympathetic Red Rose.

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Because of his outgoing personality, Mr. Darling becomes the most engaging character in this sequence from Peter Pan.

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Tony (Seq. 7, Sc. 68) (00:46:12–14)

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Tony serenades Lady and Tramp.

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Bull's unusual mouth configuration helped to create entertaining dialogue scenes.

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The professor tries unsuccessfully to convince the policeman that he is not Tramp's owner.

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King Hubert (Seq. 13, Sc. 28) (00:43:00–03)

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King Hubert brandishes an unusual weapon during his disagreement with King Stefan.

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John's work on one of Maleficent's goons.

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Jasper and Horace Badun from One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

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The Colonel presented the challenge of how to show expression without visible eyes.

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Sergeant Tibs, a cat about to be imbibed by Jasper Badun, a bad one in One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

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Merlin (Seq. 2, Sc. 309) (00:15:01–07)

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A model sheet for the bumbling wolf in Sword in the Stone.

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Lounsbery at work on the character in 1963.

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Mim as a chicken and a rhino.

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The retired Colonel Hathi still retains his military bearing.

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John Lounsbery enjoyed bringing the elephants' oversized personalities to life.

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Baloo and King Louie (Seq. 7, Sc. 68) (00:37:17–18)

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Lounsbery and Wolfgang Reitherman try out a routine for the elderly lawyer in The Aristocats.

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Georges Hautecourt and Edgar from The Aristocats.

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The Sheriff of Nottingham collects tax money from inside Otto's cast.

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Lounsbery (center) consulting with Reitherman (right) on Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too.

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Dale Baer (1950–2021) Remembering John

John Lounsbery was described by people who knew him as modest, unassuming, quiet, unselfish, the soul of kindness, self-effacing; a gentleman. His animation stood out above the rest. His mastery of "'squash and stretch" made his work so entertaining to watch. As broad as it was, his characters were still believable, sincere, and above all, funny.

Johnny was the go-to guy for all us young people. Tweaking a few lines here and there, he'd show you how to strengthen the poses, working from what you came up with. You always left his office feeling good about yourself.

Beginning his apprenticeship under Norm Ferguson, I don't think Johnny ever forgot what it was like starting out. He was not an envious person. You never heard a bad word out of him about anyone. The one thing that showed up on a couple of occasions was insecurities about himself, which wasn't helped by some of his peers. And when you're a young guy with your own insecurities just coming into this business, it is hard to believe that someone of John's caliber and experience could feel that way too.

Johnny was being groomed to replace "Woolie," upon Reitherman's retirement, to direct. It was something John really didn't want to do. When I asked him as he was packing his office to move upstairs what it was like becoming a director, all he could say was, "I just want to be a good animator someday."

I knew Johnny only five years, not nearly long enough to absorb his 40 years of knowledge. But what I did take, I hope, was his kindness, his willingness to share, and his encouragement.

John Lounsbery never commanded respect. He earned respect by being the gentleman that he was.

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♪ We wish you a merry Christmas,

We wish you a merry Christmas,

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year.

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin.

Good tidings for Christmas

And a happy New Year. ♪

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Wolfgang Reitherman (1909–1985)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Saludos Amigos.
Directing animator, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Fun and Fancy Free, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp.
Supervising animator, Fantasia.
Sequence director, Sleeping Beauty.
Director, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood.
Co-producer, The AristoCats, The Fox and the Hound.
Producer, Robin Hood, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers.
Co-director, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers.

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–
Pete Docter.
_________________________________

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Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman once described himself as "full of life and ginger," and his animation as having "vitality and … quality." Woolie's boundless energy and personality did indeed spill over into his animation; with an unusual knack for action sequences, Woolie animated such memorable sequences as the dramatic dinosaur battle in Fantasia, the climactic whale-chase scene in Pinocchio, and the fire-breathing clash between Prince Phillip and the Dragon in Sleeping Beauty.

Born in Munich, Germany, on June 26, 1909, Woolie came to the United States as an infant and was raised in Sierra Madre, California. Fascinated with airplanes and flying, he attended Pasadena Junior College with the intent of becoming an aircraft engineer and, later, took a job at Douglas Aircraft. In 1931, however, Woolie changed his career flight path when he decided to become an artist and enrolled at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles to study watercolor. While there, he met an instructor who taught classes at the Walt Disney Studio and, in 1933, Woolie joined the Company's animation department.

Woolie once said about animation: "It was a romance from the start. "The minute you know you can make a drawing move, the static drawing loses its appeal: movement is life.

"Animation represents the greatest breakthrough in 20th-century art."
THIS IMAGE: Funny Little Bunnies, one of the first films Reitherman worked on.

During World War II, Woolie left the Studio to enlist with the U.S. Army Air Forces. He became an ace pilot, serving in Africa, India, China, and the South Pacific, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he returned to the Studio.

Over the years, Woolie contributed to more than 30 Disney shorts including Water Babies, Mickey's Fire Brigade, and Donald in Mathmagic Land. He also contributed his animation skill to such classic animated features as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, and more.

In 1963, Woolie became the first animator in the history of the company to be given the directorial reins of an entire animated feature, with The Sword in the Stone. Among the films he directed include The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), and Robin Hood (1973). He also directed the cartoon featurette Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, which won an Academy Award® in 1969.

After Walt Disney's untimely death in 1966, Woolie helped unify the Studio's stable of egos and talent. As fellow animator Frank Thomas recalled, Woolie was a "very strong leader" during that unsettling time. After nearly 50 years with the Studio, Woolie retired in 1981.

Woolie Reitherman passed away on May 22, 1985, in Burbank, California.

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Major Wolfgang Reitherman in uniform during World War II.

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To make the Magic Mirror's face perfectly symmetrical, Woolie drew one half and then traced the other.

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Reitherman captures the enormous scale of Monstro.

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Monstro (Seq. 10.9, Sc. 8) (01:16:25–56)

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By blocking in the dinosaurs' anatomy, Woolie gained control over their colossal body masses and perspective.

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Tyrannosaurus Rex (Seq. 8.6, Sc. 43)

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Woolie's talents range from realistic drama to outrageous comedy.

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A mouse that walks like a human looking like a mouse.

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Reitherman became a specialist in animating the slapstick actions of Goofy.

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Goofy and Horse (Sc. 37)

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Ichabod and Katrina (Seq. 7, Sc. 21)

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The chase sequence in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow had dramatic action, interspersed with pauses for the audience to catch their breath.

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Woolie emphasizes the weight of the large key, an almost unmanageable obstacle.

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The White Rabbit is in constant fear of being late.

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Reitherman said: "Nobody is going to worry about a gag's logic, if it's funny."; Reitherman animated Captain Hook as both a buffoon and a dangerous threat in Peter Pan.

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Woolie draws for Kathryn Beaumont, the voice of Pan's Wendy.

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During this fight sequence, realistic drawing was required to make the action believable.

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Real drama as Tramp fights the rat.

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Eric Cleworth animated many scenes for the fight under Woolie's direction.

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Left to right, Ken Anderson, Bill Peet, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Hamilton Luske discuss a car accident for 101 Dalmatians.

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"I became a director," Reitherman once said, "because Walt said, 'Be a director!' And also because I wanted to be a director."

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Reitherman directs voice talent: LEFT, Maurice Chevalier, who sang the title song for The Aristocats, and, RIGHT, Nancy Kulp and Sterling Holloway who (in the same film) played, respectively, a horse and a mouse.

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Wolfgang Reitherman in his seventies.

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Don Hahn Remembering Woolie

Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman was a man's man. Perpetually clad in a Hawaiian shirt, he reeked of the confidence that came from his years as an ace pilot during World War II, where he flew in Africa, India, China, and the South Pacific and earned a Distinguished Flying Cross medal.

Woolie joined Disney in 1933. His animation—the dinosaur battle in Fantasia, Monstro the whale in Pinocchio, and the clash between Prince Phillip and the dragon in Sleeping Beauty—mirrored the way he lived his life: powerful and full of vitality, energy, and quality.

He soon emerged as a natural leader, so much so that Walt Disney left him the keys to the Animation department in the mid-1960s as Disney's attentions turned to Disneyland, television, and live-action films. After Walt's death in 1966, Woolie became the galvanizing force of the animation crew during a very unsettling time.

I worked closely with him as an assistant director. The day I met him, he shook my hand with a grip that dislodged my ring finger. If John Wayne and Robert Mitchum had a baby, it would have been Woolie. When he talked, he had the habit of chomping on an unlit cigar until the end was horribly soggy, whereupon he would reach into his drawer, pull out a stained pair of scissors, cut off the end, and continue chomping away, all without missing a word.

He talked about flying a Grumman F6F Hellcat on a bombing run. I talked about my new Volkswagen Beetle. We compared favorite movies. His was The Guns of Navarone, mine was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

I got the job, but I knew this guy would forever influence my life. Woolie was not a fanboy animator, nor a cartoonist; he was a filmmaker who drew deeply from his life experience. He was a creative producer like Walt Disney, and I knew I wanted to be just like him someday.

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♪ Up on the housetop, the reindeer pause;

Out jumps good ol' Santa Claus!

Down through the chimney with lots of toys,

All for the little ones' Christmas joys.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Who wouldn't go?

Up on the housetop, click, click, click!

Down through the chimney with good St. Nick. ♪

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Milt Kahl (1909–1987)

Legends Award Category: Animation

Year Inducted: 1989

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Animator, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Mary Poppins, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Directing animator, Pinocchio, Song of the South, Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats, Robin Hood, The Rescuers.
Supervising animator, Bambi.

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–
Randy Haycock, James Baxter.
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Fellow animators recognized the extraordinary draftsmanship of Milt Kahl early in his Disney career. Fellow animator and Disney Legend Ollie Johnston recalled how, during the making of Pinocchio, a senior animator at the time responded to Milt's drawings. Ollie said, "One morning Freddie Moore burst into my room saying, 'Hey, you ought to see the drawings [of Pinocchio] this guy Milt Kahl is doing.'" Walt Disney recognized Milt's talent as well, and named him supervising animator over the artists who brought Pinocchio to life.

Years later, when The Sword in the Stone director and Disney Legend Woolie Reitherman saw Milt's first rough drawings of Merlin the magician and Madame Mim, he reportedly turned to Milt and said, "These things look so beautiful, they could hang in a museum." To this, Milt responded with a characteristic "Aw… You're full of it!"

Because Milt was so good at his craft, he was often assigned the toughest of Disney tasks: animating human characters, such as Peter Pan, Alice of Alice in Wonderland, and Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty.

He was just as adept at animating animal characters, including Bambi, the snooty llama from Saludos Amigos, and Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear in Song of the South.

Milt was born in San Francisco in 1909, and later attended school in the city. He cut his high school education short, however, to pursue his dream of becoming a magazine illustrator or cartoonist. While studying art, he worked retouching photos and pasting up layouts at the now defunct Oakland Post-Enquirer, followed by the San Francisco Bulletin. Milt then started his own commercial art business, which limped along after the Great Depression hit. During this time, he saw the Disney short Three Little Pigs at a local theater and became mesmerized by the possibilities of this exciting young art form called "animation."

In June 1934, Milt applied to the Walt Disney Studio and was hired to work as an assistant animator on such shorts as Mickey's Circus, Lonesome Ghosts, and The Ugly Duckling, which won an Oscar® for Best Short Subject (Cartoons). Over the years, Milt contributed to such Disney features as Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, and The Rescuers, among others.

After nearly 40 years with Disney, Milt retired from the Studio in 1976. He then returned to his native Bay Area to pursue other interests, including sculpting delicate wire into human figures, such as dancing ballerinas.

Milt Kahl passed away on April 19, 1987, in Mill Valley, California.

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Two movie posters drawn by Kahl for San Francisco's For West Coast Theatres.

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Early design concepts and Kahl's improved look for the character.

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Kahl in 1940.

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Milt's redesign of Pinocchio made the wooden puppet more boyish, which impressed Walt.

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Pinocchio (Seq. 8.5, Sc. 24) (01:05:46–48)

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The animator in a 1983 television documentary.

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Late for work, Jiminy Cricket dresses on the run, a Kahl masterpiece of animation timing, staging, and acting.

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The sad attitude of the little duckling communicates a level of pathos rarely achieved before in animation. Milt chose this slow, aimless walk to portray loneliness.

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A dove blushes on the Prince's hand after having delivered a kiss from Snow White; An emotionally charged drawing shows a group of animals mourning the death of the princess.

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Milt Kahl's rough animation sketches exploring movement and designs for Bambi.

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Milt's knowledge about weight and momentum shines through in the sequence where Bambi is trying to jump over the fallen log.

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Kahl's streamlined designs for Bambi and Thumper.

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A wide smile for a smitten Bambi.

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Bambi in love.

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The dancing llama from Saludos Amigos is a joy to watch.

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Kahl animating Brer Rabbit from Song of the South.

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These Kahl sketches show a perfect and appealing mix of human and animal traits.

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A model sheet for Pecos Bill made up of Kahl animation drawings.

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The Duke from Cinderella.

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The Grand Duke (Seq. 5.1, Sc. 193) (01:12:00–03)

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"Never underestimate the benefit of props."

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Alice displays a range of emotions during her trial.

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Alice struggles with a giggly flamingo in complex animation by Kahl for Alice in Wonderland.

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Peter Pan

The adventurous leader of the Lost Boys who whisks the Darling children away to Never Land.

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Early pre-animation character designs for Peter Pan.

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Wendy Darling

Oldest of the Darling children, an eternal believer, mother figure to the Lost Boys and friend to Peter Pan.

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This early introductory scene of Tramp represents some of Milt's best work.

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The model sheet for the prince shows subtle stylization within carefully designed poses.

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Kahl grudgingly "stuck with" animating the difficult prince and his horse.

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King Hubert and Prince Phillip (Seq. 13, Sc. 52) (00:44:51–57)

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King Hubert and King Stefan provided a chance for expressive animation and contrasting attitudes.

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Although still based on live-action reference, the graphic design of Anita in One Hundred and One Dalmatians was a new direction for Milt Kahl; Pongo and Roger's reaction as the birth of a puppy litter is announced.

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Madam Mim turned out to be one of Milt's favorite characters.

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Kahl grimaces while drawing Sir Kay from The Sword in the Stone.

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The fox from Mary Poppins.

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A character model sheet for Shere Khan made up of a variety of expressions and poses from Kahl's animation.

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Shere Khan is a masterpiece of subtle personality animation.

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The tiger Shere Khan toys with and subtly threatens Kaa the snake in The Jungle Book.

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A diagram by Walt Stanchfield analyzing two Kahl animation drawings of Tigger in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.

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Milt's human characters for The Aristocats.

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Georges Hautecourt (Seq. 4, Sc. 1.1) (00:03:55–59)

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"Cats!"

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King Leonidas interacts with his long-suffering assistant.

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Brer Fox from 1946; Robin Hood from 1973.

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Figuring out ideas for poses and acting patterns.

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Exploratory sketches by Kahl of Madame Medusa, his final assignment at the Disney studio.

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Medusa is an animated force to be reckoned with—wildly eccentric while enormously entertaining to watch.

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Milt Kahl's exposure sheet (a timing chart used by animators) for a scene with Medusa in The Rescuers.

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Madame Medusa (Seq. 7, Sc. 300) (00:51:19–23)

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The Rescuers heroine Penny, a spunky little girl as drawn by Kahl.

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A final drawing of Medusa made for his assistant Stan Green, when Kahl abruptly departed the studio.

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An example of Kahl's delicate wire sculptures, a hobby he took up after retiring from Disney in 1976.

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Andreas Deja Remembering Milt

As an art student in the late seventies, I wrote a fan letter to Milt Kahl, complimenting him on his superb animation and characters. It took a while, but I received a response. He thanked me for my flattering remarks and informed me that he had left the field of animation and lived in retirement near San Francisco. I was shocked. Without Milt Kahl, who would design new characters and set drawing standards for future Disney films? It seemed like the end of an era.

For almost 40 years, Milt Kahl's drawings and animation had influenced and changed the style of Disney animation. The characters in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were drawn in a round and dimensional way; by Sleeping Beauty, Milt's sense for strong graphic design helped create a new look for Disney animation.

Walt Disney was very fortunate to have Milt Kahl on his animation team. Many of the other animators would ask the master draftsman for help to improve their drawings.

This gave visual continuity to a character animated by several artists. Milt cussed and yelled in frustration as he redrew and improved a colleague's scene. "Why can't these guys draw like me?"

Once during the production of Peter Pan, in which Milt supervised the animation of the title character, Walt wasn't pleased with all the different looking Pans in the screening. Milt bluntly responded: "That's because you don't have any talent in this place!"

Of course Walt disagreed. Ollie Johnston later said that Milt was the only animator who could get away with arguing with the boss.

Milt's animation is unique. His characters always move with believable weight. His acting choices show a great sense of personality. Milt said he could animate anything well, and he was right.

Whether he drew a dancing llama, a prince, a newborn deer, or an evil tiger, his talent had no limits.

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Paul J. Smith; lyrics by Gil George

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♪ From all of us to all of you,

A very merry Christmas

For all this bright and joyful night,

We're glad to have you with us

So gather 'round the lovely tree,

Where all the lights are shining

You'll see how happy we will be

While all the bells are chiming

Ding-dong-dingle! What a merry sound!

Ding-dong-dingle! Kris Kringle is in town

From all of us to all of you,

It's good to have you with us

Now here we go and here's our show

That says a very, merry, Christmas! ♪

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The Disney Legends

Administration: Donn Tatum*, Card Walker†, Frank Wells*, Don Escen†, Masatomo Takahashi†, Lucille Martin†, Tom Murphy†, Dave Smith†, Harry Archinal†, Ray Watson†, Robert Price "Bob" Foster*.

Administration, Animation, Family & Film: Roy E. Disney†.

Animation: Les Clark*, Ollie Johnston†, Milt Kahl*, Eric Larson*, John Lounsbery*, Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman*, Frank Thomas†, Carl Barks†, Joe Grant†, Jack Hannah†, David Hand*, Fred Moore*, Bill Peet†, Virginia Davis†, Wilfred Jackson*, Bill Tytla*, Norm Ferguson*, Hamilton Luske*, Grace Bailey*, Becky Fallberg†, Dodie Roberts†, Retta Scott*, Ruthie Tompson†, Tyrus Wong†, Floyd Gottfredson*, Mel Shaw†, Al Dempster*, Joe Ranft*, Art Babbitt*, Marge Champion†, Dick Huemer*, Floyd Norman, Burny Mattinson†, Walt Peregoy†, Steve Jobs*, Glen Keane, Andreas Deja, Eyvind Earle*, Clyde Geronimi*, Mark Henn.

Animation & Film: Don DaGradi*, Bob Moore†, James Algar*, Ben Sharpsteen*, Don Hahn.

Animation, Film & Television: Bill Anderson*.

Animation & Imagineering: Marc Davis†, Ub Iwerks*, Ward Kimball†, John Hench†, Ken Anderson†, Mary Blair*, Claude Coats†, Ken O'Connor†, Bill Cottrell†, X Atencio†, Bill Justice†, Yale Gracey*, Joyce Carlson†.

Animation & Television: Roy Williams*.

Attractions: Joe Fowler†, Van France†, Jack Lindquist†, Wally Boag†, Fulton Burley†, Edward Meck*, Betty Taylor†, Bob Allen*, Bob Matheison†, Joe Potter*, Dick Nunis†, Charlie Ridgway†.

Attractions & Imagineering: Ralph Kent†, Leota Toombs Thomas*.

Consumer Products: Antonio Bertini, Armand Bigle†, Horst Koblischek†, Gunnar Mansson†, André Vanneste*, Kay Kamen*, Matsuo Yokoyama, Al Konetzni†, Neil Beckett*, Barton "Bo" Boyd*, Carson Van Osten†.

Consumer Products & Film: Cyril James*.

Costume Design: Colleen Atwood.

Family: Edna Francis Disney*, Lillian Disney*.

Film: Fred MacMurray†, Julie Andrews, Winston Hibler*, Peter Ellenshaw†, Irving Ludwig†, Dean Jones†, Angela Lansbury†, Roberto de Leonardis*, Cyril Edgar*, Wally Feignoux*, Armand Palivoda*, Glynis Johns†, Paul Kenworthy†, Hayley Mills, Al and Elma Milotte*, Norman "Stormy" Palmer†, Lloyd Richardson†, Kurt Russell, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Garity*, Bob Broughton†, Ken Annakin†, Hugh Attwooll*, Maurice Chevalier*, John Mills†, Robert Stevenson*, David Tomlinson*, Richard Fleischer†, Tim Conway†, Matthew Garber*, Bob Schiffer*, Don Iwerks, Ed Wynn*, Johnny Depp, Carrie Fisher*, Mark Hamill, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Bette Midler, Chadwick Boseman*, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Harrison Ford.

Film & Imagineering: Harper Goff*, Marvin Davis†.

Film & Music: Danny Elfman.

Film, Parks & Resorts, Television: Paul Frees*.

Film & Publishing: Stan Lee†.

Film & Television: Fess Parker†, Bill Walsh*, Annette Funicello†, Buddy Ebsen†, Rex Allen†, Larry Lansburgh†, Tim Allen, Robert Newton*, Richard Todd†, Buddy Hackett*, Karen Dotrice, David Stollery, Ginny Tyler†, Jim Henson*, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Whoopi Goldberg, Garry Marshall*, Oprah Winfrey, Kenny Ortega, Patrick Dempsey, Angela Bassett, Frank Oz.

Film & Voice: Robin Williams†, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Idina Menzel.

Imagineering: Roger Broggie†, Richard Irvine*, Herb Ryman*, Bill Evans†, Blaine Gibson†, Bill Martin†, Wathel Rogers†, Sam McKim†, Harriet Burns†, Fred Joerger†, Marty Sklar†, Orlando Ferrante, Buzz Price†, Rolly Crump†, Alice Estes Davis†, Bob Gurr, Randy Bright*, Don Edgren†, Carl Bongirno†, Bob Booth†, Neil Gallagher*, Dorothea Redmond†, Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell*, Wayne Jackson, Wing T. Chao, Rob't Coltrin, Doris Hardoon, Joe Rohde.

Music: The Sherman Brothers†, Paul J. Smith*, Lucien Adés*, Buddy Baker†, Howard Ashman*, George Bruns*, Frank Churchill*, Leigh Harline*, Alan Menken, Ned Washington*, Phil Collins, Tim Rice, Tutti Camarata†, Irwin Kostal*, Elton John, Jimmy Johnson*, Randy Newman, Oliver Wallace*, Hans Zimmer, Chris Montan, John Williams.

Music & Television: Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus.

Parks & Resorts: Ron Dominguez†, Chuck Abbott*, Milt Albright†, Hideo Amemiya*, Hideo "Indian" Aramaki*, Charles Boyer†, James Cora†, Bob Jani*, Mary Jones†, Art Linkletter†, Mary Anne Mang, Steve Martin, Tom Nabbe, Jack Olsen*, Cicely Rigdon†, William Sullivan†, Jack Wagner*, Vesey Walker*, Ron Logan†, Toshio Kagami, Bonita Wrather*, Jack Wrather*, George Lucas, Julie Reihm Casaletto, Barnette Ricci, Martha Blanding.

Publishing: Angel Angelopoulos*, Gaudenzio Capelli, Didier Fouret, Mario Gentilini*, Arnoldo Mondadori*, Poul Brahe Pedersen*, Paul Winkler*, Al Taliaferro*, Manuel Gonzales*, Jack Kirby*, Steve Ditko*.

Television: Jimmie Dodd*, Leonard Goldenson*, Tim Considine†, Kevin Corcoran†, Peter Jennings*, Tommy Kirk†, Roone Arledge*, Frank Gifford†, Barbara Walters†, Bea Arthur*, Estelle Getty*, Rue McClanahan†, Betty White†, Regis Philbin†, Guy Williams*, Dick Clark*, George Bodenheimer, Susan Lucci, Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Anthony Anderson, Ellen Pompeo, Tracee Ellis Ross, James L. Brooks, Kelly Ripa.

Television & Voice: Ming-Na Wen.

Theatrical: Julie Taymor.

Voice: Sterling Holloway†, Pinto Colvig*, Jimmy Macdonald*, Clarence Nash*, Adriana Caselotti†, Thurl Ravenscroft†, Betty Lou Gerson†, Kathryn Beaumont, Mary Costa, Cliff Edwards*, Dick Jones†, Ilene Woods†, Wayne Allwine†, Russi Taylor†, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, Jodi Benson, Linda Larkin, Paige O'Hara, Anika Noni Rose, Lea Salonga, James Earl Jones†.

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Personalities of the Parks
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November 18, 2016: Charlie Ridgway (Attractions • 1999), William Sullivan (Parks & Resorts • 2005).
November 20, 2016: Dick Nunis (Attractions • 1999), Ron Logan (Parks & Resorts • 2007), Bob Matheison (Attractions • 1996), Tom Nabbe (Parks & Resorts • 2005).

If you're looking for a nifty background to take pictures of some of the most important and influential Disney Legends who ever worked in Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one than the sprawling 90-foot-tall centerpiece Disney Legend Mary Blair created for the Grand Canyon Concourse atrium at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World. We caught up with Charlie Ridgway (sadly, only weeks before his passing) and Bill Sullivan (1936–2024) in front of this magical cavalcade of color to talk about the professional journeys they took on their way to receiving Disney Legends Awards.

"We worked with the greatest people," Charlie said during the interview. "I had so much fun, I worked until I was 82 years old! I had the great fortune to work with Walt, and he was an inspiration to everybody and a tremendous genius."

"We started out as kids and grew old in the business and we had 40 years of a wonderful life," Bill Sullivan says. "We worked hard, and we played hard, and we had a lot of fun doing it."

Outside, as the Monorail slides effortlessly down its track—another magical backdrop—we take an exclusive photograph of Dick Nunis, Tom Nabbe, Ron Logan, and Bob Matheison (1934–2020). Dick is also quick to credit Walt Disney. "It was a great honor to be named a Disney Legend," he says, his eyes squinting in that marvelous Florida sun. "But the greatest legend we ever had in the Company was Walt Disney, and I am so happy I worked alongside of him for 11 years. He was a great man. This park represented his vision of the future."

Tom Nabbe also began his journey with Walt Disney. "You have to remember: He hired me to be Tom Sawyer at Disneyland—which is always going to be one of the greatest memories I've ever had. I grew up with this company it's basically been my family and my life."

"The one thing I learned through the years, Disney Legend Ron Logan remembers, "Was give the people what they want, but exceed their expectations!"

"The greatest thing I learned from Walt," Bob Matheison says, "I learned at the New York World's Fair. I and Disney Legend Marc Davis were with Walt and we walked over to the Ford Magic Skyway pavilion. We walked straight to the VIP area and they tried to take us in a back way. But Walt hesitated. He kept saying no and went out and stood in the line—which was about two hours long at the time. To Walt, the special people were all the people that were waiting in line. He wanted to see how they were being treated. I never forgot that."

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Charlie Ridgway (1923–2016)
Attractions

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Dick Nunis (1932–2023)
Attractions

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Ron Logan (1938–2022)
Parks & Resorts

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Personalities of the Parks (cont.)

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Art Linkletter (1912–2010)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

"I went out to the Disneyland site with Walt one time," Art Linkletter once recalled. "I didn't want to spoil his enthusiasm. But after we had driven for about an hour south of Los Angeles, into the country and the orange groves, I thought 'Geez! Who's gonna come down here?'"

Luckily, Art's initial doubts proved unfounded, and on July 17, 1955, he announced to an eager television audience, "Well, this job in the next hour and a half's gonna be a delight." "And then the show opened, and history was made," Art recalled years later.

Walt Disney scored something of a coup in getting Art Linkletter as the primary host for his gala live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland. Art was a familiar and welcome visitor in American households, so much so that his best-known programs established records for longevity: People Are Funny aired on NBC (on radio and television) for 19 years, and was in the Top 10 for more than a decade. Art Linkletter's House Party ran on CBS Radio and then on television for 25 years, and was one of the top daytime shows from the day of its first broadcast in 1945.

Art is the only person in TV history to have five shows run concurrently on network TV. In addition, Art starred in and co-produced many spectaculars and specials, and acted in half a dozen dramatic shows and several motion pictures.

The one problem on opening day was that the Park had stretched Walt so thin financially, he could only afford to pay Art union scale for the job. A savvy businessman, in lieu of his fee, Art asked for (and received) the exclusive rights to the camera and film concessions at Disneyland for the next 10 years.

Born Gordon Arthur Kelly in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, on July 17, 1912, Art was a star in show business for more than 60 years. In the process, he became one of the most respected and beloved media personalities in America. In addition to extraordinary success in entertainment and business, Art was a dedicated humanitarian, recognized for his work for numerous national foundations and his extensive involvement and experience in the health fields.

He received numerous honors, including the National Humanities Medal from President George W. Bush, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

But Art humbly gave Walt a lot of credit in informing the fulfillment of his life and career. "He really gave me my idea of what success is in life, for myself, watching him. And that is, doing what you love to do, with people you enjoy being with. That's more important than anything else, 'cause life's not a rehearsal."

Art Linkletter passed away on May 26, 2010 at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California.

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Marvin Davis (1910–1998)
Film & Imagineering • 1994

In the early 1950s, with a handful of artists, art directors, designers, architects, and animators, Marvin Davis developed the master plan for Walt Disney's latest dream, Disneyland. Over the years he worked closely with Walt in designing and laying out virtually every aspect of the Park's conceptualization and architecture, including Main Street, U.S.A., New Orleans Square, Sleeping Beauty Castle, the exterior of Haunted Mansion, and more.

As former senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering John Hench once recalled, "Because Marvin had a rich background in live-action motion picture design, he had a strong sense and understanding of theater and how to give life or meaning to structures, which, typically, most formally-trained architects aren't interested in.

"He knew how to create architectural form that had a message for people. For instance, his structures on Main Street, U.S.A. are irrepressibly optimistic."

Born in Clovis, New Mexico, on December 21, 1910, Marvin attended UCLA for two years before transferring to the University of Southern California. He graduated with a degree in architecture and, as top student in the class of 1935, he also received the prestigious American Institute of Architects medal. Two years later, Marvin won a job at 20th Century Fox, where he worked as an art director on such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Marilyn Monroe, and The Asphalt Jungle, directed by John Huston.

In 1953, he was invited by his friend, former Fox art director Dick Irvine, to join WED Enterprises. Today WED is known as Walt Disney Imagineering, the design and development arm of the Company charged with creating theme parks. Said Hench, "Marvin was very conscientious about developing the Park. He worked extremely hard to help bring Walt's dream to life, exactly as Walt envisioned it."

After the theme park's successful opening in the summer of 1955, Marvin returned to art directing motion pictures, including Disney's Moon Pilot, Babes in Toyland, and Big Red, as well as such television series as Zorro and Mickey Mouse Club. In 1962, he received an Emmy Award® for art direction and scenic design on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

In 1965, Marvin returned to WED as a project designer for Walt Disney World in Florida. In addition to the master plan for the theme park and Walt's futuristic city of EPCOT, Marvin contributed to the design of resort hotels including the Contemporary, the Polynesian, and the Golf Resort. After 22 years with the Company, he retired in 1975.

Marvin Davis passed away on March 8, 1998, in Santa Monica, California.

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Joyce Carlson (1923–2008)
Animation & Imagineering • 2000

Joyce Carlson knows it's a small world. In fact, she's a bit of an expert on the Disney theme park attraction; she helped create the original it's a small world for the New York World's Fair of 1964, and later refitted it for its permanent home at Disneyland. But that's not all—she also helped create a new version of the attraction for Walt Disney World in 1971 and Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. So what's her favorite scene in the attraction?

"Though I've always liked the Europe scene with the balloon kids, can-can dancers, and Eiffel Tower, they're all my kids. I couldn't choose. You might say I've got a big family in it's a small world."

Joyce was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on March 16, 1923, and moved with her family to Southern California in 1938. After she graduated from Santa Monica High School, Joyce followed a friend to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank in 1944. There, she took a job in the traffic department delivering pens, pencils, paints, and brushes to animators.

Six months later, she was hired by the Ink and Paint department—the "nunnery," as it was called, since mostly women worked there.

Because of her good eye and steady hand, Joyce worked as an inker for the next 16 years on such films as The Three Caballeros, Victory Through Air Power, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty."

In 1960, inkers were being replaced by the new Xerox electrostatic process, which directly transferred animators' pencil drawings to cels. Joyce took her talents to Walt Disney Imagineering, then called WED Enterprises. There, she helped build miniature prototypes of attractions for the 1964 World's Fair pavilions and was among a small group of artists Walt Disney sent to New York to install it's a small world.

Because of her extensive experience with it's a small world, she was a natural to later help bring the attraction to Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. After spending 10 months in Tokyo in 1982, Joyce returned to the States and made Florida her new home. There, the show designer helped maintain many Walt Disney World attractions, and the Audio-Animatronics® characters featured in them, including the Carousel of Progress and, of course, it's a small world.

After 56 years with the Company, Joyce retired in February 2000. She continued to consult, however, passing along her trade secrets to young artists who help keep the attractions looking fresh and like new. "One thing they've learned from me is how to mix colors," she once explained. "They say, 'You want me to put in some raw umber?' – that's one of my secrets to perking up a color!"

Joyce Carlson passed away on January 2, 2008, in Orlando, Florida.

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Wathel Rogers (1919–2000)
Imagineering • 1995

Imagineer Wathel Rogers was the man to call whenever inanimate objects needed to come to life in grand Disney fashion. Wathel breathed life into the robotic Audio-Animatronics® figures featured in such theme park attractions as the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland and The Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World. Former senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering John Hench once recalled, "Wathel was always making everything come to life. If it was stationary and we wanted it to move, all we had to do was call Wathel and in his quiet, calm way, he'd make it work."

Born on June 29, 1919, in Stratton, Colorado, Wathel's unique sculpting ability became evident when, as a boy, he would make one-of-a-kind toys out of household items and other scrap material.

In 1937 he entered Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and, from there, joined The Walt Disney Studios in 1939. Wathel worked first as an assistant animator and, later, as animator on such films as Pinocchio and Bambi.

World War II briefly interrupted his tenure; in 1943, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps to serve as a staff sergeant in the photographic section. After the war he returned to Disney's Animation Department, where he contributed to such beloved classics as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty.

In his spare time, Wathel continued to sculpt and build toys, including model railroads, which caught Walt Disney's attention. Soon he was asked to contribute his sculpting talent to the Studio, creating props and miniatures for live-action films including Darby O'Gill and the Little People and The Absent-Minded Professor, as well as television shows including Mickey Mouse Club and Zorro.

In 1954, Walt asked Wathel to help develop the model shop for his latest project, Disneyland. Wathel became an ace Imagineer, assisting in the construction of architectural models during the Park's design and development phase.

One of Wathel's greatest challenges came when Walt assigned him to help research and construct a nine-inch-tall figure of a moving and talking man. "Project Little Man," as it was called, became the prototype of Audio-Animatronics® technology; Wathel was about to become known as "Mr. Audio-Animatronics."

In the early 1960s, Wathel continued to pioneer the new technology. Among his greatest achievements was the development of a robotic Abraham Lincoln for the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction, which debuted at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. He also contributed to Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise; for the American Adventure at Epcot Center, he helped create the first "walking" Audio-Animatronics® figure, Benjamin Franklin.

Wathel Rogers passed away on August 25, 2000.

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X Atencio (1919–2017)
Animation & Imagineering • 1996

Walt Disney valued multi-talented artists like Xavier "X" Atencio, who helped animate Disney classics, including Fantasia, and later developed music for such Disneyland attractions as Pirates of the Caribbean. X once described the thrill of acknowledgment when, as a young artist, Walt first greeted him with a robust, "Hi ya', X!" X recalled, "Walt was a father image. You felt good merely having been in the presence of his dynamic personality."

Born in Walsenburg, Colorado, on September 4, 1919, X moved to Los Angeles in 1937 to attend Chouinard Art Institute. Instructors gently prodded the shy young artist to submit his portfolio to The Walt Disney Studios. He startled neighbors the next year when, running from the Company's Hyperion Studio to his aunt's house, he bolted past their homes shouting "I got a job at Disney!"

Within three years, X had been promoted to assistant animator on Fantasia. World War II sent him to England with the United States Army Air Forces, but he returned to the Studio in 1945 to work on animated short subjects. In 1953, he received his first screen credit for Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom, which won an Academy Award®. Other films he contributed to included Jack and Old Mac, as well as Oscar® nominees Noah's Ark and A Symposium on Popular Songs. X helped animate titles and sequences for such Disney live-action films as The Parent Trap, Babes in Toyland, and Mary Poppins, and he contributed his artistic skill to the "I'm No Fool" series for the original Mickey Mouse Club television show.

In 1965, Walt asked X to stretch his talents by relocating to Walt Disney Imagineering, then called WED Enterprises, to assist in the creation of the Primeval World diorama for Disneyland. He went on to help develop dialogue and music for such attractions as Adventure Thru Inner Space, Haunted Mansion (for which he co-wrote the song "Grim Grinning Ghosts"), and Pirates of the Caribbean (for which he wrote "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me").

He once said, "I didn't even know I could write music, but somehow Walt did. He tapped my hidden talents."

Later, X contributed to the If You Had Wings and Space Mountain attractions in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, as well as the Spaceship Earth, World of Motion, and Mexico Pavilions for Epcot Center. In 1983, he made several trips to Tokyo Disneyland to supervise recordings for Haunted Mansion.

X Atencio retired in 1984, after 47 years with The Walt Disney Company.

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Mary Anne Mang
Parks & Resorts • 2005

In 1960, Mary Anne Mang wrote a letter to Walt Disney asking for a job. Walt received many such letters, but just as with Mary Anne herself, there was something special about that letter, and she was offered a position.

Mary Anne began her long and distinguished career in the newly established sales promotion department at the Disneyland Hotel. A year later she moved to Disneyland, and worked in the Convention & Tour Sales department. In 1972, she became the first woman to be promoted to the position of manager.

For eight years, Mary Anne served as Public Relations manager, hosting royalty, celebrities, and other special guests as they visited the Magic Kingdom. She also became a strong advocate for Disneyland Park as a community supporter. "Walt Disney was clear in his wishes that his Park and its cast members should always strive to give something back to the surrounding community," Mary Anne once recalled. This made community relations an integral part of her role in Public Relations.

One of her notable and personally fulfilling accomplishments was the Disneyland Creativity Challenge Program, which she helped found. This program recognizes junior and senior high school students who are interested in the creative and fine arts disciplines.

Mary Anne was an important participant in the consolidation of all of the employee public service efforts into the company-wide VoluntEARS program, and its mission to develop opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their time, expertise, and effort to make a positive impact on the community, while furthering the traditions and ideals of The Walt Disney Company.

In addition to her responsibilities at Disneyland, Mary Anne was dedicated to serving her community in other capacities. She served on the board of directors of several Orange County civic organizations, including the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim, and the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County. She has also been a member of a number of local councils and committees, including the Anaheim Arts Council, Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Women's Division, Anaheim Memorial Hospital Medical Center Governing Board, and Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Mary Anne retired from the company in 1994. On that occasion, California Congressman Robert K. Dornan said, "Throughout her entire career, Mary Anne Mang has exhibited extraordinary leadership, skill, and professionalism. She has been a wonderful role model for her coworkers and an exemplary inspiration and role model to us all. I sincerely hope that her influence will linger at Disney and in her community and that her future holds as many joyful and fulfilling days as her past."

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Vesey Walker (1893–1977)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

In more than a half-century as one of the world's great bandmasters, Vesey Walker's proudest achievement was his Disneyland Band. "Here I have the finest musicians in the United States, most of whom have been with me for more than 10 years," he said proudly.

He organized and directed more than 50 college, military, school, and youth bands, but at Disneyland, the master "music man" finally found the one place in the world to organize a thoroughly professional band, performing daily throughout the year—not just for Saturday football games or annual parades.

Born in Sheffield, England, on June 7, 1893, Vesey decided to come to the United States in 1912 because "all the famous bands were here." Within 10 years he organized bands in 30 schools surrounding the Milwaukee area, and established and became head bandmaster of the Marquette University Band in 1930.

In the mid-'30s, Vesey moved to Hollywood where he conducted musical scores for films. A year after his arrival on the West Coast, he organized the Los Angeles Elks Club "Toppers" marching band of Tournament of Roses Parade fame, and personally led them for 20 years. Vesey's Disneyland engagement started as a two-week run for the Park's opening in 1955, but he was "held over" by popular demand for 15 years. Reminiscing about his achievements, Vesey considered coming to Disneyland the high point in his career.

This love of his band helped Vesey defeat an attack of a rare spinal virus that nearly took his life and left him paralyzed for months. Doctors told him he would never walk again, but he would not accept it. "I wouldn't give up," he recalled. "I had to get back to my band."

Gradually, after months of painful effort, he regained control of everything except his legs. The great bandsman spurned crutches "because I was afraid I would begin to rely on them too much."

Just a year after he was stricken, and reluctantly using a cane, Vesey proudly led his band down Main Street, U.S.A., once again. A few weeks later he threw away the cane.

Vesey Walker retired in 1970, and passed away in November 1977.

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Leota Toombs Thomas
Attractions & Imagineering • 2009

The millions of guests that have explored the shadowy confines of the Haunted Mansion have seen Leota "Lee" Toombs Thomas—or at least the likeness of her face. She appears as Madame Leota, the disembodied head that speaks from inside a crystal ball at Disney's creepiest and most ghoulishly fun attraction. "As I remember," the soft-spoken Imagineer recalled shortly after making her debut at the attraction, which first opened at Disneyland in 1969, "my eyes were the right distance apart to fit the test model when the whole thing began."

Something of the gypsy look in her handsome face worked so well, however, that she later found herself in the Studio's makeup department preparing to have a special rubber mask made of her face; her visage is now enshrined forever in the Haunted Mansion.

Lee began her career at The Walt Disney Studios in 1940, when she was hired into the Ink and Paint department. She then transferred to the Animation Department, where she met animator Harvey Toombs, whom she married in 1947. She left the Company to raise their two children, Launie and Kim, but returned to Disney in 1962. Joining WED Enterprises, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering, she created and developed designs for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. A natural craftsman, Lee played pivotal roles in the creation of it's a small world, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and Ford's Magic Skyway. After the conclusion of the World's Fair, Lee transferred her talents to some of the most beloved attractions at Disneyland, including Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.

Kim Irvine, Lee's daughter and a Disney Imagineer since 1970, once painted a vivid picture of these heady times in Disneyland history: "When Yale Gracey was experimenting with ideas for a gypsy in a crystal ball, he asked Leota if she would mind posing for the head," she remembered. "They were a close-knit group, and mom said she thought it sounded fun. Blaine [Gibson] made a life mask of her face and Yale, Wathel [Rogers] and the rest of the team filmed her, crazy makeup and all. I still remember when she wore it home that night! Then they created the 'Little Leota' bride at the end of the ride. Since that figure is small, they wanted a high voice, so they kept mom's voice because she sounded like a little girl."

Kim adds that when the Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay was created for the Haunted Mansion, Imagineers wanted a new incantation and they asked if she would do it. "Funny thing is," she explained, "they discovered that our life masks are so similar they can just project her face on my head and they match up perfectly! Mom would have liked that!"

Lee relocated to Walt Disney World in 1971 to start up the on-site team that would maintain shows and attractions. After returning to California in 1979, she worked in several different capacities, including at Walt Disney Imagineering, where she trained many Disneyland figure finishers and artisans.

Leota Toombs Thomas passed away in December 1991.

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Jack Wrather (1918–1984)
Parks & Resorts • 2011

Walt Disney was out of cash. Construction of Disneyland—set to open in four months time—proceeded at a frantic pace, but there was no money for an upscale hotel where guests could stay. Enter Jack Wrather.

John Devereaux "Jack" Wrather, Jr. was born on May 24, 1918, in Amarillo, Texas. After receiving a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas in 1939, Jack took a series of jobs in the oil industry: pipeline walker, wildcatter, and construction supervisor. In 1940, he took control of his father's oil interests, expanding the Wrather Petroleum Company into a highly successful business.

Jack served in the United States Marine Corps in World War II and was released from duty in December 1945 with the rank of Captain. Convinced that the Hollywood entertainment industry was poised for huge post-war growth, Jack moved to California, where he met and married 24-year-old actress Bonita Granville. Together they built a home in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, not far from where Walt Disney lived.

During the decade from 1946-1955, Jack produced feature films for various Hollywood studios, some of which starred his wife. Never one to rest on his laurels, he diversified his company into numerous other entertainment ventures, including Capitol Records, the TelePrompter Corporation, and Muzak, Inc., where he was chairman. Jack also founded KCET-TV Channel 28, a Los Angeles public television station. He also jumped into producing programs for television, achieving astounding success with three of the most popular shows of that time: Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, eight seasons of The Lone Ranger, and an incredible 20 years of Lassie.

Jack further diversified into the hotel business in 1954, striking a deal with Walt Disney to build a luxury family hotel on property adjacent to Walt's theme park. Ground was broken on March 18, 1955, officiated by Jack, Bonita, and Anaheim Mayor Charles Pearson. The Disneyland Hotel opened six and a half months later—104 rooms in five two-story buildings at a starting room rate of $15. The Hotel, originally conceived as simple lodging, presaged future developments in how Americans entertained themselves.

It pioneered, as Jack's son Chris wrote, "new forms of dining as entertainment, shopping as entertainment, and the use of a waterfront setting" in an urban environment.

The Hotel grew as Disneyland did, even changing the skyline of Orange County with the addition of its first high-rise building, the 11-story Sierra Tower addition in 1962.

In September 1980, Jack made another indelible mark on the development of tourism in Southern California. Wrather Port Properties signed a 66-year lease for the rights to manage the retired luxury liner Queen Mary, berthed in Long Beach harbor since her final voyage in 1967. He spent more than $25 million to restore the ship and turned her former stateroom cabins into hotel accommodations. In 1981, as a favor to his longtime friend Howard Hughes, Jack saved the airplane known as the "Spruce Goose" from demolition and gave it a new home next to the Queen Mary, where it remained under a giant white dome until it was moved in 1992 to an aviation museum in Oregon.

Jack passed away at the age of 66 on November 12, 1984. His son Chris later remembered him this way: "My father had the notion that business should be fun. He had more fun with the Disneyland Hotel than with any other investment."

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Bonita Wrather (1923–1988)
Parks & Resorts • 2011

Born in Chicago on February 2, 1923, Bonita Granville's family moved west when she was 7; she almost immediately gravitated toward the film business. In 1932's Westward Passage, her film debut, she played the daughter of star Laurence Olivier. Inexplicably, she was most often cast in young female roles ranging from precocious and obnoxious to downright mean and spiteful. Her finest hour was in These Three, a 1936 film directed by William Wyler. Based on the Lillian Hellman play The Children's Hour, Bonita propelled the plot with her performance as a schoolgirl whose malicious lie about two teachers disrupts all their lives. Film critic Leonard Maltin called it "a restrained, genuinely chilling performance." For her keen portrayal, Bonita was honored, at age 13, with an Oscar® nomination as Best Supporting Actress.

Off screen, Bonita, called "Bunny" by her friends, was the opposite of her movie persona. In 1939 she finally got a chance to play a markedly nicer character: the title role in Nancy Drew, Detective. Warner Bros. hoped to create a series of movies based on the juvenile mystery novels that would rival MGM's successful Andy Hardy films. Bonita starred in only three more Nancy Drew pictures, but, ironically, later appeared in two Andy Hardy movies. She made the often-challenging transition from child star to young adult in more than 55 films, including classics like 1942's The Glass Key with Alan Ladd and Now, Voyager with Bette Davis.

Bonita married Southern California businessman Jack Wrather on February 5, 1947, giving up her career as an actress to become a key player in his expanding entertainment empire.

She became a producer on two of Wrather's television shows, The Lone Ranger and Lassie, and is even credited with discovering Jon Provost, who played Timmy in that long-running series. Later, television's dramatic anthologies lured Bonita back to acting, and she starred in series such as The United States Steel Hour, Studio One, and Playhouse 90.

At her husband's side during the construction and operation of the Disneyland Hotel, Bonita officiated over the groundbreaking and dedication of the world-famous Dancing Waters show. In her honor, the Hotel's third tower was named the Bonita Tower, and, in 1983, fine dining arrived in the form of the sumptuous Granville's Steak House.

In the 1980s, Bonita oversaw the renovation of the docked luxury liner Queen Mary, restoring the ship to its original art deco grandeur. She was a founding member of the Los Angeles Music Center, a member of the Board of Trustees at the American Film Institute, and assumed the chairmanship of the Wrather Corporation after her husband's death in 1984. Under her watch, Disney acquired Wrather's operations in 1988 and obtained ownership of the Disneyland Hotel.

Bonita passed away on October 11, 1988, in Santa Monica, California.

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Fred Joerger (1913–2005)
Imagineering • 2001

Imagineer Fred Joerger helped realize Walt Disney's visions by crafting three-dimensional miniature models of Disney theme park attractions, as well as motion picture sets and props, before they were brought to full-scale life.

As Fred recalled, "I was given artists' drawings of an interior set or a building and interpreted them into models. It's very easy to make something like the Haunted Mansion look good on paper, but if you don't get it into three-dimensions first, you may have a disaster. Well, my job was to create the model to avert disaster, which was fun, but a challenge."

Born in Pekin, Illinois, on December 21, 1913, Fred graduated from the University of Illinois with a fine arts degree in 1937. He then moved to Los Angeles and joined the art department at Warner Brothers building models of movie sets.

In 1953, as Walt began planning Disneyland, Fred joined the Company crafting decorative backgrounds for "Project Little Man." This experiment featured a nine-inch tall mechanical man dancing on a vaudeville stage, and a miniature singing barbershop quartet. The animated figures were the first step toward creating the robotic Audio-Animatronics® figures later featured in Disney theme park attractions, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Fred also built miniature sets and props for Disney motion pictures, including Mary Poppins, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, for which he created intricate models of the submarine Nautilus.

Fred and Disney Legends Harriet Burns and Wathel Rogers comprised the original "model shop" when Walt began developing Disneyland. As Burns remembered: "Most anything at Disneyland, Fred created as a model first.

"He constructed several versions of Sleeping Beauty Castle, for instance, changing each design, moving the turrets around, changing colors. Walt liked the model with the blue roof because he thought it would blend in with the sky, making the castle look taller."

In addition to his skills with models, which helped define projects in concept development, Fred established the standards for field art direction. He was responsible for assuring that shows ranging from Pirates of the Caribbean to Submarine Voyage achieved "the look," as designed by Walt Disney Imagineering art directors.

Fred's unusual knack for creating gorgeous rockwork out of plaster led to his reputation as Imagineering's "resident rock expert." Among his rocky mountain highlights are the huge stones featured on the Jungle Cruise and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. In fact, he designed and constructed most all rockwork at the Florida theme park for its 1971 opening, including the breathtaking atrium waterfall featured in the Polynesian Village Resort.

In 1979, after 25 years with the Company, Fred retired. He soon returned, however, to serve as field art director for EPCOT Center prior to its 1982 opening.

Fred Joerger passed away on August 26, 2005, in Woodland Hills, California.

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Milt Albright (1916–2014)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

"Shoot! If another guy from Missouri can do it, I need to get with this outfit!" As a 21-year-old Missouri native, Milt Albright saw a Time magazine cover story on his hero from their home state in December 1937. He knew then and there that he wanted to join the organization of fellow Missourian Walt Disney, and he achieved his goal 10 years later when he was hired at the Walt Disney Studios as a junior accountant.

Working in the Payroll Department, Milt was entrusted with the job of preparing and delivering the paychecks for top Disney executives—something that brought him into direct contact with Walt. "I would write Walt's check and take it up there once a week," Milt reminisced. "Walt was a country boy, he really was, and we'd get to talking a little bit about Missouri. Even when he was busy, he would take a few minutes to talk to a young fellow."

In 1953, in an attempt to gain some attention from Walt and transfer to his new "amusement park" in Anaheim, Milt, an automobile buff, designed a miniature car for the Autopia, then in the planning stages as an attraction for Disneyland.

When he saw that Milt had created a car as a calling card, Walt said, "Well, anybody that crazy belongs at Disneyland!" Walt drove the car, and although he was not impressed with the design, he was impressed with its designer. So, he hired Milt in the spring of 1954 as manager of accounting for Disneyland. "I got to come down here because they wanted somebody they could trust," Milt chuckles, "Didn't have to be very smart—just honest."

In 1957, Milt became the manager of Holidayland, a private party and picnic area designed for group events. After the demise of Holidayland in 1961, Milt transferred to Group Sales, where he was a founder of the Magic Kingdom Club. In 1961, Milt also developed the concept for Grad Nite, which remained successful for decades after. In the late 1970s, Milt became manager of special projects, marketing. He was later promoted to manager of guest communications, a position he held at his retirement in 1992.

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Sam McKim (1924–2004)
Imagineering • 1996

Sam McKim inspired many a Disney film and theme park attraction with his imaginative drawings. But the actor-turned-artist is probably best known to Disney fans today as the creator of the Disneyland souvenir maps, issued between 1958 and 1964. Even today, his intricate and fascinating maps remain among the most sought-after pieces of Disney memorabilia. In 1992, Sam encored his cartographical genius when he created a new map in his unique style to commemorate the opening of Disneyland Paris.

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 20, 1924, Sam moved to Los Angeles with his family during the Great Depression. At 10, he was spotted by a casting director while visiting a relative at MGM and began work as a movie extra. He became a child actor under contract to Republic Studios, working in a slew of western serials and B-pictures; over the years he appeared alongside Hollywood legends such as Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Rita Hayworth, and Gene Autry.

But even then, Sam had a knack for art. He later recalled, "I was always drawing something or other. I'd draw caricatures of the actors and they would sign them for me."

During high school he submitted some of his drawings to The Walt Disney Studios and was offered a job in the traffic department, with an explanation that "the breaks would happen… later." Instead, Sam enlisted with the United States Army where he served in the American Infantry Division during World War II. Upon his return stateside, he enrolled at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and graduated in 1950; the day after his graduation he was drafted into the Korean War. After serving 14 months, during which his decorations included the Distinguished Service Cross, he returned to the United States and attended Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.

In 1953, Sam found himself having to decide between accepting a role in renowned director John Ford's The Long Gray Line or a job with 20th Century Fox making story sketches for films. He happily accepted the latter, because "working behind the camera was what I really wanted to do."

After layoffs at Fox in 1954, Sam joined Disney to create inspirational sketches for Walt's new theme park, Disneyland. Among his first sketches was Slue Foot Sue's Golden Horseshoe Revue in Frontierland.

He later contributed to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Carousel of Progress, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Eventually, every land at the Park benefited from Sam's magic touch.

Sam also contributed to Florida theme park attractions such as the Magic Kingdom's The Hall of Presidents and Universe of Energy in Epcot Center. Sam also developed inspirational sketches for the Disney-MGM Studios.

From time to time, Walt also asked Sam to storyboard Disney films. Among his projects were Nikki, Wild Dog of the North, Big Red, Bon Voyage, and The Gnome Mobile. He also developed storyboards for episodes of Disney's television series Zorro.

Sam McKim passed away on July 9, 2004, in Burbank, California.

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Blaine Gibson (1918–2015)
Imagineering • 1993

After animating all day at The Walt Disney Studios, Blaine Gibson would go home at night and sculpt; it had been a favorite hobby of his since childhood. Then, in 1954, Walt Disney happened to see one of Blaine's art exhibits, which featured several animal sculptures, and recruited him to work on special projects for his new theme park, Disneyland.

Blaine was somewhat ambivalent about being diverted from his goal to establish himself as one of the Studio's foremost animators. As he recalled in 1995, "I didn't think it was that important, but then I was told Walt was expecting me to work on these projects. So I said to myself, 'what the heck' and went [to Walt Disney Imagineering]. I was never sorry after that."

Born February 11, 1918, in Rocky Ford, Colorado, Blaine attended Colorado University, but left school to join The Walt Disney Studios in 1939. While working as an in-between artist and assistant animator, he took evening classes in sculpture at Pasadena City College and studied with a private instructor. Among his animation credits are Fantasia, Bambi, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

When first assigned by Walt to the Disneyland project, Blaine divided his time between sculpting and animating for the Company. In 1961, he transferred full-time to WED Enterprises, joining the design and development division to supervise the newly created sculpture department. Ultimately, Blaine went on to make a name for himself in 3-D animation, creating hundreds of sculptures from which Audio-Animatronics® figures and bronzes were produced for exhibits at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair and Disney theme parks around the world. Among his credits are contributions to such attractions as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and the Enchanted Tiki Room.

He also directed the sculpture of every U.S. President, up to George W. Bush in 2001, for The Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World.

After nearly 45 years with The Walt Disney Company, Blaine retired in 1983. He continued to consult on such projects as The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. In 1993, the same year he was named a Disney Legend, Blaine created a life-size bronze of Walt and Mickey Mouse standing hand-in-hand. The statue, called "Partners," is located at the Central Hub in Disneyland and at Disney parks around the world. Blaine subsequently created a life-size bronze of Roy O. Disney—Company co-founder and brother of Walt—for display in Disney theme parks.

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Cicely Rigdon (1923–2013)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

It was a quality that Walt Disney had, and obviously Cicely Rigdon had it, too—persistence. "When they first opened the Park,"

Cicely once recalled, "I made five attempts to get a job. The fifth time, I was finally hired, and I was so excited I came home and drove my car through the garage!"

Cicely began at Disneyland in 1957 as a ticket seller. In 1959, she joined the Tour Guide Department and was responsible for initiating its growth and development. "Walt really liked the Tour Guides," Cicely said. "Every time he would come to the Park he would always stop by and see us and talk to us."

She eventually became the supervisor of Guest Relations, and in 1967 took on additional responsibility for the ticket sellers, ticket receptionists, and Guest Relations. While in Guest Relations, she was responsible for Walt's apartment above the Main Street Fire Station, and was therefore known as the "Keeper of the Keys."

Among the other highlights of her career, Cicely most fondly remembered her trip with Walt Disney to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, and the many conversations she had with him while he was in the Park. She also counted being able to train all the ticket sellers and ticket receptionists for the opening of Walt Disney World as one of her treasured opportunities.

Beginning in 1982, Cicely led and developed the Disneyland Ambassador Program, working with thirteen Disneyland Ambassadors during her tenure, and representing Disneyland around the world. She retired as manager of the Ambassador Program in 1994, with a 37-year Disneyland career to her credit. Despite her long career of traveling, the first thing Cicely did after her retirement was to travel to England to visit her family.

She remembered her years at Disneyland and her unique boss with great fondness. "Walt was just a very decent, very nice man," Cicely once said. "And I believe that is reflected in all of us here at Disneyland, and that this place for family and fun and decency is what it's all about."

Cicely Rigdon passed away on December 31, 2013.

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Richard Irvine (1910–1976)
Imagineering • 1990

In 1952, Walt Disney hired art director Richard "Dick" Irvine away from 20th Century Fox to act as liaison between Walt Disney Productions and an architectural firm being considered to design Disneyland. After a few preliminary meetings with the architects, however, Dick and Walt concluded that the people who could best design the Magic Kingdom were members of Walt's own staff.

Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Vice President John Hench recalled, "Because Dick had worked with movie set designs, creating structures and settings, he understood our needs more than standard architects, such as 'forced' perspective, making things smaller to give the illusion of being farther away, and other optical values."

Dick was convinced that Disney motion picture artists, art directors, and technicians, with their imaginative know-how and theatrical experience, could produce an outstanding theme park. And so Walt proceeded with his own staff, forming what is now known as Walt Disney Imagineering—the design and engineering arm of the Company charged with developing theme parks.

In launching the world's first theme park, Dick helped establish and lead the new team of artists, architects, designers, and engineers, known as Imagineers.

With such a brilliant staff of dreamers and doers on board, anything seemed possible; as Dick once recalled, "Heavens! The dream was wide open."

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 5, 1910, Dick moved with his family to Southern California in 1922. The son of a prominent Los Angeles ophthalmologist, he attended Stanford University and the University of Southern California, followed by Chouinard Art Institute.

In the early 1930s, he entered the motion picture business and, in 1941, earned an Academy Award® nomination for his art direction on Sundown, a United Artists film directed by Walter Wanger.

Soon after, Dick joined the Walt Disney Studio where he worked for a short time on films that combined live-action footage with animation, such as The Three Caballeros. After World War II he went to Fox, but returned eight years later when Walt asked for his help with Disneyland.

Until his retirement in 1973, Dick headed design and planning for all Disneyland attractions, ranging from Haunted Mansion to Pirates of the Caribbean. He also guided the creation of attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, including it's a small world. Dick went on to help shape the master plan and attractions for Walt Disney World and, in 1967, was appointed executive vice president and chief operations officer of WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering).

Richard Irvine passed away on March 30, 1976, in Los Angeles. Walt Disney World's second paddle wheel steamship, the Richard F. Irvine, was named in his honor until it was re-christened Liberty Belle in 1996. Subsequently, one of the ferries that transports guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom was re-christened Richard F. Irvine so as to continue to honor Dick's contributions.

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Claude Coats (1913–1992)
Animation & Imagineering • 1991

Among the stable of "enormous" talents at the Walt Disney Studio, Claude Coats stood above the rest—literally. Claude, a background painter, color stylist, and concept designer, stood 6-feet, 6-inches tall. The gentle giant with a warm wit once recalled how Walt used to kid him about his height. Claude said:

"When the Disneyland Stagecoach was completed at the Studio, Walt and a driver were giving rides around the lot, but he wouldn't let me get in. He said I spoiled the scale."

Born January 17, 1913, in San Francisco, California, Claude graduated from the University of Southern California in 1934 with an architecture and fine arts degree. He went on to study at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles before joining the Walt Disney Studio as a background painter in June 1935.

The stunning watercolor background paintings Claude created for Pinocchio continue to be heralded by Disney scholars, fans, and art collectors for the rich and textured beauty they lend to the classic film. He also developed backgrounds and color stylings for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Song of the South, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Fun and Fancy Free, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp.

In 1955, Claude was one of the elite artists and designers Walt selected to help bring Disneyland to life. As a show designer, he was part of the development team for the Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Scary Adventures, and Submarine Voyage, among others. Claude also contributed to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair attractions, including Magic Skyway, Carousel of Progress, and it's a small world.

He later helped conceptualize the Magic Kingdom's Mickey Mouse Revue at Walt Disney World and numerous attractions for Epcot Center, including Universe of Energy, World of Motion, Horizons, and several World Showcase pavilions. For Tokyo Disneyland, he helped design Meet the World and the Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour.

After a long and happy 54 years with Disney, Claude retired in November 1989. As Walt Disney Imagineering President and Disney Legend Marty Sklar later recalled, "Claude paved the way in turning sketches and paintings into three-dimensional adventures. His energy, curiosity, and drive to create new experiences for our Disney park guests made him a leader and a teacher for all of us. He was a genuine one-of-a-kind."

Claude Coats passed away on January 9, 1992, in Los Angeles.

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Joe Potter (1905–1988)
Attractions • 1996

William E. "Joe" Potter was an engineering and logistical planning genius, which is why Walt Disney recruited the retired United States Army major general to oversee the early construction of Walt Disney World in Florida. In this role, Joe ably guided the Herculean task of transforming 300 acres of Florida land into the Magic Kingdom, while also preserving the area's ecology and beauty.

As former president of Walt Disney Attractions Dick Nunis recalled in 1988, "Joe was a man Walt Disney was very fond of. Without Joe Potter there would be no Walt Disney World today."

Born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 17, 1905, Joe graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the National War College in Washington D.C. During World War II, he directed logistical planning for the invasion of northern France, an operation nicknamed "Red Ball Express." After the war, he served in Washington, D.C. as assistant chief of engineers for Civil Works and Special Projects.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Joe to serve as governor of the Panama Canal Zone. In that role, he was responsible for governing a community of over 40,000 people, as well as services including education, military, public health, medical care, fire and police protection, and the postal system. At the end of his tenure as governor, and after 38 years with the United States Army, Joe retired in 1960. In his long career, he had been decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Croix de Guerre

Soon after his "retirement," he became executive vice president of the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, charged with construction of the federal and state attractions. These included 26 state pavilions and the $17-million United States pavilion.

During this time he met Walt Disney, joining the Company in 1965 as its vice president of Florida Planning. In that role, Joe oversaw construction of the Park's entire infrastructure; this included underground utilities and sewer, power, and water treatment plants that were considered revolutionary at the time. He also developed drainage canals for the entire property, which were known as "Joe's ditches."

At the time of his second "retirement" in 1974, Joe was serving as vice president for EPCOT Planning and senior vice president of Walt Disney World Co. In this role, he was responsible for construction, operation, and administration of the entire Florida project. He also served as president of the Board of Supervisors of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was formed by the Florida Legislature to provide the public services necessary for the tourist and residential population at Walt Disney World. To many, Joe was known as "Mister Disney" because of his liaison work between the park and surrounding community during the 1960s and 1970s.

Joe passed away on December 5, 1988, in Orlando, Florida. One of the ferries that transports Walt Disney World guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom was later re-christened the General Joe Potter in his honor.

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Bill Cottrell (1906–1995)
Animation & Imagineering • 1994

Bill Cottrell, nicknamed "Uncle Bill" by his colleagues, was the first president of what is today known as Walt Disney Imagineering, the design and development arm of the Company. During the planning and construction phases of Disneyland, Walt relied heavily on Bill's creativity, wisdom, and foresight to make his dream come true.

Fellow Disney Legend Marvin Davis once said, "It was Walt who said, 'Let there be Disneyland,' like the good Lord said, 'Let there be a world.' But it was Uncle Bill who was Walt's counselor and right-hand man."

Born in 1906 to English parents in South Bend, Indiana, Bill graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, where he studied English and journalism. After working for a time on George Herriman's Krazy Kat comic strip, he was offered a job working cameras at The Walt Disney Studios in 1929. He soon moved into the Story department and contributed ideas for shorts, including Who Killed Cock Robin? Fellow Legend Joe Grant recalled, "Bill was a great fan of Gilbert and Sullivan and you will see elements of that, such as the jury box chorus, in Who Killed Cock Robin?"

Bill went on to direct the Wicked Witch and Evil Queen sequences in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and contributed to story on Pinocchio. In 1938, he married Lillian Disney's sister, Hazel Sewell. In 1941, Bill and Hazel joined Walt Disney and a small group of artists on a goodwill tour of South America on behalf of the United States Government. The trip inspired The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos, for which Bill also helped develop story. Bill later contributed to Victory Through Air Power, Melody Time, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

During the 1950s, he carried his interest in story over to WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering), where he helped develop storylines and dialog for such Disneyland attractions as Snow White's Adventures.

Bill was also keen on nomenclature. As former senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering John Hench recalled, "He was a talented writer and helped shape how we referred to events and attractions at Disneyland. For instance, he encouraged us to quit using the term 'ride' and to refer to attractions as an 'experience,' which is exactly what they are—'an experience."

Among his many contributions to Disney, Bill helped develop the popular Zorro television series and, in 1964, was named president of Retlaw Enterprises, the Walt Disney family corporation. He held that position until 1982, when he retired after 53 years of service. A lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes, Bill's idea for a movie about an animal detective inspired the 1986 animated feature The Great Mouse Detective.

Bill Cottrell passed away on December 22, 1995, in Los Angeles.

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Rolly Crump (1930–2023)
Imagineering • 2004

Words may not fully describe designer and Imagineer Rolly Crump. So to get a handle on this spirited, multi-talented Disney designer, think: Leonardo DiVinci's Universal Man.

A true "original," even among Imagineers, Rolly drew forth genius in others. Disney Concept Designer John Horny observed, "Rolly has a knack for bringing out the best in others. Trusting their talent, he encourages artists to push their creativity to the limits. It's a rare creative person who can let others run with the ball." Show writer Jim Steinmeyer added, "The idea is king with Rolly. It doesn't have to be his vision, as long as it works."

Born Roland Fargo Crump on February 27, 1930, in Alhambra, California, Rolly took a pay cut as a "dipper" in a ceramic factory to join The Walt Disney Studios in 1952.

To help pay bills, he built sewer manholes on weekends. He served as an in-between artist and, later, assistant animator, contributing to Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and others.

In 1959, he joined show design at WED Enterprises, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering. There, he became one of Walt's key designers for some of Disneyland's groundbreaking new attractions and shops, including the Haunted Mansion, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Adventureland Bazaar.

Rolly served as a key designer on the Disney attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, including it's a small world, for which he designed the Tower of the Four Winds marquee. When the attraction moved to Disneyland in 1966, Rolly designed the larger-than-life animated clock at its entrance, which sends puppet children on parade with each quarter-hour gong.

After contributing to the initial design of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, and developing story and set designs for NBC's Disney on Parade in 1970, Rolly left the Company to consult on projects including Busch Gardens in Florida and California, the ABC Wildlife Preserve in Maryland, and Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus World in Florida, among others.

He returned in 1976 to contribute to EPCOT Center, serving as project designer for The Land and the Wonders of Life pavilions. He also participated in master planning for an expansion of Disneyland until 1981, when he again departed to lead design on a proposed Cousteau Ocean Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and to launch his own firm, the Mariposa Design Group, developing an array of themed projects around the world, including an international celebration for the country of Oman.

In 1992, Rolly returned to Imagineering as executive designer, redesigning and refurbishing The Land and Innoventions at Epcot Center. Rolly "retired" from The Walt Disney Company in 1996, but continued to work on a number of creative projects. He released his autobiography, It's Kind of a Cute Story, in 2012.

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Robert Jani (1934–1989)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

Bob Jani had a spectacular career producing spectaculars. In addition to some of The Walt Disney Company's most storied entertainment events, Bob produced such festivities as the United States Bicentennial Celebration in New York Harbor in 1976, a revitalizing stage show for Radio City Music Hall, and half time entertainment at the Super Bowl.

Born in Los Angeles in 1934, Bob earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in telecommunications and stage production and design at University of Southern California (USC). He first joined the Disney organization in 1955, as head of the newly created Guest Relations Department at Disneyland.

After a two-year stint in the United States Army as Entertainment Director, Bob became director of special events for USC before forming his own private enterprise, Pacific Pageants, in 1961.

Bob rejoined the Disney organization in 1967, as director of Entertainment, and rose swiftly to vice president, and then to creative director of Walt Disney Productions, simultaneously forming his own production company, Robert F. Jani Productions, Inc. in 1978.

Both on his own and with Disney, Bob put on much of the live entertainment that has become standard fare at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Among his many achievements were America on Parade and, perhaps his greatest Disney legacy, The Main Street Electrical Parade.

Bob left Disney in 1978, to head the revival of Radio City Music Hall's Magnificent Christmas Spectacular. From 1979 to 1982, he was in charge of all live stage productions at the venerable New York City landmark after a decade of decline, reestablishing its status as "The Showplace of the Nation."

In 1981, Bob produced The Glory of Christmas, with a cast of 400 and a small menagerie of animals at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove. Bob drafted the master plan but did not provide the staging for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Functioning worldwide as producer as well as production consultant, Bob was also artistic director for the Hollywood Bowl, producer of several television specials, and master plan consultant for Disneyland Paris and the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World.

Robert Jani passed away on August 6, 1989, at his Palos Verdes Estates home.

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Don Edgren (1923–2006)
Imagineering • 2006

Walt Disney once said, "At WED, we call it imagineering—the blending of creative imagination with technical know-how." The "imagine" part of the process is often celebrated; less so is the solid engineering skill that makes dreams real.

Don Edgren, a professional engineer licensed in the states of California, Florida, and Hawaii, worked for Wheeler & Gray, Structural Engineers, at The Walt Disney Studios on the structural design and detail of Disneyland from late 1954 until the Park opened on July 17, 1955. "He was the original chief engineer 'in the field'—on the construction sites," recalled Marty Sklar, former international ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering and a Disney Legend.

Don then coordinated structural design and detail from the Wheeler & Gray office on Disneyland expansion until June of 1961.

"After his 'engineering baptism' at Disneyland in the early days," Marty said, "he was invited to join the staff of WED Enterprises in Glendale."

Don worked as a project engineer on the Ford Motor Company exhibit for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, and lived in New York during the construction of the Ford facility and the installation of the Magic Skyway show and ride from March 1963 to April 1964.

Don led the Imagineering engineering team for New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, while also participating in the initial master planning for Walt Disney World in Florida. Don was promoted to vice president, engineering in Florida in 1969, and relocated there in August of that year as head of field engineering efforts.

Don returned to WED in Glendale in April of 1972 as vice president of engineering. He led the Imagineering engineers on the first Space Mountain, built for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in December 1974, after which he left Disney briefly.

Returning to WED in May 1979 as director of engineering for Tokyo Disneyland, Don coordinated all engineering design activities, relocating to Japan in September of 1979. He returned stateside to WED in May 1983, where he was responsible for the direction and supervision of all project engineers.

Don retired from The Walt Disney Company in 1987.

"Through the years, Imagineering had what I would respect as two 'quintessential engineering captains'—Don Edgren and a protege of his, John Zovich," Marty once said. "They were constantly challenged by Walt, and the creative teams that followed (including me!), to do things that sometimes defied 'engineering logic' —and, of course, tried and true methods. Because, as Walt said, 'It's kind of fun to do the impossible!'"

Don Edgren passed away on December 28, 2006, in Eugene, Oregon.

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Harriet Burns (1928–2008)
Imagineering • 2000

As the first woman ever hired by Walt Disney Imagineering in a creative capacity, Harriet Burns helped design, prototype, and build theme park attractions featured at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and the New York World's Fair of 1964-65. And while she worked shoulder to shoulder with men in the model shop, wielding saws, lathes, and sanders, she was still the best-dressed employee in the department.

"It was the 1950s," she later explained. "I wore color-coordinated dresses, high heels, and gloves to work. Girls didn't wear slacks back then, although I carried a pair in a little sack, just in case I had to climb into high places."

Born August 20, 1928, in San Antonio, Texas, Harriet received her bachelor's degree in art from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She went on to study advanced design for another year at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

In 1953, she moved to Los Angeles with her husband and small daughter. There, she accepted a part-time position at Dice Display Industries Cooperative Exchange, where she helped design and produce props for television's Colgate Comedy Hour along with interiors and sets for Las Vegas hotels, including the Dunes. Adept at her work, she was asked to spearhead the creation of the fanciful Southern California tourist destination Santa's Village, located near Lake Arrowhead.

When Dice went out of business in 1955, a co-employee who had once worked at Disney beat tracks back to the Studio and invited Harriet to come along. She was subsequently hired to paint sets and props for the new Mickey Mouse Club television show. Harriet soon began coordinating the show's color styling and even designed and built the famous "Mouse Clubhouse."

She later joined Walt Disney Imagineering, formerly called WED Enterprises, where she helped create Sleeping Beauty Castle, New Orleans Square, the Haunted Mansion, and more. She also helped construct Storybook Land, which features miniature villages inspired by Disney animated movies such as Pinocchio, and designed all of the "singing birds" in the Enchanted Tiki Room, the first Audio-Animatronics® attraction at Disneyland.

Harriet worked on everything from figure finishing to stage design for attractions featured at the New York World's Fair in 1964, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and the Carousel of Progress. On occasion, when Walt would introduce new theme park attractions to television audiences, she would appear on segments of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

After retirement, Harriet remained an active member of the arts and music community in Santa Barbara, California.

Harriet Burns passed away on July 25, 2008, in Los Angeles, California.

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Betty Taylor (1919–2011)
Attractions • 1995

For more than 31 years, Betty Taylor graced the stage of Disneyland's popular Golden Horseshoe Revue. She made famous the role of Slue Foot Sue, the spunky leader of a troupe of western dance hall girls. Betty became the darling of nearly 10 million guests, who, over the years, visited the saloon to see the world's longest-running stage show. In the nearly 45,000 performances in which she appeared, the charming, vivacious blonde never lost her girlish enthusiasm for playing the role of Pecos Bill's sweetheart. As former Disneyland magic shop cast member, comedian Steve Martin, wrote in Betty's autograph book, "How come I'm the only one who grows old around here?"

Born on October 7, 1919, in Seattle, Washington, Betty began taking dance lessons at age three. By the age of 12, she appeared in her first professional stage production in Vancouver, British Colombia. At 14, she sang and danced in nightclubs across the country, and, by 18, she led her own band—Betty and Her Beaus. The group, which included 16 male musicians, appeared regularly at the Trianon Ballroom in Seattle.

She went on to perform with a western radio show, "Sons of the Pioneers," and traveled with big band leaders Les Brown, Henry Bussey, and Red Nichols. She even played a six-week stint in Las Vegas with "old blue eyes" himself, Frank Sinatra.

In 1956, while living in Los Angeles, Betty was about to hit the road playing drums for a musical group when she heard about auditions for a singing-and-hoofing job in Walt Disney's new theme park. She threw her garter into the ring, so to speak, and was hired as Slue Foot Sue. She later described the role as "not a hard character, but rather like a Mae West or a Kitty on the vintage television series Gunsmoke."

On occasion, Betty and the 10-member Revue troupe performed outside of the Park. In 1968, for instance, they took their act on a USO tour of Greenland and Newfoundland, and, two years later, performed for President Richard Nixon and his family in the White House. Walt Disney personally asked Betty to perform a variation of her Golden Horseshoe routine on national television, with comedian Ed Wynn, in an episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

Betty retired from the Golden Horseshoe Revue in 1987. She continued to appear at special events, such as "Walt Disney's Wild West;" this retrospective of Walt's vision of the American West was showcased at the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles in 1995.

Betty Taylor passed away at home on June 4, 2011, just one day after her fellow Golden Horseshoe alumnus and Disney Legend, Wally Boag.

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Wally Boag (1920–2011)
Attractions • 1995

At Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue, Wally Boag blasted audiences with squirt guns, spit out a mouthful of "teeth," and sculpted whimsical animals from colorful "Boagaloons" three times a day, five days a week, for nearly 27 years. By the time he retired from his role as the outrageous Pecos Bill in 1982, Wally had performed in nearly 40,000 productions of the popular Revue!

Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running stage production in show business history, Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue proved to be good steady work for the former vaudevillian, who once recalled, "My longest job before the Golden Horseshoe Revue was 54 weeks. And to think it all began with a two-week contract I signed with Walt Disney when the park opened."

Wallace Vincent Boag let out his first "yaa-hoo!" on September 9, 1920, in Portland, Oregon. At age nine, he joined a professional dance team; by 16, he was running his own dance school; and by 19, he had turned to comedy, performing in nightclubs and theaters across the country and around the world. Among them, Wally played Radio City Music Hall, the Palladium in London, and the Tivoli Theatres in Australia and New Zealand.

In 1945 he won a contract with Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, appearing in such films as Without Love, starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, and The Thrill of Romance, with Esther Williams.

A friend told him about auditions for Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue in 1955.

Wally won the role and quickly became one of Walt's favorite comedic actors, appearing on such television shows as the original Mickey Mouse Club, Disneyland, and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

He also appeared in motion pictures, including The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, and The Love Bug.

At Disneyland, Wally provided the voice of the Audio-Animatronics® parrot, Jose, in the Enchanted Tiki Room. He took his act on the road in 1971 to open the Diamond Horseshoe Revue at Walt Disney World. His original Golden Horseshoe Revue act was featured in a 1980 Danny Kaye television special celebrating the 25th anniversary of Disneyland; Wally also hosted a 1981 episode of The Muppet Show, where he performed some of his Golden Horseshoe "Pecos Bill" routine.

Wally often toured and consulted on special projects and promotions for The Walt Disney Company. In 1980, he entertained audiences across the country during a 28-day, 20-city tour promoting the re-release of Disney's animated classic Lady and the Tramp. He later traveled to Japan to help translate material for the opening of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. Wally published his memoir, Wally Boag, Clown Prince of Disneyland, in 2009.

Wally Boag passed away on June 3, 2011, one day before his Golden Horseshoe co-star and fellow Disney Legend Betty Taylor. Comedian Steve Martin, who worked at Disneyland as a teenager, summed up Wally's influence: "My hero, the first comedian I ever saw live, my influence, a man to whom I aspired."

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Fulton Burley (1922–2007)
Attractions • 1995

Fulton Burley's unique brand of humor and authentic Irish brogue made him an audience favorite at Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue, where the silver-toned tenor performed for 25 years.

Born on June 12, 1922, in Tipperary, Ireland, and raised in Ontario, Canada, Fulton came to the United States in 1943 after a telephone audition landed him the singing lead in Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe Revue on Broadway. He later marveled at his "Irish" luck, saying, "The peculiar thing is I was at the Golden Horseshoe for 25 years, and I had started at the Diamond Horseshoe."

Fulton was born to sing. By age 7, he performed in church weddings; by 14, he could be heard on CKNW radio in Windsor three mornings a week before school. He later went on to sing with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

After high school, Fulton attended Patterson Collegiate Institute in Windsor, followed by Wayne State University in Detroit. There, he studied law with a minor in music. Ultimately he dropped his law studies to pursue a career in entertainment, and eventually won a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He appeared as a supporting actor in films such as Without Love with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, and Homecoming with Clark Gable and Lana Turner.

During World War II, he served as a member of the 40th Special Services Division; under the command of actor Melvyn Douglas, he traveled to China, Burma, and India.

After the war, Fulton spent several years touring the United States with a number of musical productions, during which he developed his keen instinct for light comedy and a legendary repertoire of jokes.

In 1962, he was playing at the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas when he received a call from his pal Wally Boag, with whom he had worked as a contract player at MGM. Wally, who had been performing in the Golden Horseshoe Revue for seven years, explained that one of his fellow cast members had become seriously ill and urged Fulton to take over the role. Fulton did, and went on to light up the stage with his jovial nature and lilting brogue.

While at Disneyland, he also recorded the voice of Michael, the Audio-Animatronics® parrot featured in the Enchanted Tiki Room. He later entertained Disney fans across the country, traveling on special tours to promote the re-release of such films as the animated classic Cinderella in 1981. After a quarter century with The Walt Disney Company, Fulton retired from the Golden Horseshoe Revue in 1987. Ten years later he emerged from retirement to record a new narration for Walt Disney World's The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) alongside original Enchanted Tiki Room co-stars and fellow Disney Legends Wally Boag and Thurl Ravenscroft.

Fulton Burley passed away on May 7, 2007, in Carlsbad, California.

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Edward Meck (1899–1973)
Attractions • 1995

Publicist Edward "Eddie" Meck "wrote the book" on how to introduce new Disney theme park attractions. A self-proclaimed "soft sell," Eddie never pressed for—or manufactured—news stories during his career, especially where Disneyland was concerned. "If you have a good product," he said, "it's easy to get the message across. No gimmicks. Just truth and honesty. The greatest product is right here. Walt Disney."

From the beginning, when he joined Disneyland just months prior to its 1955 opening, Eddie believed the Park would sell itself. As he recalled:

Two months after the park opened, I told Walt that I didn't see how he could plant stories [in the press] about Disneyland. It's too fantastic and too hard to describe. So I told him we should bring the press here and let the park sell itself."

Eddie was born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in 1899. At age 20, he took a job working on the night inspection crew for the Pathe Company in Chicago. Before long, he was offered a chance to work in publicity and promotion and, in 1922, headed west to work on the Pathe publicity staff. There, he promoted everything from Harold Lloyd comedies to the Perils of Pauline serials.

He joined Columbia in the early 1930s, where he promoted award-winning Frank Capra comedies including It Happened One Night, with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town with Gary Cooper. In 1950, '51, and '54, the Motion Picture Herald honored Eddie for excellence in the "field of exploitation."

After almost 30 years in the movie industry, Walt Disney hired the folksy publicist to promote his new and untried theme park. Not only was Eddie the architect of the first Disneyland press event, giving journalists firsthand exposure to the delights of the Magic Kingdom, but he was also instrumental in the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World in Florida. His innate sense of enthusiasm was infectious, and legendary in the press and promotions fields.

As news columnist Joan Winchell wrote, "Eddie is a complete enigma to us [newspaper reporters]. How the heck can you light up like a Christmas tree 365 days and nights of the year raving about the very same thing? But Eddie does, claiming that every day [with Disney] is different."

Diminutive in stature, Eddie was often described by his friends in the press as if he, himself, was a Disney character. San Francisco columnist Herb Caen once wrote that Eddie Meck was "no relation to Mecky Mouse."

After nearly 20 years with The Walt Disney Company, Eddie Meck passed away in 1973.

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Joe Fowler (1894–1993)
Attractions • 1990

No matter how implausible the task, retired Admiral Joe Fowler got things done. That is why, in 1954, Walt Disney personally invited the retired ship builder to lead construction of his latest dream—Disneyland. Fellow Disney Legend Bob Matheison once recalled a day when Joe and Walt stood looking at a stage in Adventureland, which featured a waterfall and a dressing room off to the side. According to Bob, "Walt turned to Joe and said, 'I'd like to part the water and let the entertainers come out, and then have the waterfall close behind them.' Joe never batted an eye. He just said, 'Can do, can do.' I know he had no idea how he was going to part the water, but he said it without hesitation—'Can do.' And, by golly, he did it."

Born on July 9, 1894, in Lewiston, Maine, Joe graduated second in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1917. He graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a master's degree in naval architecture in 1921. A veteran of both world wars, Joe designed and supervised the building of gunboats in Shanghai, China, during the 1920s; he later designed and built aircraft carriers, including the U.S.S. Lexington and the U.S.S. Saratoga, which were the largest aircraft carriers of World War II. He was also in charge of all U.S. Navy work conducted in the West Coast shipyards during World War II.

While with the military, Joe met such notable figures as Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Lyndon Johnson; he even roomed with Edward, Prince of Wales, on a British gun ship steaming up the Yangtze River. After 35 years with the U.S. Navy, Joe had reached the rank of Rear Admiral and retired in 1948—or so he thought.

Within a few years, not long after celebrating his 60th birthday, Joe met Walt Disney through a mutual friend and soon began his successful 25-year career with Walt Disney Productions.

Joe oversaw construction of Disneyland and went on to manage its operations after it opened. Appropriately, Walt also cast him as technical advisor of the award-winning live-action film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

During the 1960s and '70s, Joe was charged with the Herculean task of planning and building Walt Disney World. At one point during the Florida project, Joe held three posts, simultaneously: senior vice president, engineering and construction, for Walt Disney Productions; chairman of the board of WED Enterprises, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering; and director of construction for Disney's Buena Vista Construction Company.

Joe retired from Disney in 1978. He passed away on December 3, 1993, at age 99, in Orlando, Florida. Tributes to the Admiral can still be found in the parks that he helped build; the harbor used as dry dock for Disneyland's S.S. Columbia and paddle wheeler Mark Twain is dubbed "Fowler's Harbor," and features a building known as Fowler's Inn. At Walt Disney World, one of the ferries that transports guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom was re-christened the Admiral Joe Fowler in his honor.

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Ralph Kent (1939–2007)
Attractions & Imagineering • 2004

While growing up in New York, Imagineer Ralph Kent fell "hopefully" under the spell of Disney animated motion pictures, particularly Pinocchio. He identified with the puppet's sense of awe, wonder, and magic, he would later say.

Born on January 28, 1939, by age 10, Ralph had transformed the basement walls of his home into a giant mural of Disney characters ranging from Alice in Wonderland to Cinderella. Fixated on working for Disney, young Ralph decided to send a letter to Walt Disney, receiving a courteous reply. He went on to attend the University of Buffalo Albright Art School and, in 1960, he joined the U.S. Army, illustrating military training aids and films.

Upon discharge, in 1963, Ralph's dream came true when he arrived at Disneyland as a marketing production artist. One day, Ralph gained the courage to personally ask Walt if he remembered receiving a letter from a kid in Buffalo.

"I had changed my name legally because nobody could pronounce it—Kwiatkowski," Ralph recalled. "Walt said, 'That was a Polish kid with a long last name.' I said, 'I know; I changed it.' The eyebrow went up and he said, 'Well, why didn't you tell me [sooner]?' I said, 'I was just in awe of you, and still am.'"

At Disney, Ralph developed marketing materials for the Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, and more. He worked with fellow Legends Van Arsdale France and Dick Nunis, creators of Disney University, developing training materials for the Company's four attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, including it's a small world. He also served as art director for the Celebrity Sports Center in Denver, which Walt co-owned with celebrities including Art Linkletter and Jack Benny.

In 1965, Ralph designed the first limited-edition Mickey Mouse watch for adults, which Walt presented to 25 of his top executives. A timely invention, word quickly spread about the unique Mickey Mouse time piece and today, more than 100 adult watch designs are manufactured each year.

Ralph arrived in Florida in 1971, to design souvenirs such as license plates and bumper stickers for Walt Disney World. Eight years later, he became director of Walt Disney Imagineering East, overseeing Florida staff support for EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland.

In 1990, he joined the Disney Design Group as a corporate trainer, mentoring new artists and creating an extensive reference collection of character model sheets. After 41 years dedicated to The Walt Disney Company, he retired in May 2004, and continued to consult on special projects.

He also enjoying woodworking; "I always wanted to be Geppetto," he said. And so, Ralph continued to make his Disney-inspired dreams come true.

Ralph Kent passed away on September 10, 2007, at his home in Kissimmee, Florida.

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Mary Blair (1911–1978)
Animation & Imagineering • 1991

An imaginative color stylist and designer, Mary Blair helped introduce modern art to Walt Disney and his Studio, and, for nearly 30 years, he touted her inspirational work for his films and theme parks alike. Animator Marc Davis, who put Mary's exciting use of color on par with Matisse, recalled, "She brought modern art to Walt in a way that no one else did. He was so excited about her work." Animator Frank Thomas added:

"Mary was the first artist I knew of to have different shades of red next to each other. You just didn't do that! But Mary made it work."

Walt connected with Mary's fresh, childlike art style. As Disney Imagineering artist Roland Crump once told animation historian John Canemaker, "The way she painted—in a lot of ways she was still a little girl. Walt was like that… You could see he could relate to children—she was the same way."

Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1911, the inherently gifted artist won a scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. After graduation in 1933, at the height of the Depression, Mary took a job in the animation unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer rather than pursue her dream of a fine arts career. In 1940, she joined the Walt Disney Studio and worked on a number of projects, including the "Baby Ballet," a never-produced segment for a proposed second version of Fantasia.

In 1941, she joined the Disney expedition that toured South America for three months; her watercolors so captured the spirit of the Latin countries that she was named art supervisor on The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos. Mary's unique color and styling greatly influenced such Disney postwar productions as Song of the South, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, So Dear to My Heart, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. She also contributed to special shorts, including The Little House and Susie, the Little Blue Coupe.

During a break from Disney, Mary found a successful career as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Among her works were the illustrations for several Little Golden Books, some of which, including I Can Fly, are still in print today.

Walt later asked Mary to assist in the design of the it's a small world attraction for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair; the final result was an attraction that is purely Mary Blair in its style and concept. Over the years, Mary contributed to the design of many exhibits, attractions, and murals for the theme parks in California and Florida, including the fanciful murals in the Grand Canyon Concourse at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort Hotel.

Mary Blair passed away on July 26, 1978, in Soquel, California.

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Harper Goff (1911–1993)
Film & Imagineering • 1993

Artist Harper Goff first met Walt Disney in 1951 at the Bassett-Lowke Ltd. Shop in London; they were both interested in purchasing the same model train set. Harper later recalled that meeting:

"He turned to me and said, 'I'm Walt Disney. Are you the man that wanted to buy this engine?' Well, I almost fell over. He asked me what I do for a living, and I told him that I was an artist. He said, 'When you get back to America, come and talk to me.'"

Ultimately, Walt bought the locomotive, while Harper embarked on an exciting journey developing motion picture and Imagineering projects for The Walt Disney Company.

Among Harper's designs was the menacing Nautilus submarine, complete with plush Victorian interiors, for the film 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. He also developed conceptual ideas for Disneyland, including Main Street, U.S.A. and the Jungle Cruise and worked closely with Walt throughout the design and construction phases of the Park.

Born on March 16, 1911, in Fort Collins, Colorado, Harper later moved with his family to Santa Ana, California. He attended Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and lived in New York for a time, working as a magazine illustrator for publications including Collier's, Esquire, and National Geographic.

He returned to the west coast to work as a set designer for Warner Bros. on such films as Sergeant York, Casablanca, Charge of the Light Brigade, and the Errol Flynn classic Captain Blood. Later, he served as associate producer and art director for The Vikings, starring Kirk Douglas, and as art director for Pete Kelly's Blues and Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Initially, Walt hired Harper to sketch storyboards for a True-Life Adventures short called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Instead, Harper designed sketches for a potential feature film he envisioned, based on the Jules Verne novel by the same title. After Walt studied the eight 4' x 8' storyboards that Harper had filled with imaginative designs, The Walt Disney Studios produced its first all live-action film made in the United States. In 1955, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea won Oscars® for art direction and special effects.

In his spare time, when not tinkering with his model trains, Harper played banjo with the "Firehouse Five Plus Two" Dixieland jazz band, made up of Disney artists including fellow Disney Legends Ward Kimball and Frank Thomas. In 1975 Harper also contributed to Epcot Center, designing the layout of the World Showcase, and designing concepts for the Japan, Italy, and United Kingdom Pavilions.

Harper Goff passed away on March 3, 1993, in Los Angeles.

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Bill Justice (1914–2011)
Animation & Imagineering • 1996

Bill Justice loved his work at The Walt Disney Company, whether it be programming Audio-Animatronics® figures for the theme parks or animating Mickey Mouse.

Once, when asked if he ever got bored drawing Mickey Mouse, Bill replied, "Have you seen me draw Mickey upside down?" He then did so—effortlessly.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, on February 9, 1914, Bill grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended the John Herron Art Institute, where he studied to be a portrait artist. After graduation in 1935, he headed west and joined The Walt Disney Studios as an animator in 1937. During his 28 years with the Company, Bill served as an animator on such classics as Fantasia, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. Among the memorable characters he animated are the precocious Thumper from Bambi and the mischievous Chip and Dale.

During the 1950s, Bill directed several experimental shorts, including Noah's Ark, A Symposium On Popular Songs, and The Truth About Mother Goose, all of which were nominated for Academy Awards®. Along with Disney Legend X Atencio and artist T. Hee, Bill used the painstaking technique of stop-motion animation in live-action Disney features, including The Parent Trap and Mary Poppins. In all, Bill contributed to 57 shorts and 19 features.

Bill also directed the "Mickey Mouse March," heard and seen on Disney's popular 1950s television series, the Mickey Mouse Club.

Recognizing Bill's immense talent, Walt Disney tapped him to join Walt Disney Imagineering in 1965. There, he programmed Audio-Animatronics® figures for such Disneyland attractions as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Mission to Mars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamboree, and America Sings. Bill once said, "One of the most enjoyable Disneyland projects was the Pirates of the Caribbean. Manipulating the figures in each vignette was a multiple challenge." Bill went on to help bring to life the cast of Walt Disney World's The Hall of Presidents attraction. He also masterminded the Mickey Mouse Revue, featured at Walt Disney World and, later, Tokyo Disneyland.

Bill also had knack for designing parades. In 1959, he designed the floats and costumes for one of the first Disneyland Christmas Parades, and also produced sketches for the Main Street Electrical Parade. He created a number of murals for the Disney theme parks, including a massive "family portrait" of all the Disney characters for Walt Disney World's The Walt Disney Story pre-show area.

After 42 years with the Company, Bill retired in February 1979. He wrote a book about his Disney years called Justice for Disney, and was a frequent guest at Disneyana Conventions.

Bill Justice passed away on February 10, 2011, one day after his 97th birthday, in Santa Monica, California.

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Bill Evans (1910–2002)
Imagineering • 1992

In 1952, third-generation horticulturist Bill Evans was called to landscape the grounds of Walt Disney's Holmby Hills home as well as the gardens that surrounded his backyard railroad, the Carolwood Pacific. Little did he know at the time, however, Walt had another task percolating in the back of his mind. In 1954, Walt asked Bill and his brother, Jack, "How about you fellows landscaping Disneyland for me?"

Within a year, Bill helped transform 80 acres of Anaheim orange groves into lush theme park attractions, including the Jungle Cruise. With its canopy of bamboo, ficus, and palms, which tower 70 feet overhead, the two-acre man-made jungle was described by Bill as "the best darn jungle this side of Costa Rica."

Indeed, Bill was known not only for using unusual plants, but for using plants in unusual ways. As Disney Imagineer Terry Palmer explained:

"In the Jungle Cruise, there's a group of orange trees that most people would never recognize because Bill planted them upside down. He decided the gnarled roots of the orange trees looked like suitably exotic jungle branches."

Born June 10, 1910, in Santa Monica, California, Bill's first botanical classroom was his father's three-acre garden. It was filled with exotic plants, including 150 varieties of hibiscus, collected by his father. In 1928, Bill joined the Merchant Marine and, while he traveled the world aboard the S.S. President Harrison, he gathered exotic seeds for his father's garden from distant lands including the West Indies, South Africa, and Australia.

Upon his return from duty, Bill studied at Pasadena City College before proceeding to Stanford, where he majored in geology. His education was cut short, however, by the Great Depression. In 1931, he helped transform his father's garden into a nursery business—Evans and Reeves Landscaping. Their inventory of rare and exotic plants soon caught the attention of Hollywood's elite; among their celebrity clientele were Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, and, ultimately, Walt Disney.

After Disneyland opened in July 1955, Bill stayed on as a consultant, drawing landscape plans, installing materials and supervising maintenance of the Park. Later, he was named director of landscape architecture, working on Disneyland additions and the master plan for Walt Disney World and EPCOT Center.

In 1975, Bill retired from Disney, but was soon summoned back to consult on landscape design for Tokyo Disneyland. He also consulted on the schematic designs for Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort Hotel, Discovery Island, Typhoon Lagoon, Disney-MGM Studios, and other elements of the Florida resort. He was key in selecting plants for Disneyland Paris and Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida.

Bill Evans passed away on August 16, 2002, at the age of 92. He was posthumously awarded the American Society of Landscape Architects Medal for his lifetime of achievements.

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Charles Boyer (1935–2021)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

In 1960, Charles Boyer accepted a "temporary" job at Disneyland—and stayed for 39 years. Charles has the unique distinction of having been Disneyland's first full-time artist, and in the 45 years since his hiring has become Disneyland's master illustrator. He has captured in his work the unique and fanciful spirit of Disney characters and theme park environments.

Charles's art training began with art classes in high school, where he nurtured a love for the beautiful desert landscape. As a teenager, he won first place at the Imperial Valley County Fair and developed a passion for the work of Vincent Van Gogh.

Soon after, he enrolled in courses at Chouinard Art Institute. He received a "working scholarship," performing double duty as the janitor while attending classes as an art student. Classes in design and cartooning convinced Charles to consider a commercial art career as an alternative to fine arts.

Charles thought of furthering his art studies abroad, however, his wife did not want to leave the United States. Instead, he found a job at Disneyland as a pastel artist creating guest portraits.

"I thought it would be fun," he later recalled, "and a good fill-in between jobs." It proved to be only the beginning of his long career with Disney.

Six months later, he joined the marketing and advertising art department as an illustrator. "We did everything—design, production, illustration," Charles said.

During his 39 years with Disneyland, Charles produced nearly 50 collectible lithographs, as well as a diverse range of artwork for magazine covers, brochures, and flyers—even Company-commissioned oil portraits for retiring employees. He worked in all media including pastels, oils, watercolors, gouache, acrylics, pencil, and ink. Prolific in his work, Charles's works are sought after by collectors around the world.

On his retirement in 1999, the artist reflected, "I've worked with such great people. My wife used to ask if I was actually getting any work done, because I was having so much fun."

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Van France (1912–1999)
Attractions • 1994

As founder of the "University of Disneyland" training center, today called The Disney University, Van Arsdale France helped promote Walt Disney's philosophy of creating happiness. Through this unique forum, he encouraged smiles on employee faces and the treatment of Park visitors as very important guests.

Van's progressive concepts in guest service have been recognized as among the finest in the country. The training handbooks he authored, which feature themes such as "You're an Ambassador of Happiness" and "You're Here Because You Care," have provided the foundation for the training of every new Disneyland Cast Member since the Park's opening in July 1955.

Dick Nunis, former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, once described Van as a combination of Jiminy Cricket, Mary Poppins, and an angry Donald Duck.

He elaborated, "Van believes in Walt Disney's dream of Disneyland and has convinced thousands of us that our goal is to 'create happiness for others.' He goes into a Donald Duck fit if he thinks we lose sight of the dream when we have to watch costs and make a profit. To survive in this changing dream, Van's mixed pixie dust with the grist of corporate reality."

Born in Seattle, Washington, on October 3, 1912, Van earned his liberal arts degree from San Diego State College in 1934. His first jobs proved varied, ranging from a dishwasher on an Ohio-Mississippi Riverboat to a laborer in a kelp processing plant.

His experience as an industrial labor relations expert began when he was hired as director of education for the Fort Worth Division of General Dynamics. This led to an appointment as a civilian educational consultant for the U.S. Army in England and, later, Germany. Upon his return to the United States, Van became superintendent of industrial relations for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation's Mead Works and director of labor relations for Kaiser Frazer in Michigan.

Van joined Disney in March of 1955, creating the University of Disneyland training program for the Park's newly hired cast. Over the years he went on to perform many roles at the Park, including area manager of Tomorrowland, organizational chairman of the Disneyland Recreation Club, and coordinator of the first Disneyland Cast Member magazine, Backstage Disneyland.

In 1978 he retired from Disney and became a special consultant to Dick Nunis, who then headed the Park. He also went on to author Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks, a career guide for senior working adults, as well as his autobiography, Window On Main Street: 35 Years of Creating Happiness at Disneyland Park. He remained an active member of the Disneyland Golden Ears Club and the Disneyland Alumni Club, and spoke on Disneyland history at conventions around the country.

Van France passed away on October 13, 1999, in Newport Beach, California.

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Neil Gallagher
Imagineering • 2008

"Almost since the day he joined the Disney Studio machine shop, Neil Gallagher was a leader," Disney Legend and former Imagineering ambassador Marty Sklar once recalled.

Neil hired into the Disney Studio machine shop in April 1957. He worked in the general shop on projects for Disneyland, and in Studio back lot support. His interest began to lean toward the developing craft of mechanical animation and manufacturing, and for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Gallagher built flower boats with singing orchids, tiki drummers, and rotating birdcages.

"He worked tirelessly on any animation project given to him and always solicited ideas and solutions from co-workers, in his quest to build better animation," said engineering, design, and production authority and Disney Legend Orlando Ferrante.

In 1963, Neil was assigned to the Mr. Lincoln research and development team to create the most sophisticated Audio-Animatronics® figure of its time. In 1964, he traveled to the New York World's Fair to install and complete the show programming of the Lincoln figure for the Stare of Illinois pavilion.

For the next 18 months Neil led the show and animation maintenance of the four Disney shows at the Fair. This valuable experience allowed him to suggest improved methods of manufacturing and organization for MAPO, the Disney manufacturing entity. After the Fair, he returned to California to lead the show and animation team at MAPO in the development of new shows and attractions for Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida.

In 1971, Neil relocated to Florida to set up the show installation and maintenance teams in time for the October opening of the Magic Kingdom. In early 1972, he was promoted to director of maintenance for Walt Disney World.

As the Company prepared to build Epcot Center, Neil was moved to Buena Vista Construction Company to direct their involvement in this challenging project. Shortly after the opening of Epcot Center, he was sent to Tokyo Disneyland to reinforce executive leadership to successfully open Disney's pioneering international park. "These two projects, constructed at the same time on opposite sides of the planet, stretched the resources of the entire company," Ferrante later recalled. "Without men like Neil, we would never have made it."

By late 1983 Gallagher was back in Florida, as vice president of Walt Disney World engineering and construction, a position he held through the 1989 completion of the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. His next assignment took him to France, and the land use planning of the Euro Disney Resort. He also assisted Walt Disney Imagineering with organizational planning for engineering and professional construction management to execute the project. Three more years passed before he was able to return to Florida, where he resumed his leadership role at Walt Disney World as vice president of engineering, construction and Central Shops.

"Every project leader wanted Neil on their team because he always solicited ideas and new solutions from his co-workers," Marty Sklar once reflected. "Neil understood that leadership requires trusting and empowering your teammates."

After more than 23 years in Florida, and a total of 37 years with The Walt Disney Company, Neil Gallagher retired in 1994. He passed away on September 11, 1995.

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Masatomo Takahashi (1913–2000)
Administration • 1998

Like Walt Disney, who dreamed of uniting people from around the world at his California theme park, Masatomo Takahashi of the Oriental Land Company (OLC) had a dream.

His dream, however, was not to bring the children of Japan to Disneyland, but to bring Disneyland to the children of Japan. This vision was the beginning of Tokyo Disneyland.

Former vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company, Roy E. Disney, once said, "Masatomo's vision and desire to bring the joys of a Disney park to Tokyo were instrumental to the establishment and continuing success of Tokyo Disneyland. Thanks to Masatomo, for years to come, families around the Asia-Pacific region will experience the delights of Disney and its magical theme parks."

Born on September 4, 1913, in Fukushima, Japan, Masatomo graduated with a degree in law from Tokyo Imperial University in 1939. Upon graduation, he joined Riken Heavy Industries Company until World War II, when he served in Shanghai and New Guinea as an Army interpreter.

After the war, he joined Kenzai Co., Ltd. as its executive managing director and, later, its president. In 1961, Masatomo joined the real estate development firm OLC as its senior executive managing director. In that position, he was responsible for negotiating land reclamation with local fishermen.

Over the years, he steadily rose through the corporate ranks, becoming its president and representative director in August 1978. It was during this time that he first approached Walt Disney Productions with the concept of building a Disneyland theme park in Tokyo.

Masatomo's request, though bold, seemed eminently feasible after the success of the Walt Disney World resort in Florida, especially since OLC owned property near the densely populated city of Tokyo that was well-suited for recreational purposes.

Contracts were signed in April 1979 between Disney and OLC. Masatomo and other project leaders felt that the Japanese market did not want an Asian version of Disneyland, but a park just like those in America. Others questioned whether the Disneyland style of entertainment would succeed outside of the United States. Ultimately it was Masatomo who diligently guided the multi-million dollar theme park to fulfillment in 1983. Tokyo Disneyland was embraced by the Japanese public, and continues to draw more than 17 million guests each year.

As chairman of OLC, Masatomo expanded his vision in the late 1990s to include Tokyo DisneySea. This theme park, inspired by myths and legends of the ocean, sits adjacent to Tokyo Disneyland and overlooks the waters of Tokyo Bay.

Masatomo passed away on January 31, 2000, before the 2001 opening of Tokyo DisneySea.

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Julie Reihm Casaletto
Parks & Resorts • 2015

For decades, Disney Ambassadors have been a constant presence around the globe, attending special events, supporting charitable causes, and spreading goodwill. But the long tradition began with a single individual—Julie Reihm Casaletto, the very first Disneyland Ambassador.

a personification of Disneyland's world-famous spirit of friendliness and happiness.

Julie was born in Galveston, Texas, but the Reihm family moved to Long Beach, California, when she was three months old. After high school, she attended California State Long Beach to study speech. As a part-time job, she became a tour guide at Disneyland. Working weekends and summers in the Park, she soon came to know Walt Disney and quickly got to experience Walt's impish sense of humor.

"I had first met him in the Park when I was a tour guide," Julie recalls. "He followed me up Main Street." One of the members of Julie's tour group was upset that there was a man who hadn't paid for it following the tour. She told Julie that that the man shouldn't get the same information as a paying guest. Julie had hoped that Walt overheard and would move along, because, as she says, "It would have been highly unusual to go up to the man who owned the place and tell him to run along."

"He just winked and grinned at me and walked away. I think he enjoyed taking you a little bit by surprise, and seeing your reaction to things. He delighted in seeing other people delighted."

Walt . . . delighted in seeing other people delighted.

After two years as a tour guide, Julie was encouraged to apply for a new role—that of "Disneyland's Ambassador to the World." As Walt's commitments had increased and his free time dwindled, he found it hard to attend all the events to which he was invited. Disney needed a representative who could travel the world, speaking for Walt when he could not be there in person. Although she initially turned down the offer to become Ambassador—taking a year off from her studies didn't seem wise—she eventually changed her mind and was chosen as Disneyland's first Ambassador in 1965.

As first Ambassador, she was chosen as "a personification of Disneyland's world-famous spirit of friendliness and happiness." She became the template upon which decades of Ambassadors would pattern themselves.

At the time, Julie expressed her genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity the role presented, and the advantage two years of tours for guests from all over the world offered. "I've learned so many fascinating things about so many places from them, I can hardly wait to see them for myself. I feel I've travelled everywhere because of the wonderful people I've met at Disneyland."

In 1965, on the occasion of Disneyland's "Tencennial," the 10th anniversary of the Park opening, Julie was a key part of the festivities. She appeared on the Wonderful World of Color episode "The Disneyland Tenth Anniversary Show," where Walt introduced her to Disney Legends such as John Hench and Marc Davis, while giving a preview of upcoming attractions such as the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. "The highlight of my year was to see Walt smiling ear to ear about a new idea—a new project—and feeling his boyish excitement," she later recalled.

Julie also attended several events related to the release of Mary Poppins. Her travels took her to most of the United States and several foreign nations, where she often accepted awards and honors on behalf of Walt. She logged more than 52,000 miles in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

After a year serving as Ambassador, Julie returned to her studies—despite attempts to convince her to stay with Disneyland. She would return on occasion to give tours to VIPs or attend special events, but eventually left California to raise a family in Virginia. She continues to hold fond memories of her time as Ambassador, and of her time spent with Walt. "He wasn't just a great creative person, he was a good 'common sense' person, and he was a person who was tenacious about wanting to get something right, doing the right thing, being there at the right moment—it all meant so much to him. And that was something that we shared, and he realized it, and I realized it, so that was a quick bond for the two of us."

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Randy Bright (1938–1990)
Imagineering • 2005

"The summer of 1959 was a very special one for me," Randy Bright recalled in 1987. "As a college undergraduate, I had enlisted in the Navy—the Disneyland Navy—and was scheduled for active duty aboard the sailing ship Columbia, the newest vessel to ply Frontierland's Rivers of America." Randy subsequently worked on nearly every attraction in the Park, even roaming Tomorrowland as Disneyland's costumed spaceman.

Born in Long Beach, California in 1938, Randy attended California State University, Fullerton, earning a B.A. in political science. It was at this time that Randy met his wife, Pat, then a Disneyland tour guide, while both were working in the Park. In 1965, Randy moved into a full-time position with Disneyland's Disney University, where he specialized in publications and audio-visual presentations.

In 1968, Marty Sklar brought Randy to Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) as a staff writer, working on shows for Disneyland and the then-in-development Walt Disney World. From 1973 to 1976, he was manager of Employee Communications at the Florida Disney University, after which he returned to California to lead the WDI Communications department.

As manager of concepts and communications, he also produced marketing films for the EPCOT project, then in the conceptual stage. Beginning in 1979, Randy served as director of scripts and show development, where he functioned as executive producer of film projects for Epcot Center, Tokyo Disneyland, and other Disney Theme Park projects.

In addition, he served as writer and show producer for The American Adventure in World Showcase at Epcot.

In 1983, he was promoted to vice president, concept development, responsible for overseeing the development of all major shows and attractions for Disney Parks. In 1987, Randy was again promoted, to executive producer, Disneyland and Walt Disney World Theme Parks.

For nearly two years, Randy researched, developed, and wrote the 1987 book, Disneyland: The Inside Story, an Imagineer's-eye view of the first Disney Park. Randy also served as coordinating producer on The Disneyland Story, an hour-long special for the Disney Channel.

On May 29, 1990, Randy Bright was tragically struck and killed in a bicycling accident near his Yorba Linda, California, home.

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Dorothea Redmond (1910–2009)
Imagineering • 2008

Artist Dorothea Redmond was well known at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) for her skills as a painter and illustrator. "All the great art directors, like Bill Martin and Harper Goff, wanted Dorothea's design illustrations," Disney Legend and former Imagineering ambassador Marty Sklar once said.

Dorothea was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 18, 1910. After receiving her degree in interior design from the USC School of Architecture and attending Art Center College, Dorothea went to work for producer David O. Selznick.

At Selznick International, she contributed to The Young in Heart, Gone with The Wind, and Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca. Dorothea also worked at RKO with famed French director Jean Renoir, at Universal Studios, and at Paramount. An especially fond Paramount memory was the "great sets" of The Road to Bali with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. After working with Charlie Chaplin on Limelight and with Hitchcock again on Rear Window (1954), Dorothea joined an architectural firm.

Tired of "ten years of working weekends to meet Monday deadlines," the artist joined WDI in October of 1964. Some of her first Disney work involved the transformation of Disneyland's Red Wagon Inn Restaurant into the sumptuously appointed Plaza Inn. Working with art director John Hench, Dorothea transformed the Inn into a graceful dining facility that was one of Walt's favorite spots to host guests.

Her next project was to design interior settings for New Orleans Square. Dorothea did many interior and exterior views of the area restaurants and shops, her evocative style bringing a rich reality to the finished work.

"A Dorothea Redmond watercolor painting is a wonder to behold," Disney artist and historian Stacia Martin once said. "The exquisite detail coaxed from the elusive medium combines with a flawless sense of color and light to create not just illustrations, but living environments."

Working with art directors Bill Martin and Bob Brown, as well as with Walt himself, Dorothea developed the interior paintings of the Royal Suite, a Disney family hideaway atop New Orleans Square, once the home of The Disney Gallery and currently the Disneyland "Dream Suite."

Dorothea remained at WDI to work on the Walt Disney World project in Florida, where her work was varied and prolific, including moody studies for Fantasyland, renderings for an architecturally opulent Main Street, and Adventureland area development that communicated a feminine and ethereal mood of exotica.

"Her watercolor sketches were extraordinary placemaking," Marty Sklar once said. "They expressed the concept so beautifully you felt you had already 'been there' in her restaurants and shop interiors, Walt's suite for New Orleans Square, or along the promenade in Epcot's World Showcase."

She designed the elaborate murals in the entry passage through Cinderella Castle. The five fifteen-by-ten-foot panels were realized in a million pieces of multicolored Italian glass, real silver, and 14-karat gold, and were duplicated for Tokyo Disneyland a decade later. "She combines her knowledge of space and structure with a stylized storytelling experience evoking the animated film—yet giving it a new, illuminated elegance," Stacia Martin later said.

Dorothea retired in June of 1974. Her work was later featured in the exhibit Casting a Shadow: Creating the Alfred Hitchcock Film, organized by the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, in collaboration with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library.

Dorothea passed away at age 98 on February 27, 2009 at her home in the Hollywood Hills.

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Bob Allen (1932–1987)
Attractions • 1996

Bob Allen began working with Disney in 1955 as a ride operator at Disneyland. Eventually, he rose through the ranks to become vice president of Walt Disney World. Still, he remained a modest and low-key executive, who gained the respect of Central Florida's government and community. Civic-minded, Bob regularly volunteered to serve the state and the Orlando community. Among his posts, he served as chairman of the Central Florida Economic Development Advisory Council and member of the Governor's Committee on the Future. He was among Disney's greatest goodwill ambassadors.

In 1987, the Orlando Sentinel described Bob as a person "who knew how to be successful and compassionate at the same time." Fellow Disney Legend Joe Potter recalled that same year, "He was a great, great lover of people, and he showed it. When you met Bob Allen, he acted like you were the first person he ever met." Former Florida Governor Reubin Askew added, "Bob was an outstanding person. He did a tremendous job for Disney and beyond that he was a very warm human being."

Born in Corona, California, on February 4, 1932, Bob served in the United States Navy for four years during the Korean War. After the war, while majoring in physical education at Long Beach State College, he applied for a job at Disneyland on a "lark."

He won a position working on the Casey Jr. Circus Train in Fantasyland, charged with blowing a whistle if anyone fell off of the train.

During those early years he held a variety of posts, including manager of the Golden Horseshoe Revue and manager of guest relations. By 1963, he advanced to production coordinator at Disneyland. In 1964, Bob moved to Denver, Colorado, where he managed Disney's first venture into family recreation and location-based entertainment—the Celebrity Sports Center. Under his able guidance, the Center became a financial success. Then, in 1968, he returned to Disneyland to serve as staff assistant to the vice president of Disneyland and director of General Services. In that position, he helped prepare for the opening of Walt Disney World in Florida.

In 1970, Bob moved to Florida to serve as director of General Services for Walt Disney World and was later named vice president of its Resorts Division. He was elected chairman of the Walt Disney World Operating Committee in 1973, and on January 1, 1977, was promoted to vice president of Walt Disney World. In that position, he supervised the Park's day-to-day operations, as well as its long-range development, until he passed away on November 8, 1987.

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Ron Dominguez (1935–2021)
Parks & Resorts • 2000

Former executive vice president of Walt Disney Attractions, Ron Dominguez is a "native Disneylander." His family originally owned and lived on 10 acres of the orange grove-covered property that was purchased by Walt Disney for his theme park in 1954.

"Our house was located right about where the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean and Cafe Orleans are today," he once recalled. "The day we moved out, in August of 1954, we were walking in ditches and holes. Things were popping up around us because construction had to move ahead. They built Disneyland in a year."

Ron, his mother and brother all grew up on the Anaheim property. They had inherited it from Ron's grandfather, who had purchased 30 acres of land in the area in the late 1800s. The day they moved away was bittersweet; as Ron recalled, "It was a very emotional day."

Born on August 10, 1935, Ron later attended Anaheim High School and the University of Arizona, where he studied business administration. Then, on July 13, 1955, just four days before Disneyland opened, 20-year-old Ron took a summer job as a ticket taker at the new theme park. He found that Walt had moved his family's two-story, Spanish-style house behind Main Street, U.S.A. for use as administrative offices.

Ron gives his former boss Doc Lemmon credit for encouraging him to extend his summer job. Within one year of joining Disney, he had been trained on every attraction and was named temporary supervisor of Main Street, U.S.A.

One of his most memorable stints was working as Davy Crockett on the Keel Boats. Dressed in a coonskin cap, Ron was a popular target for photographers. He didn't relish the attention, and quickly asked for a transfer.

In 1957, Ron became assistant supervisor of Frontierland and went on to supervise Adventureland and Frontierland before being named supervisor of Tomorrowland in 1962. That same year, he became general supervisor of the west side of the Park and was later promoted to its manager.

By 1970, Ron was appointed director of operations, and, four years later, was named vice president of Disneyland and chairman of the park operating committee. In 1990, he was named executive vice president, Walt Disney Attractions, West Coast.

Throughout his career, Ron developed strong relations with the City of Anaheim, devoting hours of service to local organizations and helping pave the way toward creation of a second local theme park, Disney's California Adventure.

After 39 years of service to The Walt Disney Company, Ron Dominguez retired in August of 1994.

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Hideo Amemiya (1944–2001)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

"Life is a journey, not a destination," said Hideo Amemiya, a 30-year cast member and one of Disneyland's most distinguished senior leaders.

Born in Tokyo on September 4, 1944, Hideo graduated from Rikkyo University in Tokyo with a bachelor's degree in social science, and the University of Massachusetts, with a bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant management.

He joined The Walt Disney Company in 1971 at the Polynesian Hotel at Walt Disney World. "When Walt Disney World opened, the Magic Kingdom and its operational standards were modeled after the original Disneyland in California," Hideo recalled. "However, Disney had never operated a hotel, so it took some time for true Disney philosophy to become integrated into a hotel operation."

He was director of resort operations at Walt Disney World in Florida when he joined the first Tokyo Disneyland team.

"I assisted both Disney and the Oriental Land Company [owner and operator of Tokyo Disneyland] during the negotiations to ensure that there was a clear understanding on both sides. I also assisted WDI in discussions with our artists and designers for a clearer understanding of the Japanese culture so that the portrayals of the culture could be properly produced."

He went on to executive positions at Disney resorts in his native Japan and then in Anaheim. Prior to his promotion in 2000 to senior vice president of Disneyland Resort hotels, he was vice president and general manager of the Disneyland Hotel. In his final role, he was in charge of operations and of the 7,000 employees at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel, and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel.

Hideo was known as a man of wit, energy, and vision whose enthusiasm for Disney projects never flagged. His zeal was contagious; he never had trouble getting people on board his projects. An active community member, Hideo was involved with many business and civic organizations, serving on the board of directors of the Anaheim Visitor and Convention Bureau and the Anaheim Hotel-Motel Association.

Hideo Amemiya passed away on February 17, 2001.

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Herb Ryman (1910–1989)
Imagineering • 1990

In 1953, Walt Disney asked Herb Ryman to sketch an idea for an amusement park that would appeal to both children and adults. Over a single weekend—and with Walt looking over his shoulder—Herb took a small carbon pencil and illustrated Walt's dreams on paper. Within two years, those dreams were transformed into reality and Disneyland became the first theme park of its kind in the world.

Herb had an uncanny knack for translating Walt's ideas into drawings. Perhaps this was because, like Walt, he was a child at heart. Disney Legend Marty Sklar, a former president of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), once said:

"Herbie was like our own little Tinker Bell at WDI. He was always sprinkling pixie dust on everyone and he never grew up. He had a tremendous curiosity for everything and everybody."

Born June 28, 1910, in Vernon, Illinois, Herbert Dickens Ryman graduated from Chicago Art Institute with honors before moving to Hollywood in 1932. He worked as a storyboard illustrator at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on such classics as Mutiny on the Bounty, David Copperfield, and The Good Earth. The latter film, set in China, inspired Herb to take a year off and travel the world. He chronicled his 1937 trip by recording his impressions in a sketchbook.

The next year, back in Los Angeles, Herb met Walt Disney for the first time at a gallery exhibit of his work. Walt was so impressed with the paintings on display that he invited Herb to join the Walt Disney Studio. While Herb went on to serve as an art director for such feature-length animated classics as Fantasia and Dumbo, Disneyland became the centerpiece of his Disney career. Among his contributions were designs for Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and New Orleans Square. In 1988, his 1964 painting of New Orleans Square was selected by the State Department for display at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Herb also contributed concepts for the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and for attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

A prolific artist outside of Disney, Herb produced watercolors, oil paintings, acrylics, and charcoal sketches that were collected by such luminaries as Mrs. William Guggenheim, Cecil B. DeMille, and John and Lionel Barrymore.

Herb retired in 1971 only to return a few years later as a full-time consultant, sketching numerous conceptual drawings for EPCOT Center. His work for that park included detailed park renderings as well as inspirational paintings for the American Adventure and China pavilions, among others. He also developed the popular Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World and the Meet the World attraction at Tokyo Disneyland.

Herb Ryman passed away on February 10, 1989, in Los Angeles, while still at work on ideas for Disneyland Paris.

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Jack Olsen (1923–1980)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

The window on Main Street in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom reads, "Olsen's Imported Novelties & Souvenirs, 'World's Largest Collection of Keychains,' Jack Olsen 'The Merchant Prince.'" The window is a playful tribute to the 22-year Disney career of the man who stocked the shelves at Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom with T-shirts, plush toys, ceramics, books, toys, and yes, key chains, for two decades.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1923, Jack moved to California in 1926. Following graduation from Grossmont High School, Jack attended Penn State College, where he majored in mathematics.

He served four years in the Armed Forces during World War II, for which he received two Purple Hearts and two Presidential citations while a tech sergeant with the 78th Infantry Division in Europe.

After the War, he managed artists' supply stores and art galleries in the Los Angeles area, and had his own ceramics manufacturing and importing firm. He was, throughout his life, an artist, painting in oils and watercolors, and creating in ceramics and other art media.

Employed in early 1955 as a background artist at the Walt Disney Studios, Jack soon became manager of stores then operated by the Studio at Disneyland. He was transferred to Disneyland's Merchandising Division in 1960 as manager of Product and Project Design and Development. In 1964, he became director of the Merchandising Division, and held that position until 1970 when, as vice president of merchandising, he contributed his many talents to the successful opening and operation of Walt Disney World.

Jack Olsen retired from Walt Disney World in 1977. He passed away in April 1980.

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Mary Jones (1915–2008)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

In the late 1940s, Mary Jones, who was born in 1915, began a job that eventually led her to work at Disneyland. "I worked for the Anaheim Truck and Transfer Company, which was owned by the Mayor of Anaheim, Charles A. Pearson," Mary explained. "During those years I met Ed Ettinger, who was Disneyland's director of the Public Relations division. I resigned from the trucking company in 1956, so I could be at home with our three daughters."

Mary promised to let Ed know if she ever planned to work again, so she called his office in 1962 and left word that she would return to work in September. Ed offered her a job, and on Disneyland's seventh anniversary, Mary accepted a job at the Park as a Secretary.

In September, Ettinger asked Mary to assume responsibility for Disneyland Community Relations. That included administering the Community Service Awards, which had been initiated in 1957. Mary accepted the challenge, but explained that she "also enrolled in public relations courses at USC and UCLA in order to do the best job possible."

Mary once said, "My philosophy on our responsibility has always been that good community relations is making sure that Disneyland is a good neighbor and citizen, and if we can do that, it benefits the community, our cast members, and Disneyland."

In addition to such programs as the Community Service Awards, Mary initiated and supervised the Operation Christmas program and the Community Action Team.

International relations was also an important part of Mary's work. "Because we are such an international institution, dignitaries and visitors who come to our country want to see Disneyland," Mary recalled. Working with the State Department and as liaison to the Los Angeles Consular Corps and the San Francisco consulates, which have jurisdiction over Orange County, Mary coordinated visits to the Park by heads of state, royalty, and other important foreign dignitaries. Because of this knowledge, Mary was "on loan" during her final year at Disneyland to the County of Orange, to establish an official protocol for the County.

After nearly a quarter of a century of distinguished service to the Park, Mary retired in February of 1986. Her year-long "loan" to the County continued for almost another decade, during which Mary established the Orange County Office of Protocol and served as its chief.

On her retirement from the Park, Mary reflected not on her own achievements, but her appreciation of Disneyland teamwork. "Because of our department's unique responsibilities, we've had to rely on the help and cooperation of all the divisions—and they've always come through. It has truly been a joy."

Mary Jones passed away on May 23, 2008.

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Roger Broggie (1908–1991)
Imagineering • 1990

As Walt Disney's original Imagineer, Roger Broggie built everything from steam locomotives to electronic robots that could sing and dance. Gifted with mechanical genius, there wasn't anything Roger couldn't do or figure out how to do. He epitomized the essence of Disney Imagineering—"the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how."

When Roger was honored at the Disney Legends Awards on October 18, 1990, company Chairman Michael Eisner said, "Any mechanical things you had to do, what you said was, 'Call Roger, he'll know how to fix it.' Without him, Disneyland wouldn't have happened."

Born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1908, Roger graduated from Mooseheart High School in Illinois in 1927. Having received vocational machine shop training, he moved to Los Angeles where he worked for such companies as Technicolor and Bell and Howell. In 1932, he built and operated a rear-projection system for Teague Process Company at General Service Studios. During this period, Roger worked on films for Walter Wanger, David O. Selznick, and Charlie Chaplin.

By invitation of a friend who worked at Disney, Roger joined the Studio as a precision machinist in 1939. Among his first assignments was installing the complicated multiplane animation camera equipment at Disney's new Burbank lot. He later worked closely with fellow Disney Legend Ub Iwerks to develop rear-screen special effects, camera cranes, and high-speed optical printers.

In 1949, Roger helped Walt build his own miniature trains in the Studio Machine Shop and went on to install Walt's backyard railroad at his Holmby Hills home. Later, Roger was instrumental in developing the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad in Anaheim.

Roger was promoted to head of the Studio Machine Shop in 1950. Under his able direction, the shop's responsibilities expanded in four years from creating special effects for films such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to producing attractions for Disneyland. These included the Monorail system and Matterhorn Bobsleds, as well as new film processes and techniques like Circle-Vision 360—a motion picture format with screens that completely surround the audience.

In 1951, Walt assigned Roger to work on "Project Little Man;" along with fellow Imagineer Wathel Rogers, Roger constructed a nine-inch tall figure of a man that moved and talked; it became the prototype of Audio-Animatronics® technology. In 1963, Roger and his department completed Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the first application of Audio-Animatronics technology to a life-sized human figure. The show premiered at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair.

In 1973, Roger turned his attention to planning for EPCOT Center until, after dedicating more than 35 years to the Company, he retired in 1975. The Walt Disney World Railroad steam engine No. 3 is named the Roger E. Broggie in his honor.

Roger Broggie passed away on November 4, 1991, in Los Angeles.

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Hideo Aramaki (1915–2005)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

In 1964, Hideo "Indian" Aramaki was offered the job as chef of the Disneyland Tahitian Terrace. "I took a cut in pay," Indian recalled, "but when I saw the cleanliness of the kitchen, the equipment and the way things were run, I was happy." Two years later he was promoted to executive chef over all the food establishments in Disneyland, a post he held until his retirement in 1985.

Hideo, who was born September 2, 1915, played semi-pro baseball in 1935 with the Cleveland Indians. They dubbed him "Indian"—the same nickname he had been given by boyhood pals in his town of Puunene, Hawaii. Many years later, Walt Disney asked Hideo if he was actually Indian, and he replied that he was Japanese. Walt liked the nickname, though, and ordered a new name tag for Indian.

To this day, he is one of the only Disneyland employees who has been allowed to wear a tag with a nickname.

Considering the awards and honors that Indian gathered over the years, it's hard to believe this culinary expert had no formal training. In fact, the long road to his career as a chef began humbly enough soon after his graduation from high school, in the sugar cane fields of Maui, where he went to work to help support his family.

Though Indian was considered twice for the major leagues, he never made it because of racial barriers of the time. When World War II broke out, Indian and his wife, Keiko, were interned in Poston, Arizona. Finally, because Indian's brother was in the Army infantry, they were released from the camp.

After a brief stay in New York, Indian moved to Chicago, where he began his career in the kitchen. "Imagine a Japanese named Indian starting a Jewish-Chinese restaurant on Chicago's south side," he chuckled. "I didn't know much about cooking, but my wife did." Indian proved to be a quick study. The family soon moved back to California when Indian was appointed executive chef of the Kono Hawaii Restaurant in Santa Ana.

Then he came to Disneyland, where he cooked for numerous celebrities and visiting dignitaries such as Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako of Japan.

Though Indian had no formal training of his own, he helped to train many other chefs, including several at Tokyo Disneyland and Epcot Center. Even though the food is produced in quantity, he emphasized the need to maintain uniformity and high standards. "Simple, good food cooked and served right," he said. "That's the main thing."

"Never stop learning," he was quick to add. "Always try to do better."

Hideo Aramaki passed away on September 7, 2005.

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Buzz Price (1921–2010)
Imagineering • 2003

Research economist Harrison "Buzz" Price helped Walt Disney hand pick the optimum locations for Disneyland in 1953 and Walt Disney World in 1963, among other projects. And over time, he became one of Walt's most trusted advisors.

A month prior to his death in 1966, Walt personally appointed Buzz to care for one of his most prized projects, the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia. CalArts was to be a unique educational concept that would "cross fertilize" disciplines in art, design, music, dance, film, video, and theater.

More than 30 years after its 1971 opening, Buzz remained a dedicated trustee of CalArts. He said at the time, "I have never thought of leaving the school."

Born in Oregon City, Oregon, on May 17, 1921, Buzz moved with his family to San Diego, California, in 1930. He graduated as an engineer from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena in 1942. He took a job as a sales engineer in South America and returned to the United States three years later to attend Stanford University, where he received his Masters in Business Administration in 1951.

Buzz went on to join the Stanford Research Institute, where he was contracted by Walt and Roy O. Disney to determine the economic feasibility of and the best location for a new project, Disneyland. As Buzz recalled, "I asked Walt if he had a bias about its location. Did he have any thoughts about where he thought it ought to be. He said, 'Absolutely not. You tell me where the best location is.'"

After concentrating on Orange County, Buzz analyzed ten potential sites in that metropolitan area. Considerations included population, accessibility, climate factors, and more. Ultimately, Buzz, Walt, and Roy selected 160 acres of orange grove in Anaheim, near the new Santa Ana Freeway, as the ideal location for Disneyland.

This land purchase marked the Company's first exercise in sophisticated location analysis and acquisition. Disneyland launched as the best-attended park in the world with about four million in attendance during its first year. Its attendance grew steadily over the next 37 years, at a compound rate of four percent, according to Buzz.

Walt respected Buzz's talent and encouraged him to form his own firm, offering a three-year contract for research time. So, in 1958, he founded Economics Research Associates (ERA) and conducted studies for Walt Disney World and Epcot Center near Orlando, Florida. He also conducted evaluating studies for CalArts and for Walt's proposed Mineral King project, a unique Swiss-themed ski resort that would be located near Sequoia National Park in California. Walt's premature death, however, marked the end of the project.

In all, Buzz conducted over 150 project studies for The Walt Disney Company, including site selection and feasibility for Tokyo Disneyland. His numerous non-Disney projects include master planning eight world's fairs, including Seattle and San Antonio; site and economic feasibility studies for Six Flags theme parks and Sea World parks; and planning studies for winter resorts, including Vail in Colorado.

Buzz received a lifetime achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association in 1994; the award was subsequently re-named "The Buzz Price Thea Award" in his honor. In 2003, Buzz authored his autobiography, Walt's Revolution by the Numbers, published by Ripley's Entertainment, which tells how Walt and Roy approached strategic planning issues and the impact of their innovation in the attraction field.

Buzz Price passed away on August 15, 2010, in Pomona, California.

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Chuck Abbott
Parks & Resorts • 2005

There aren't many people whose careers include roadside service on a superhighway, bobsledding on the mighty Matterhorn, piloting a launch down mysterious jungle rivers, setting sail with bloodthirsty pirates, and preparing astronauts for their space adventures. Chuck Abbott did all those things and more, though, during his 36 years as one of Disneyland's foremost Attractions Hosts.

Chuck entered the Disneyland on-ramp on August 10, 1955, as a ride operator on Autopia. "In the days when there was no track, and cast members had to be quick on their feet to avoid a collision with oncoming guests," he once recalled.

Chuck made his way around the attractions of the young Park, "working wherever I was put," he said.

Although Chuck worked directly with Walt Disney Imagineering on the Pirates of the Caribbean during its planning and construction, and was made opening foreman for the attraction in 1967, Chuck maintained that his most memorable moment at Disney was meeting his future wife, Norma, who also worked at the Park.

In 1969, Chuck was named "Foreman of the Year" at the Matterhorn. In 1977, he was foreman for the opening of Space Mountain, and returned to the Matterhorn for the big rehab and reopening of the attraction in 1978. During the course of his career, Chuck also served as foreman of the Submarine Voyage, Jungle Cruise, the now-defunct Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland, and many other attractions.

In 1987, Chuck conceived and initiated the cast member seeing-eye dog fund, which became a highly successful volunteer group.

Chuck's outside interests included travel, camping, and fishing. Those who worked with Chuck recall how much they enjoyed his sense of humor, and how deeply they respected his dedication and work ethic, and his comprehensive working knowledge of the attractions.

He was a member of Club 55, a group of original Disneyland Cast Members, named for Disneyland's inaugural year. In 1991, Chuck retired after 36 years with the Park, and moved to Utah, where he passed away on July 7, 2003.

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Bob Booth (1923–2009)
Imagineering • 2008

For nearly three decades, Bob Booth was the unwavering, steady-as-she-goes mechanical master whose work made practical all the dreams of the Disney Imagineers.

"Never brutal, always pragmatic, not the kind of boss that shop guys would fear but a boss you'd follow, because his strategies worked," summarized Disney Legend Bob Gurr.

"His pre-Disney experience included a passion for hot rods and high performance cars, especially those used to establish land speed records on courses similar to the Bonneville Salt Flats," recalled MAPO veteran Jim Verity. "He served in the United States Navy, and worked in other studios prior to his employment at Disney."

Bob, who was born in 1923, first joined Disney as a precision machinist in February 1957. He worked in the Studio's Camera Service department, where his work caught the eye of Disney Legend and mechanical genius Roger Broggie, who made Bob supervisor of the Studio Machine Shop in 1962.

In 1965, Bob was the man Roger Broggie selected to set up an innovative new multi-craft research and development and manufacturing subsidiary for Walt Disney Productions. "Roger told Bob to plan for building everything from animated birds to Monorail trains," said fellow Legend Orlando Ferrante, an engineering, design, and production master.

This subsidiary was known as MAPO, since much of its funding came from the phenomenal windfall created by the success of Mary Poppins; the acronym stood for Manufacturing and Production Organization. Much of Bob's planning for MAPO took place during 1965, prior to the conclusion of the extensive work for the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. Booth supervised the design and construction of an all-new state-of-the-art building adjacent to the headquarters of WED Enterprises, now Walt Disney Imagineering.

Booth had to incorporate such diverse features as a large production floor with a high center overhead hoist to lift steam engines, antique vehicles, ride systems and vehicles, monorail trains and heavy animated props. He also had to support research and development, electronic system design, model making, plastics production, hydraulic and pneumatic assembly, animation assembly areas, and welding and track bending, as well as attendant administrative offices, mechanical and electrical engineering offices, and a huge drafting room—it all had to fit in one building.

For the next 20 years Bob played a major role in all phases of manufacturing for Disney Parks around the world. "Bob was Broggie's main man on the shop floor, leading all the production departments at MAPO," Gurr once said. "He was a good instructor, and was able to organize manufacturing teams to support each other," Verity once recalled.

Bob retired in 1985, "with the appropriate amount of celebration to recognize his outstanding contribution to The Walt Disney Company," Ferrante later said with a smile. Roger Broggie even presented a plaque to Bob, nicknaming him "MAPO ONE."

"Bob was always the 'quiet' one Roger looked to for getting everything done," Orlando recalled fondly. "He always got the job done."

"Artists and designers get a lot of attention in creating Disney Parks," Disney Legend and former Imagineering ambassador Marty Sklar said. "The similarly innovative, creative, and fascinating work of our manufacturing and production entities—and the work of steadfast guys like Bob Booth—often gets lost to the limelight. But without them, the dreams of the designers would never see the light of practical application."

Bob passed away on April 5, 2009.

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Alice Estes Davis (1929–2022)
Imagineering • 2004

At Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), Alice Estes Davis was the original "designing woman." Married to Disney Legend Marc Davis, she enjoyed a fashionable Disney career of her own, designing and dressing animated figures for such beloved Disneyland attractions as it's a small world and Pirates of the Caribbean. As Alice recalled with a gleam in her eye, "I went from sweet little children to dirty old men over night."

Born in Escalon, California, in 1929, she received a scholarship to attend Chouinard Art Institute, the renowned training ground for Disney artists, from the Long Beach Art Association in 1947. There, she met future husband, Marc, who served as an instructor at Chouinard for more than 17 years.

Alice launched her career designing women's lingerie and undergarments for the Beverly Vogue & Lingerie House in Los Angeles and was quickly promoted to head designer. As her career progressed, she designed two lines of fashion lingerie and earned a reputation as an expert pattern maker and authority on uses of fabrics.

One day, she received a call from her former art instructor and future husband, Marc. He needed a costume designed and created for Helene Stanley to wear for some live-action reference footage being filmed to inspire his animation of the lead character Briar Rose in Sleeping Beauty.

Alice recalled, "Marc wanted to see how the skirt worked in live dance steps, and that was my first job at Disney." That job led Alice to design costumes for Disney's live-action motion picture Toby Tyler.

In 1963, Walt Disney recruited Alice to contribute her skill to the attraction it's a small world for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Collaborating with art designer and Disney Legend Mary Blair, Alice researched, designed, and supervised the creation of more than 150 highly detailed costumes for the Audio-Animatronics® children of the world.

During this time, Alice also formulated costuming procedures, set up a manufacturing base, and developed quality control refurbishing techniques, which established the standards for three-dimensional characters in rides and shows created by WDI.

In 1965, she translated the pirates' attire from Marc's original drawings of the shiver-me-timbers cast and crew into clothing designs and patterns for all of the costumes featured in Pirates of the Caribbean. Two years later, when the attraction opened at Disneyland, guests were dazzled by the animated figures and their colorful, textured pirate-wear. Later, Alice contributed to General Electric's Carousel of Progress and the Flight to the Moon attractions.

Married in June 1956, Alice and Marc enjoyed a Disney fairy-tale-romance-come-true for 44 years until Marc's death in 2000. Alice has continued to consult for the Company, and remains a frequent face at Disneyland events. She was honored with a window on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland—next to her husband's window—on May 10, 2012.

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Jack Lindquist (1927–2016)
Attractions • 1994

Jack Lindquist was hired by Walt Disney as Disneyland's first advertising manager, and eventually played a key role in making the Park a world-famous tourist attraction. From marketing the original "E tickets" to lobbying for Disneyland's millennial expansion, Jack was involved in nearly every aspect of the theme park.

Known for his relatively hands-off management style, Jack was among the most beloved of Park executives. As Disneyland's former executive vice president Ron Dominquez once said, "Jack is Jack, no matter where he is or what he is doing. He respects people. He goes out of his way not to be set up on a pedestal."

Born in Chicago on March 15, 1927, Jack's family moved to Los Angeles when he was four. A child actor, he appeared as an extra in episodes of the Our Gang series, and, later, danced in the Lucille Ball film Best Foot Forward. After graduating from Hollywood High School, Jack spent two years in the U.S. Air Force and then completed his education at the University of Southern California.

In 1955, while working for a Los Angeles advertising firm, Jack acted as a consultant to one of Disneyland's original corporate participants. During a meeting at the Park prior to its opening, Jack "fell in love with the place." One month later, he was working there.

Jack took his first step up the Disneyland corporate ladder in 1965, when he became director of marketing. He later set the course for marketing Walt Disney World and, in 1972, was named vice president of marketing for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Four years later, he was named vice president of marketing for Walt Disney Attractions; in 1982, he was again promoted to executive vice president of marketing and entertainment for all of the Company's outdoor recreation activities.

Jack went on to set up the Marketing Division for Tokyo Disneyland, and as executive vice president of creative marketing concepts for Walt Disney Attractions he developed promotional and entertainment ideas for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. In 1990, Jack was named president of Disneyland, a position he called "the best job in the world!"

During his 38 years with the company, he spearheaded myriad Disney projects, including Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom Club, Disney Dollars, the Disneyland Pigskin Classic, the Ambassador Program, and Grad Nites. He also lobbied for expansion of Disneyland, and the development of a second theme park for Disneyland Resort.

Jack Lindquist retired on Mickey Mouse's 65th birthday, November 18, 1993. A month later, he was honored with a window on Main Street, which reads, "J.B. Lindquist, Honorary Mayor of Disneyland." Jack published his memoir, In Service to the Mouse, in 2010.

Jack passed away on February 28, 2016, at the age of 88.

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Jack Wagner (1925–1995)
Parks & Resorts • 2005

For more than two decades, Jack Wagner's cheerful, friendly tone vocally captured the Disney spirit, making announcements at the Disney Parks, in touring ice and arena shows, and doing voice-over for television programs, commercials, and audio-visual presentations.

Born December 17, 1925, Jack's French-born parents were both musicians; his late older brother, Roger, was director of the world famous Roger Wagner Chorale. Jack began his own performing career at age four, dubbing American-made movies into French for foreign release. As a teenager, he was an MGM contract player, and in the 1950s he made appearances on the classic TV program The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. He was also featured on The Ann Sothern Show, Sea Hunt, Dragnet, and other popular series of the decade. Los Angeles' top-ranked radio personality, Jack also had an interview show, Hollywood on a Silver Platter, that was syndicated to more than 1,200 radio stations worldwide.

Jack's association with Disneyland began in 1955 when he was invited to attend opening day. In the ensuing years, he did guest announcing and narration for Christmas parades and other special programs, coming on board full time as production consultant in 1970, and shortly thereafter being named park announcer as well. "From there, it just kind of snowballed," he recalled.

It has been said that no other man's voice has been heard over so many loudspeakers by so many people. Jack also produced music and sound for many of the parades and live shows at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, provided background music for the themed lands in those Parks and Tokyo Disneyland, and produced record albums featuring Park talent.

Jack's recording for Disney was done at his own studio, two miles from Disneyland, in rooms filled with sophisticated audio and video equipment and walls lined with memorabilia: Theme Park opening day tickets, a golden spike commemorating the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opening, posters, badges, clocks, and plaques of appreciation for his years of service.

Although vocal cord surgery forced his retirement in 1991, he continued to make short announcements for Disneyland.

Jack Wagner passed away on June 16, 1995.

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Bill Martin (1917–2010)
Imagineering • 1994

In 1953, while working at 20th Century Fox, Wilson E. "Bill" Martin received a surprise phone call: Walt Disney was seeking help to create his new theme park, Disneyland. Eager to expand his talent as an art director and set designer, Bill readily accepted the challenge. He went on to contribute to the designs of many attractions, including Sleeping Beauty Castle, Snow White's Adventures, Peter Pan's Flight, and more.

Born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on June 15, 1917, Bill and his family later moved to Los Angeles. In 1937, he graduated from Los Angeles Junior College and continued his studies in architecture at nearby Chouinard Art Institute and the Art Center School of Design.

After school, he landed a job as a set designer for 20th Century Fox. He left the studio during World War II to serve as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, where he trained pilots and bombardiers. Following the war, he worked for Panoramic Productions and eventually returned to Fox as an assistant art director.

When Bill first joined WED Enterprises, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering, he and other newly initiated Imagineers toured amusement parks across the country to fuel ideas for their new creative venture, Disneyland. Using the Studio's animated movies as the inspiration for attractions, they then helped Walt develop his three-dimensional world of fun and fantasy.

When Bill and the small group of Disney designers brainstormed together, Walt never knew what sort of wacky ideas they would devise.

As Bill once recalled with a chuckle, "One of our first ideas for Main Street was a corset shop called 'The Wizard of Bras.' For some reason, Walt didn't like it."

Walt did like Bill's creative genius, however, naming him art director of Fantasyland. Among his contributions included the layout of each Fantasyland attraction, and, later, the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail's course around the Park. He also contributed design elements to Carnation Plaza Gardens, Bear Country, New Orleans Square, Pirates of the Caribbean, Autopia, and Haunted Mansion.

In 1971, Bill was named vice president of design at WED Enterprises, overseeing the master layout of the Magic Kingdom for Walt Disney World in Florida. His design projects included Main Street, U.S.A., Cinderella Castle, the utilidors beneath the Magic Kingdom, and the canal systems which crisscross Walt Disney World's 27,000-acre property. He also designed various watercraft, including the Admiral Joe Fowler and Richard F. Irvine riverboats, steam launches, and side-wheel steamboats.

In 1977, after 24 years with the company, Bill Martin retired. He returned, however, to consult on such projects as the Mexico and Italy Pavilions for Epcot Center and the master layout of Tokyo Disneyland.

Bill Martin passed away on August 2, 2010.

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Yale Gracey (1910–1983)
Animation & Imagineering • 1999

Always interested in devising gadgets and building models, layout artist Yale Gracey's office at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank was always cluttered with his lunch-hour experiments. One Saturday afternoon, as Walt Disney made his rounds through the deserted offices to see what his staff was working on during the week, he came across one of Yale's mock-ups which featured the illusion of falling snow. Impressed, Walt later asked the gadgeteer to help research and develop attractions for Disneyland.

John Hench, former senior vice president of creative development at Walt Disney Imagineering, once recalled, "Whenever we needed a special effect, we went to Yale. Sometimes it took a while to get what we were asking for; however, along the way he'd develop other marvelous effects we could use. I remember one time we asked him to create a particular illusion and in the process of experimenting he developed a gopher bomb, which we all used in our yards. It worked very well!"

The son of an American consul, Yale was born in Shanghai, China, on September 3, 1910. He attended an English boarding school and, after graduation, moved to the United States. There, he attended the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles.

In 1939, Yale joined The Walt Disney Studios as a layout artist working on the animated classic Pinocchio. He did the same for Fantasia. He also contributed to the layouts and backgrounds of animated shorts featuring Donald Duck and other characters.

In 1961, Yale began the second and most significant stage of his Disney career as a special effects and lighting artist at Walt Disney Imagineering, then called WED Enterprises. With no special effects training other than his own hands-on experimentation, Yale worked as a research and development designer creating illusions. These included the "grim, grinning ghosts" featured in the Haunted Mansion and the flames of the burning city in Pirates of the Caribbean. He also contributed to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair attractions, including the Carousel of Progress; for that show, he developed a pixie dust projector that blocked out everything on stage during scene changes via the illusion of glimmering pixie dust. The technology is also used in Space Mountain to block out the surrounding roller coaster structure.

After 36 years with the company, Yale retired on October 4, 1975. He continued to consult on special effects and lighting for attractions at Walt Disney World and Epcot Center, including the breathtaking "CenterCore" finale of the World of Motion attraction.

Yale Gracey passed away in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 1983.

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Collin Campbell (1926–2011)
Imagineering • 2013

Born November 11, 1926, in St. Charles, Michigan, Collin Campbell was a farm boy who found his way to California. He attended half-day sessions at Glendale's Hoover High School while working on the Disney lot, where he started as a messenger in 1943. In 1944, at the age of 17, he was drafted into the Navy where he would serve for two years. Ironically, he would be assigned into a unit alongside fellow Disney mail clerk and future artist and Disney Legend Walt Peregoy.

Collin returned briefly to the Studio's Traffic Department after he left the service in 1946, but soon resigned to spend four years at the School of Allied Arts in Glendale, California. To put himself through school, he worked at the campus art store and took custom framing jobs.

After five months back at Disney in 1952, where he worked as an apprentice inbetweener for the Animation Department, Collin left again to spend a year in Paris. In November 1953, he returned to the Studio to stay. He began work as an inbetweener, but soon switched to the Layout Department as an apprentice. There, he worked on such projects as Lady and the Tramp (1955), The Truth About Mother Goose (1957), Sleeping Beauty (1959), Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959), Goliath II (1960), and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). Collin also contributed layout and backgrounds for Ward Kimball's groundbreaking "Man in Space" episodes for Walt's Disneyland television program.

His contributions reached beyond animated productions. Working with art director Bruce Bushman, Collin designed many of the iconic sets for the Mickey Mouse Club (1955) including the Mouseketeer Treasure Mine and Dry Gulch, site of the weekly "Talent Roundup." He contributed costume sketches for live-action productions, and did matte and developmental work with artist Peter Ellenshaw for projects like The Light in the Forest (1958) and Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959).

Collin then started at WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering), which was gearing up production on a slate of attractions for the 1964–65 New York World's Fair. It wasn't the first work he'd done for WED, though; as early as 1954 he had helped create paintings of concept art to help sell the park to financiers.

Collin's first full-time assignment was the Enchanted Tiki Room, which he helped develop.

For the World's Fair he sculpted cavemen for Ford's Magic Skyway, built models and sets for It's a Small World, and designed concept art for the Carousel of Progress. With Claude Coats he developed Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland; Collin built the model for the attraction's Blue Bayou area and designed its trademark flat-bottomed boats. At the same time he helped design the fabled Club 33, for which he hand-painted a scene of the Mississippi River and Jackson Square on the inside lid of Lillian Disney's harpsichord.

Collin even contributed the spooky illustrations for the beloved "The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion" album book (1969), which became a favorite keepsake for generations of Disneyland fans.

For Walt Disney World in Florida, Collin developed much of the overall feel for the resort and Magic Kingdom Park. He created concept art for the resort hotels, the Fort Wilderness Railroad, and unbuilt concepts for Treasure Island. He also served as field art director on Tom Sawyer Island, and designed the unique entrance and queue for Florida's Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

Later work included renderings and concept art for the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) and illustrations of a proposed 1920s-era Main Street, U.S.A. for Disneyland Paris. After serving as art director for Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park, Collin retired in 1990—only to return to supervise a renovation of Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland.

Collin passed away in Lighthouse Point, Florida, on April 2, 2011.

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Legends on the Lot
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November 5, 2016: Burny Mattinson (Animation • 2008), Ruthie Tompson (Animation • 2000), Andreas Deja (Animation • 2015), Glen Keane (Animation • 2013).
November 10, 2016: Karen Dotrice (Film & Television • 2004), David Stollery (Film & Television • 2006), Regis Philbin (Television • 2011).
January 19, 2017: Marge Champion (Animation • 2007), Floyd Norman (Animation • 2007), Tony Baxter (Imagineering • 2013).

The Fabled Walt Disney Studios Lot, a carefully designed space of functionally connected structures of terra-cotta, cream, and green set in a sylvan glen of tree-lined walkways and manicured lawns, was carefully designed as the perfect environment for the nurturing of ideas, the unlocking of imaginations. For 77 years, this one-of-a-kind creative utopia is where some of the greatest family entertainment the world has ever seen has been produced—from Fantasia, Bambi, and Mary Poppins to unforgettable music, iconic television shows, and Disneyland.

The Disney Legends who recently joined us on The Walt Disney Studios lot epitomize the broad range of talents it takes to create the kind of inimitable entertainment that is the hallmark of The Walt Disney Company—a talented dancer and voice actor, unforgettable actors who have delivered iconic performances, one of the greatest television hosts ever, legendary animators, and one of the most-accomplished songwriters in America's songbook.

"'Today, the studio looks a lot smaller than it does in my childhood memories," says Karen Dotrice, beloved the world over for her performances as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins, Mary MacDhui in The Three Lives of Thomasina, and Elizabeth in The Gnome-Mobile. "As a child it seemed huge and insurmountable, except everybody was just so friendly. You always felt like you were part of the family. And that was thanks to Uncle Walt making us feel that way." Actor David Stollery says returning to the Studios lot reminds him of the "many times he met Mr. Disney" and of another special moment. "When I was doing Westward Ho the Wagons!, I got to meet Davy Crockett [Fess Parker]. That was a big thrill."

"These two got started in the business when they were so young." laughs Regis Philbin. "I started in this business when I was what… 85? It's amazing to meet these two again. I was on television; these two were here!"

Animators Burny Mattinson, Glen Keane, and Andreas Deja know a thing or three million about animating characters. After all, they've animated such iconic characters as Gaston, Jafar, and Scar (Andreas); Beast, Aladdin, and Tarzan (Glen), and developed stories for many Disney classics, including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, and many more (Burny). "Story is the biggest challenge we always have," Burny says. "Technology will always change, but the importance of story is constant."

"And what makes story work," Glen adds, "are characters. You cant have character animation without the story, but without the character you dont have the story. What [Disney Legend and one of the Nine Old Men] Eric Larson called the 'sincerity of character' has to be there."

"I wish the public could see the storyboards," says Ruthie Tompson, who joined the Studios' Ink & Paint Department in 1927, eventually becoming supervisor of the Scene Planning Department. "When they see the films, they don't see the overall art of animation. If audiences saw the storyboards, they'd see how animators decided which gestures work, which don't. I mean the movies are awesome in themselves but the overall process and art of animation is so amazing."

"Family entertainment has always been the hallmark of Disney," says Floyd Norman, an animator and story artist who worked on such films as One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, and The Jungle Book. "Walt wanted entertainment that the whole family could enjoy. That's why Disneyland is such a huge success. It's not just for kids. Its for everyone. Walt knew that and embraced that. I always kept that in mind when I did my job."

Says former Imagineer Tony Baxter, "My career has centered on the theme parks. Theme parks are physical places and motion pictures are shared experiences, but they both offer the chance for all family members to enjoy a common experience. So the challenge," he adds, "is in finding new ways to make that work in this ever-changing world."

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Regis Philbin (1931–2020)
Television

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Burny Mattinson (1935–2023)
Animation

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Ruthie Tompson (1910–2021)
Animation

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Marge Champion (1919–2020)
Animation

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The PhilharMagic Makers
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September 7, 2016: Richard Sherman (Music • 1990)

The ones of Disney are often cried as making up the Great American Songbook." With that in mind, these Legends have crafted the music of our lives not just for people in America, but around the world. From "Some Day My Prince Will Come," "Once Upon a Dream," and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" to "You've Got a Friend in Me, "Circle of Life," and "Part of Your World," these musical masters have penned hundreds of treasured classics that have become a part of the global jukebox. While their songs have been an integral part of favorite films, beloved theme park attractions, and must-see television series, they have also provided the backdrop for many of our life celebrations: weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, births, and sometimes even passings. The music has endured for generations and will surely delight, move, and enthrall generations to come.

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Richard Sherman (1928–2024)
Music • 1990

Generations of moviegoers and theme park guests have been introduced to the world of Disney through the songs of Richard and Robert Sherman. Whether they know the names behind the songs or not, you'd be hard pressed to find a person alive who hasn't at one time or another hummed one of the Shermans' unforgettable tunes; even today, they remain the quintessential lyrical voice of Walt Disney.

Richard and Robert Sherman are probably best known for their work on Mary Poppins, for which they won two Oscars®: best score, and best song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee." Another of their songs from the film, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," became a pop hit, entering the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1965. "Feed the Birds," a lullaby, became one of Walt Disney's all-time favorite songs.

Robert Sherman recalled, "The point of the song—that it doesn't take much to give a little kindness—was what really registered with Walt."

Born in Manhattan on June 12, 1928, Richard's father was Tin Pan Alley songwriter Al Sherman, who penned such Depression-era songs as "Potatoes Are Cheaper, Tomatoes Are Cheaper, Now's the Time to Fall in Love," which became one of comedian Eddie Cantor's signature tunes.

After his family moved to Beverly Hills, California, Richard attended Beverly Hills High School before majoring in Music at Bard College. Drafted into the United States Army, he served as conductor for the Army band and glee club, from 1953 until 1955.

In 1951, the Sherman brothers' first song, "Gold Can Buy You Anything But Love," was recorded by cowboy crooner Gene Autry and played daily on his radio show. Their big break came in 1958, when Mouseketeer Annette Funicello recorded their song "Tall Paul," which shot up to number seven on the charts and sold 700,000 singles.

The Sherman brothers went on to write a string of top ten hits for Annette, including "Pineapple Princess," until Walt Disney took notice and hired them as staff composers.

Over the years, they contributed to such films as The Parent Trap, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and the entire Winnie the Pooh series, including Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. They also contributed to television shows, such as Zorro and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

During the Sherman brothers' 13-year career at Disney (1960-73), they received four Academy Award® nominations and a Grammy® award and wrote more than 200 songs for 27 films and two dozen television productions. They also contributed music for a number of theme park attractions, including Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room and the iconic song "It's a Small World"—one Richard refers to as "a prayer for peace." Among their last projects before leaving Disney were songs for Epcot Center and Tokyo Disneyland, which included the whimsical "One Little Spark" and the catchy "Meet the World."

In 1992, Disney Records released a retrospective collection of their music, The Sherman Brothers: Disney's Supercalifragilistic Songwriting Team. The brothers returned to the Studio in 1998 to compose music for The Tigger Movie; they also penned their autobiography, Walt's Time: From Before to Beyond. In 2009, a second compilation of Sherman hits, The Sherman Brothers Songbook, was released, and their life stories were told in the documentary film The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story.

Richard is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was awarded the National Medal of the Arts at the White House in 2008.

About their Disney career, Richard said, "There's a line in Mary Poppins that says, 'A man has dreams of walking with giants to carve his niche in the edifice of time.' At Disney, we walked with giants."

Richard M. Sherman passed away on May 25, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California, at age 95. Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, paid tribute to the legendary songwriter by saying, in part, "Richard Sherman was the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend, creating along with his brother Robert the beloved classics that have become a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives."

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Robert Sherman (1925–2012)
Music • 1990

Generations of moviegoers and theme park guests have been introduced to the world of Disney through the songs of the Sherman brothers. Whether they know the names behind the songs or not, you'd be hard pressed to find a person alive who hasn't at one time or another hummed one of the Shermans' timeless tunes; even today, they remain the quintessential lyrical voice of Walt Disney.

Robert Sherman recalled, "The point of the song—that it doesn't take much to give a little kindness—was what really registered with Walt."

Born in Manhattan on December 19, 1925, Robert's father was Tin Pan Alley songwriter Al Sherman, who penned such Depression-era songs as "Potatoes Are Cheaper, Tomatoes Are Cheaper, Now's the Time to Fall in Love," which became one of comedian Eddie Cantor's signature tunes.

After the family moved to Beverly Hills in 1937, Robert attended Beverly Hills High School, where he wrote and produced radio and stage plays. He joined the United States Army in 1943 at the age of 17, and led the first squad of men to liberate the Dachau concentration camp in 1945. Soon thereafter he was shot in the knee and added a Purple Heart to his many decorations; he recuperated in Britain, where he developed a lifelong love of English culture.

Upon his return to the United States, he attended Bard College and obtained degrees in English Literature and Painting in 1949. He would continue to write and paint for the rest of his life.

The Sherman brothers went on to write a string of top 10 hits for Annette, including "Pineapple Princess," until Walt Disney took notice and hired them as staff composers. Over the years, they contributed to such films as The Parent Trap, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and the entire Winnie the Pooh series, including Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. They also contributed to television shows, such as Zorro and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

Robert is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was awarded the National Medal of the Arts at the White House in 2008.

About their Disney career, his brother Richard said, "There's a line in Mary Poppins that says, 'A man has dreams of walking with giants to carve his niche in the edifice of time.' At Disney, we walked with giants."

Robert Sherman passed away on March 5, 2012, in London, England. He had moved to London in 2002, and had continued to write, paint, and collaborate with his brother Richard from afar. His son Jeffrey Sherman paid tribute to his father by saying he "wanted to bring happiness to the world and, unquestionably, he succeeded."

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Oliver Wallace (1887–1963)
Music • 2008

"Ollie was a madman," animator and Disney Legend Frank Thomas once observed, "funny, eccentric, noisy, unexpected—and loved by everyone." This combination of traits seems to have fated Oliver Wallace to a varied and unconventional career creating music for The Walt Disney Studios.

Born in London, England on August 6, 1887, Oliver studied widely, in subject and geography: "Under La Gourg of the Chicago School of Music, counterpart and harmony with Bresha in San Francisco, piano with Louis Diamond Professor Cottohn of London, MacDonald Hope of Los Angeles," according to an early Studio biography.

After relocating to Canada from England in 1904, Oliver moved to the United States, becoming a citizen in 1914. He is frequently cited as the first musician to use a pipe organ to accompany motion pictures (in Seattle, Washington in 1910), later becoming house organist for the prestigious Granada Theatre in San Francisco and then Sid Grauman's Rialto Theatre in Los Angeles.

Oliver's work experience gave him a background uniquely suited to the varied and unusual music he created for Disney: "I began acquiring that art when I got my first job playing for vaudeville and single reels in 1906," Oliver recalled in 1954. "Believe me, you had to be snappy with your invention to keep up with the shadows in those early flickers."

"He was primarily an improving musician with a great sense of music, and from his years of playing organ to silent movies he was able to match music to any piece of action,"

Thomas further recalled. "He was caustic, satiric, looked like a little Bantam Rooster, and never let anyone get the best of him."

Oliver also noted that he had an allegorical drama published in book form, as well as numerous poems, and more than two dozen songs and compositions, including the 1918 hit Hindustan. He worked in the Music Departments of Columbia and Universal Studios (his pipe organ prowess can be heard in the Franz Waxman score of the 1935 horror classic The Bride of Frankenstein) before coming to Disney in 1936.

In his years with Disney, Oliver proudly estimated that he had written more than 30 miles of soundtrack. He was musical director for the Academy Award®-winning score for Dumbo, as well as for Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp.

Animation music historian Ross Care also noted of Oliver's prolific short cartoon music, "His scores for the Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse shorts… collectively provide a virtual, though still largely unread, textbook in animation scoring."

Oliver contributed music to a number of notable songs, including "When I See an Elephant Fly," "Pink Elephants on Parade," and "Der Fuehrer's Face," for which he also wrote the lyrics. He scored entries in the award-winning People and Places and True-Life Adventures series and the Disneyland television program, for which he was Emmy®-nominated in 1957.

Wallace's feature film scores included Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Ten Who Dared, and The Incredible Journey; he accrued five Academy Award nominations during his career.

He was married to Claire Burch Wallace, a musician herself, and formerly of the University of Washington's music faculty. The couple had two daughters, Martha and Mary. Wallace was working at Disney until his death on September 15, 1963.

"He was a genius," Frank Thomas said, "and responsible for so many unique musical moments in our pictures."

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Irwin Kostal (1911–1994)
Music • 2004

Award-winning conductor and orchestrator Irwin Kostal brought his innate musical genius to such Disney classic motion pictures as Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Pete's Dragon. He received Oscar® nominations in the category of Best Music, Original Song Score and Adaptation for all three films.

Quick to speak his mind, often layered within a joke, Irwin demonstrated a high standard in preserving the artistry and integrity of music. In 1982, while conducting the re-recording of music for Fantasia, originally conducted by Leopold Stokowski, Irwin quipped, "I'm not just wearing Stokowski's straitjacket, I'm also wearing Mickey Mouse's."

Further surveying this musical charge, Irwin revealed his fine ear for high standard when he added, "Believe it or not, we do have the liberty of changing details, even orchestration, here and there. We also can play a little with the beat, making stresses coincide even more accurately with what we see on the screen."

Born October 1, 1911, in Chicago, Illinois, Irwin discovered music as a boy, learning to play the piano.

He passed on college, saying, "I found out early what I wanted to do wasn't being taught in most schools," and he subsequently learned musical arranging at his local library, where he studied the symphonic scores of composers such as Beethoven and Debussy.

After landing his first professional gig as a staff arranger for Design for Listening, a Chicago-based NBC radio show, he moved to New York where he was tapped to arrange for Sid Caesar's television series Your Show of Shows and went on to conduct for The Gary Moore Show. Later he received Emmy® Award nominations for his work on The Julie Andrews Show" and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde starring Kirk Douglas.

During the 1960s, he emerged as one of Broadway's preeminent musical orchestrators. His work for the original stage versions of West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum eventually led him to Hollywood and Mary Poppins.

His motion picture peers soon honored Irwin with two Academy Awards for orchestrating and supervising the Leonard Bernstein score for West Side Story, followed by orchestrating and conducting Richard Rodgers' The Sound of Music.

Among Irwin's other notable film contributions are Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Charlotte's Web, both of which reunited him with fellow Disney Legends and songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman. In 1983, Irwin returned to Walt Disney Studios to compose and conduct for the beloved holiday short Mickey's Christmas Carol.

Irwin Kostal passed away on November 23, 1994, in Studio City, California, while serving as president of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.

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George Bruns (1914–1983)
Music • 2001

George Bruns burst onto Disney's musical scene in 1953 when he was personally hired by Walt Disney to score the animated feature Sleeping Beauty. At the same time, Walt asked the newly-hired composer and conductor to "make up a little something" for a three-part television series that was later edited into the hit feature Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

Soon, George's catchy "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was on the lips of young and old alike. The down-home ditty soared to the top of the Hit Parade for six months and sold more than eight million records; meanwhile, the music he developed for Sleeping Beauty received an Academy Award® nomination. It was the first of three he received during his 22-year career with The Walt Disney Studios.

Born in Sandy, Oregon, on July 3, 1914, George began piano lessons at six. He mastered the tuba and trombone by high school, and later added another 12 instruments to his mind-boggling repertoire. In 1934, he cut short his engineering education at Oregon State to play with popular bands of the day, including Jack Teagarden's, and later worked as a musical director and conductor of live bands at radio stations in Portland, including KOIN and KEX.

George moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1950, where he began arranging and conducting for Capitol Records and UPA Studios. He also played with bands, including that of Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Three years later he landed at Disney, where he contributed to such hit films as The Absent-Minded Professor, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, Robin Hood, The Love Bug, and more.

George received additional Oscar® nods for his work on Disney's first live-action musical Babes in Toyland, based on the Victor Herbert operetta, followed by the 1963 animated feature The Sword in the Stone.

Beginning in the 1950s, George also contributed to Disney's pioneering television series Disneyland, Mickey Mouse Club, and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, while his theme song for the popular Zorro series sold another one million records. In all, he contributed to more than 200 motion pictures, television shows, and more.

As legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston recalled in their book Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life, "George Bruns worked equally well in either medium, writing 'Davy Crockett' for the live TV show at the same time he was adapting Tchaikovsky's ballet score for Sleeping Beauty to our animated version of the classic fairy tale. George was big and easy-going, but he worked very hard and produced a seemingly endless string of fresh melodies and haunting scores."

In 1975, George retired from The Walt Disney Studios, returning to his Oregon hometown where he continued conducting and playing in bands, composing and arranging music, as well as teaching at nearby Lewis and Clark College.

George Bruns passed away on May 23, 1983, in Portland, Oregon.

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Buddy Baker (1918–2002)
Music • 1998

One of Disney's most prolific music men, Buddy Baker composed more than 200 scores for Disney motion pictures, television, and theme parks. Among his vast contributions, the multi-talented artist scored the live-action movie Napoleon and Samantha, which garnered the Studio an Academy Award® nomination for Best Original Dramatic Score in 1973, television's Mickey Mouse Club," and the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland.

Buddy later recalled what it was like working with Walt Disney:

"During the 28 years I worked at the Studio," he said, "Walt never came to a recording. He had confidence in me and in everybody else. He trusted his people. He also knew what kind of music worked—not the notes, the kind."

Born Norman Baker on January 4, 1918, in Springfield, Missouri, Buddy studied music at Southwest Baptist University, where he earned his doctorate. He began his career in the late 1930s, playing trumpet with such bandleaders as Harry James, Kay Kyser, and Stan Kenton, and composed music for television programs including The Jack Benny Show.

In 1954, Disney staff composer George Bruns brought him on board to help with the Davy Crockett series. From there, Buddy went on to score more than 50 films, including Toby Tyler, The Gnome-Mobile, and The Fox and the Hound. He also scored such animated featurettes as the Oscar®-winning Donald in Mathmagic Land and the original three Winnie the Pooh films.

As the Studio ventured into television, Buddy contributed to such series as Walt Disney Presents and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. He then moved into the theme park arena, beginning with the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, scoring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and the Carousel of Progress. Buddy later wrote "Grim Grinning Ghosts" with fellow Legend X Atencio for the Haunted Mansion.

As musical director for Epcot Center, Buddy supervised and composed music for the Future World pavilions and World Showcase. Among the attractions he scored were Universe of Energy, the American Adventure, and Impressions de France, for which he wove a tapestry of original music and classical works by French composers such as Debussy, Ravel, and Satie. The digital score, which was recorded in London, featured Buddy conducting a 100-piece philharmonic orchestra.

In 1983, Buddy retired as the last staff composer at a major Hollywood studio. He went on to direct the University of Southern California film scoring program, widely considered the best in the nation. Buddy even continued to score Disney theme park attractions, including Innoventions at Disneyland, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction at Walt Disney World, and Sindbad's Seven Voyages for Tokyo DisneySea.

Buddy Baker passed away on July 26, 2002 in Sherman Oaks, California.

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Frank Churchill (1901–1942)
Music • 2001

Composer Frank Churchill's toe-tapping "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" featured in Disney's 1933 animated short Three Little Pigs, raised the spirits of countless Depression-weary audiences who adopted the song as a resilient national anthem of hope. Shortly after the release of the Academy Award®-winning cartoon, Frank spoke of the song's surprising success when more than 39,000 copies of sheet music sold within three days of publication in New York City alone.

Quoted in Photoplay magazine, Frank said, "It seems to be on every phonograph record … and practically every orchestra in the country is featuring this number."

Inspired by the film's success, Walt Disney entrusted Frank to compose music for his first feature-length animated motion picture Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, along with Disney Legend Leigh Harline. Ultimately, it was the composer's musical genius that helped bridge the Studio's daring transition from animated shorts to features in 1937.

Born October 20, 1901, in Rumford, Maine, Frank moved to Southern California with his family when he was four years old. An instinctive musician, inspired by classical music and composer Franz Schubert, Frank won his first professional job as a pianist at 15 accompanying silent movies at a local theater in Ventura, California.

At his parents' behest, he began pre-med studies at the University of California at Los Angeles, but soon dropped out of school to pursue a career in music. For a time he played piano for honky-tonks in Tijuana, Mexico, followed by an orchestra in Tucson, Arizona. He returned to Hollywood in 1924, and, despite his lack of formal musical education, Frank won a contract as an accompanist and soloist with radio station KNX. He later recorded for RKO Radio Pictures.

In December 1930, Frank joined The Walt Disney Studios where he scored nearly 65 animated shorts, including Mickey's Gala Premiere, Funny Little Bunnies, and Who Killed Cock Robin? He also wrote music for the famous sticky flypaper sequence featured in Playful Pluto.

Tall, slender, quiet, and reserved, Frank worked from a mere idea, story sequence, or character to develop such classic Disney songs as "Whistle While You Work," "Heigh-Ho," and "Someday My Prince Will Come" for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. His work earned an Oscar® nomination for Best Music, Score in 1938.

He was subsequently elevated to supervisor of music and went on to contribute to The Reluctant Dragon, starring humorist Robert Benchley. Frank can even be seen in the film, during the Studio tour sequence. In 1942, he received two Academy Award nominations for his work on Dumbo, including Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Song for "Baby Mine," co-written with fellow Legend Ned Washington. A year later, his work on Bambi, including the ballad "Love Is a Song," co-written with Lyricist Larry Morey, received similar dual nominations.

Frank Churchill passed away on May 14, 1942, in Newhall, California.

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Phil Collins
Music • 2002

With his distinctive percussive style and soulful songwriting, Phil Collins penned songs that added a unique emotional dimension to Disney's animated hit Tarzan, including "You'll Be In My Heart," which won him an Oscar®. And rather than the animated characters singing his music, Phil lent his own throaty, passionate voice to the film's songs, including "Two Worlds," "Son of Man," and "Strangers Like Me," creating a unique experience for Disney moviegoers.

As Phil told People magazine in 1999, "We've broken some molds. The fact that I'm singing and the characters don't burst into song makes it very different."

The youngest of three children, Phil was born in London on January 30, 1951, and grew up a child actor. At 13, he played the Artful Dodger in the London production of Oliver!—the musical version of Charles Dickens' classic tale Oliver Twist. By his late teens Phil entered the music scene, selected from 400 hopefuls as replacement drummer for the British rock band Genesis in 1970. By 1978, the band's album And Then There Were Three had gone gold, and the followup, Duke, was even more successful.

Around that time, Phil began producing solo music. His first single, "In the Air Tonight," quickly rose to number two in the United Kingdom and the top 20 chart in the United States. He went on to release a string of 13 straight U.S. Top 10 hits between 1984 and 1990, including "Sussudio," "Don't Lose My Number," and "Another Day in Paradise."

Phil was first nominated for an Oscar in 1985, for his song "Take a Look at Me Now," which he wrote and performed for the motion picture Against All Odds. In 1991, he released the album Face Value, which became a bigger hit than any of the Genesis albums on which he performed. After 25 years, Phil left the band in 1996 to focus on his solo career. His other albums include Hello, I Must Be Going, No Jacket Required, Dance Into the Light, and more.

Along the way, Phil also continued acting, appearing in HBO's And The Band Played On, a film about AIDS, and Buster, which he both starred in and provided music for.

In 1999 he provided songs for Disney's Tarzan. Composer Mark Mancina, who worked with Phil on the film, observed:

"There's something very sincere about Phil's voice… His voice has a tendency to wrap itself around you and bring you into his world. As soon as he starts singing, it's just magic and provides a very welcoming feeling."

Phil translated that feeling into other languages, as well, when he recorded the Tarzan soundtrack in German, Italian, French, and two dialects of Spanish (Latin American and Castilian), an unprecedented feat by a musical artist for a motion picture. His single from the film, "You'll Be in My Heart," spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.

Phil went on to voice a character in 2003's The Jungle Book 2, and that same year he teamed once more with composer Mark Mancina on the soundtrack of a Disney animated feature–Brother Bear.

In 2006, Tarzan was adapted into a Broadway musical. Phil was heavily involved with the production, writing a number of new songs and instrumental pieces for the show.

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Leigh Harline (1907–1969)
Music • 2001

Composer Leigh Harline graced Disney with a musical sophistication that was uniquely "Harline-esque," by weaving rich tapestries of mood-setting underscores and penning memorable melodies for animated shorts and features. Among his creations were the beloved "When You Wish Upon a Star," which debuted in 1940's Pinocchio; it remains the signature song for The Walt Disney Company today.

As Disney producer and director Wilfred Jackson told writer Ross Care, "[Leigh's songs] seemed like symphonic writing by a good classical composer." He added, Leigh's music "was melodic enough, but his counter melodies, his harmonic structure, all contributed so much more to the final effectiveness of his scores. Leigh could not have conveyed the full feeling of his scores with just two hands and a piano."

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 26, 1907, Leigh was one of 13 children. He majored in music at the University of Utah and studied piano and organ with former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir J. Spencer Cornwall.

In 1928, he moved to California, working at radio stations in both San Francisco and Los Angeles as a composer, conductor, arranger, instrumentalist, singer, and announcer.

In 1931, he caught the ear of Walt Disney and the rest of the nation when he provided music for the first transcontinental radio broadcast to originate from the West Coast.

Leigh joined Disney in 1932, writing tunes for more than 50 animated shorts, including Silly Symphonies The Old Mill, Music Land, and The Pied Piper; the last of these was described by Care as a "cartoon cantata." He added that Leigh's contributions to animated shorts between 1935 and 1938 rank among "some of the finest, most inventive music ever created in Hollywood."

Walt acknowledged Leigh's skill by entrusting him with scoring the Studio's first feature-length animated cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, along with Disney Legend Frank Churchill. Leigh effectively underscored such dramatic moments as the Queen's transformation into an apple-toting crone, as well as classic Disney songs including "Someday My Prince Will Come." For this, he received his first Oscar® nomination for Best Music and Score.

In 1940, Pinocchio earned Leigh two Academy Awards® for Best Music and Original Score and for Best Song ("When You Wish Upon a Star").

Leigh left Disney the next year to freelance at studios including Columbia, Paramount, and Goldwyn-RKO. During his career, which spanned nearly three decades and garnered eight Oscar nominations in all, Leigh composed and supervised music for motion pictures including The Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper, Johnny Come Lately starring James Cagney, and George Pal's The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, all of which earned the composer additional Oscar nods.

By the early 1960s, Leigh expanded his craft into television, creating music for such popular series as Ben Casey starring Richard Chamberlain and Daniel Boone starring Disney Legend Fess Parker.

Leigh Harline passed away on December 10, 1969, in Long Beach, California.

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Ned Washington (1901–1976)
Music • 2001

In 1939, Ned Washington first inspired dreamers with his evocative lyrics for the song "When You Wish Upon a Star," which he co-wrote with fellow Legend and composer Leigh Harline. The beloved ballad, first introduced by Jiminy Cricket in the animated feature Pinocchio, remains the signature song of The Walt Disney Company today.

Ned was passionate about putting words to music and, subsequently, garnered three Academy Awards®, two of which were for his work on Pinocchio, including Best Song ("When You Wish Upon a Star") and Best Music and Original Score.

As animator and Disney Legend Frank Thomas recalled, during the film's production "Ned would sit facing Walt, knee-to-knee, and while Leigh (Harline) played a song they'd developed on the piano, Ned would slap Walt's knee and say 'Oh, you're gonna' love this…' and 'Oh, listen to this, Walt…" He was very enthusiastic to the point Walt finally said, 'For crying out loud Ned, let me listen to the song!'"

Born August 15, 1901, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Ned was the only one of nine children who did not study music. Rather, he wrote poems, some of which was published in local newspapers and magazines.

At 21, he moved to New York to break into show business, booking acts in vaudeville theaters and emceeing shows.

He wrote songs in his spare time and, in 1928, famed Broadway producer Earl Carroll used one of Ned's creations in his popular stage revue Vanities. A year later, Warner Brothers hired him to write lyrics for talking pictures; these would include the popular song "Singing in the Bathtub," featured in the all-star flick Show of Shows.

In 1932, bandleader Tommy Dorsey adopted Ned's "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" as his signature tune and, in 1933, Ned collaborated with crooner Bing Crosby writing lyrics for the love song "A Ghost of a Chance."

Ned arrived at Disney in 1938 and received Oscar® nods for "Baby Mine," featured in Dumbo, and for the title song of Saludos Amigos. Ned also wrote lyrics for "I'm a Happy-Go-Lucky Fellow," featured in the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" sequence of Fun and Fancy Free.

During his 40-plus year career, he wrote music with famed composers including Victor Young ("Stella by Starlight" for The Uninvited in 1944) at studios ranging from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to Paramount. Other popular standards by Ned include "Nearness of You" with Hoagy Carmichael, and "Someday I'll Meet You Again" with Max Steiner.

His unique flair for penning motion picture title songs—he wrote 40 in all–led to High Noon, starring Gary Cooper; it earned Ned his third Academy Award. Another them, for The High and the Mighty starring John Wayne, won him another of 12 total Oscar nominations. In between motion pictures he wrote for radio and stage, and, crossing over into early television, created theme songs for such series as Rawhide.

Ned Washington passed away on December 20, 1976, in Beverly Hills, California.

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Tutti Camarata (1913–2005)
Music • 2003

After more than two decades licensing audio recording rights for Disney music to labels such as RCA/Victor, Walt Disney decided to create an in-house label in 1956. Enter music man Tutti Camarata, who helped co-found Disneyland Records, known today as Walt Disney Records. Tutti first began experimenting with the classic Disney animated films, including Bambi, Dumbo, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, and more, putting story, music, and dialogue to long-playing vinyl record albums.

He once explained, "This way, you could hear the motion picture rather than see it. It was probably one of the first times that soundtracks had been approached in this way. When starting a new record label, you want an identity and Disney's best identity was its animated classics."

Salvador Tutti Camarata was born on May 11, 1913, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He entered Juilliard School of Music in New York at 18, followed by nearby Columbia University.

After his classical music education, Tutti entered the popular music field, playing trumpet and arranging for bands, including the Charlie Barnet and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras. He also arranged for and performed with Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and other legends.

In 1946, he moved to England to serve as music supervisor, arranger, and conductor on Arthur Rank's London Town, Britain's first major Technicolor musical. While there, he also formed the Kingston Symphony and co-founded London Records, featuring such British artists as Gracie Fields and Anne Shelton.

In 1950, he returned to the United States to work as music supervisor for Decca Records in New York. Five years later, he conducted the television orchestra for the live broadcast of Together with Music, starring Mary Martin and Noel Coward, followed by The Vic Damone Show in 1956.

At Disney, Tutti supervised recordings of more than 300 Disneyland Records albums, including those featuring Disney stars such as Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, for whom he developed the distinctive "Annette" sound.

He recalled, "Annette felt she couldn't sing. People at Disney said, 'Why don't we dub a voice in.' I said, 'I'd like to try Annette singing.' So I developed a way of recording her voice, creating an echo. The first time she heard it, she was surprised and happy. She began to gain more confidence as a vocalist." During his 16 years with Disney, Tutti also supervised vocals on Disney's 1963 feature Summer Magic, starring Hayley Mills.

The Disneyland Records label soon expanded to include non-Disney artists, such as Louis Armstrong singing Disney Songs: The Satchmo Way. Tutti recalled, "When Louis finished recording, I got a letter from him, thanking me for letting him sing 'When You Wish Upon a Star, Makes No Difference Who You Are…' I almost cried when I saw that."

In 1962, Walt nudged Tutti to develop Sunset Sound in Hollywood, where many Disneyland titles were recorded. Tutti later added to his recording empire when he purchased The Sound Factory, also in Hollywood. The studios have since become legendary recording sites in the music industry.

Later in his career, Tutti developed an album of spiritual hymns, The Power and the Glory, featuring a 100-piece orchestra and a 180-voice adult choir, and wrote a music textbook, Fugue Simplified.

Tutti Camarata passed away on April 13, 2005, in Burbank, California.

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Sir Tim Rice
Music • 2002

Acclaimed lyricist Sir Tim Rice created a "whole new world" of witty, entertaining, and heartfelt songs for Disney animated features, including Aladdin in 1992 and The Lion King in 1994. In addition, he contributed to Disney theatrical productions, including the Tony® award-winning The Lion King in 1997 and Aida in 1998.

Born in Amersham, England, on November 10, 1944, Tim entered the music scene as the lead singer for a pop group called the Aardvarks in 1961.

His first published song, "That's My Story," appeared in 1964, the same year he met Andrew Lloyd Webber. The duo crafted pop songs as well as show tunes, including "It's Easy for You," which was recorded by Elvis Presley.

Tim was best known at the time for his resounding collaborations with Webber; these included such 1970s musical sensations as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita, which was transformed into the 1996 Touchstone feature by the same name, starring Madonna as the Argentine grand dame. The song "You Must Have Loved Me" from the motion picture Evita resulted in an Academy Award® for the duo in 1997.

In the early 1980s, Tim collaborated with ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson on Chess. The subsequent 1984 album featured the singles "One Night in Bangkok" and "I Know Him So Well," which topped charts in America, Europe and Asia, while the 1985 stage production became a smash hit in multiple countries. Other theatrical projects included Tycoon, Starmania, Blondel, and more.

Tim also collaborated with John Barry on the title song "All Time High" for the James Bond movie Octopussy, and with Freddie Mercury for his album with opera diva Montserrat Caballe. Tim's other distinguished writing mates include Paul McCartney, Cliff Richards, Marvin Hamlisch, and others.

The lyrical wordsmith arrived at Disney in 1991 to work with Alan Menken, writing lyrics for Beauty and the Beast, and later contributed five new songs to the Tony award-winning stage adaptation of that film. He went on to win Oscars® for "A Whole New World," written with Menken for Aladdin, and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," written with Elton John for The Lion King. Their collaboration continued with the subsequent stage production of that film, followed by Aida. In 1997, Tim reunited with Menken, writing the book and lyrics for the Broadway concert King David.

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, Sir Tim is also a cricket lover and an accomplished author of such books as The Treasures of Lords, about the famous museum at London's Lord's cricket ground.

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Sir Elton John
Music • 2006

The monumental career of singer, songwriter, and performer Sir Elton John has made him one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, with more than 200 million records sold worldwide. Elton has won a wide array of industry awards including Grammys®, Tonys, and an Oscar®, and continues to add to his personal repertoire of 35 gold and 25 platinum albums.

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947 in England, Elton's career as a prolific songwriter and flamboyant performer netted him 30 different hits on the top 40 charts between 1970 and 1982. His theatrical stage appearances, featuring a succession of elaborate costumes and outlandish spectacles, made him a pop megastar. His hit tunes included "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road," "Your Song," "Bennie and the Jets," and "Rocket Man." All were written with his longtime lyricist, Bernie Taupin.

In the early 1990s, Elton embarked on songwriting collaborations with lyricist Tim Rice, resulting in the soundtrack to the Walt Disney Pictures 1994 animated feature The Lion King. At first, though, Elton wasn't too sure of success: "I sat there with a line of lyrics that began, 'When I was a young warthog,'" John said in 1995, "and I thought, 'Has it come to this?'"

His uneasiness proved unfounded, as the resulting work earned three Academy Award® nominations ("Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata," and the winner, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), and the film's soundtrack album produced two top-selling, award-winning singles for John: "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life."

It also introduced Elton to a whole new generation of fans—the children who approach him in public and tell him that they love The Lion King. The lad who grew up loving the score to Disney's The Jungle Book once said, "That's exactly what I wrote it for. I wanted to write melodies that kids would like."

In 1997, The Lion King debuted on Broadway, receiving six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and, in 1998, a Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album. In March 2000, the Tony Award-winning Aida opened on Broadway and John was honored with another Grammy for the Best Musical Show Album.

Subsequent projects included the smash-hit stage production of Billy Elliot, for which Elton composed the music; it was nominated for a record 9 Olivier Awards, winning Best Musical, among others. Elton's fourth musical, Lestat opened on Broadway on April 25, 2006.

A great humanitarian, Elton's commitment to the fight against AIDS led to the inception of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. It has raised more than $200 million, making the Elton John AIDS Foundation one of the largest public non-profit organizations in the AIDS arena.

In December of 2004, Elton received the Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contributions to American culture and excellence through the performing arts. In 1998, he was knighted by the Queen of England, who honored him with the title Sir Elton John, CBE.

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Howard Ashman (1950–1991)
Music • 2001

Producer and lyricist Howard Ashman made a huge splash in the world of Disney animation in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, which he co-produced with John Musker. His song "Under the Sea," co-written with composer Alan Menken, won an Oscar® that year for Best Song. In the infectious Calypso-flavored piece, Sebastian the Crab advises lovelorn mermaid Ariel to stay home because the seaweed isn't necessarily greener "in somebody else's lake."

"Howard's lyrics," as Menken later recalled, "would wink at the adults and say something to the kids at exactly the same time."

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 17, 1950, the successful lyricist, librettist, playwright, and director received his MFA from Indiana University. In 1974, he moved to New York and became an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, while writing plays including Dreamstuff, a musical version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, which marked the beginning of his association with the off-off-Broadway WPA Theatre in 1977. While at Grosset & Dunlap, he also compiled The New Mickey Mouse Club Book for Disney .

Two years later, Howard teamed with Menken for the first time, creating a musical version of Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. They went on to write the musical version of Roger Corman's 1960 cult film Little Shop of Horrors and won critical raves and awards including the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical of 1982-83. The offbeat show was transformed into a motion picture by Frank Oz in 1986, subsequently winning the musical duo their first Academy Award® nominations.

That same year, Howard penned the wistful ballad "Disneyland" for the Broadway production of Smile, written with Marvin Hamlisch, depicting utopia as a Disney theme park. He soon after signed a contract with The Walt Disney Company to write lyrics and dialogue for its animated features.

Whether Howard envisioned a hip genie performing the Oscar®-nominated "Friend Like Me" with Cab Calloway flamboyance in Aladdin, or an anthropomorphic candlestick oozing with Maurice Chevalier charm while singing the Oscar-nominated "Be Our Guest" in Beauty and the Beast, he imbued Disney characters with his own sense of emotional realism.

Howard Ashman passed away in New York City on March 14, 1991, prior to the release of Beauty and the Beast. That film, which he executive produced, was the first animated movie ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Motion Picture. Its title song won the songwriters yet another Oscar. Upon its release, the film was dedicated to Howard, "who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul." Howard earned a posthumous Oscar nomination in 1993 for "Friend Like Me," which he had co-written for Aladdin prior to his death.

In 1994, Beauty and the Beast moved to the New York stage; when it closed in 2007 after 5,464 performances, it had become the 8th longest-running musical in Broadway history. The production featured "Human Again," a chorus number by Howard and Menken that was storyboarded for the animated motion picture but never completed. The nearly 10-minute sequence was later animated and added to Beauty and the Beast for an IMAX re-release on January 1, 2002.

The 2009 documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty, which tells of the animation renaissance that Howard helped usher in at The Walt Disney Studios, is dedicated in part to his memory.

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Alan Menken
Music • 2001

Among Disney's most prolific composers, eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken writes from his soul. Whether it be "A Whole New World," co-written with Tim Rice for Aladdin, or "Colors of the Wind," co-written with Stephen Schwartz for Pocahontas, Alan's songs speak directly to the hearts of Disney fans and music lovers alike.

He once explained, "Songs are a very familiar vocabulary to people and I've always believed that you should be able to understand not only the feeling, but the content of the song, by just hearing the music and not even the lyrics. What you're trying to say should be that clear."

Born July 22, 1949, and raised in New Rochelle, New York, Alan was more interested in creating his own tunes as a child than practicing the songs assigned to him by his piano and violin teachers. He later enrolled at New York University as a pre-med student, but ultimately graduated with a degree in music in 1971.

Soon after, Alan joined a theater workshop run by Broadway conductor Lehman Engel, where he met fellow Legend Howard Ashman. In 1987, after the success of their second collaboration, a campy adaptation of Roger Corman's 1960 cult film Little Shop of Horrors, he and Ashman joined Disney to write songs for The Little Mermaid. The film won Alan his first two Oscars® for Best Song, "Under the Sea," and Best Music, Original Score. Three years later, his contributions to Beauty and the Beast earned him two more Academy Awards for the film's title song, as well as Best Music, Original Score.

The musical team was working on Aladdin at the time of Ashman's untimely death in 1991. Subsequently, Alan went on to collaborate with lyricist Tim Rice on the Oscar-winning "A Whole New World" and took home an additional Academy Award for the film's original score. In 1996, Alan won his seventh and eighth Oscars for Disney's Pocahontas in the categories of Best Music, Song ("Colors of the Wind") and Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score.

Alan went on to earn additional Oscar nominations for his work on Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Enchanted, and Tangled. Other works include scores for the 2004 animated feature Home on the Range and the 2006 live-action comedy The Shaggy Dog. He also scored the 1992 Disney live-action musical Newsies, followed by Hollywood Pictures' Life with Mikey, starring Michael J. Fox. His small screen contributions include direct-to-video films, including The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.

In 1994, Alan helped translate Beauty and the Beast to the Broadway stage; by the time the show closed in 2007 it had become the eighth-longest-running musical in Broadway history. In 1997, he and Rice wrote music for Disney's stage production King David. Other Disney stage works include an adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which premiered in Germany in 1999; the Tony®-nominated The Little Mermaid, which came to Broadway in 2008; and the Tony-winning film adaptation Newsies The Musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2012. He provided music for the Tony-nominated Sister Act, based on the 1992 Touchstone film. Alan has also developed a stage adaptation of the 1992 animated hit, Aladdin.

Several of the Disney theme parks feature shows and attractions based on animated classics which include Alan's songs. For Tokyo DisneySea he wrote an original song, "Compass of Your Heart," for Sindbad's Storybook Voyage, as well as an unproduced stage musical based on the story of The Snow Queen.

Outside Disney, Alan has contributed to a variety of esteemed projects including the original score for the 1992 television documentary Lincoln, as well as the Rocky V song titled "The Measure of a Man." Among Alan's non-Disney stage work are the original score for the off-Broadway Weird Romance in 1992 and A Christmas Carol in 1994.

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Randy Newman
Music • 2007

"I have a great interest in animation and found computer graphics fascinating," Randy Newman said in 1995. "I've always admired Carl Stalling and the other composers who specialized in music for cartoons, and I wanted to do one myself."

That "one," Toy Story, led to scores and songs for James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Cars, The Princess and the Frog, Toy Story 3, and Monsters University.

And, amusingly and surprisingly to many longtime fans, the cutting social critic and brilliant curmudgeon Randy Newman has found himself a beloved Disney entertainer.

Perhaps it's no surprise that at 17 Randy was already a professional songwriter, knocking out tunes for a Los Angeles publishing house, since he was born on November 28, 1943 into a famously musical family. His uncles Alfred, Lionel, and Emil were all well-respected film composers and conductors. Even Randy's father Irving Newman, a prominent physician, wrote a song for Bing Crosby.

In 1968, Randy made his debut with the orchestral recording Randy Newman, and before long, his extraordinary and eclectic compositions were being recorded by an unusually wide range of artists, from Pat Boone to Ray Charles, Peggy Lee to Wilson Pickett.

Critics rightly raved about his 1970 sophomore effort 12 Songs, and increasingly the public started to take notice with albums like 1970's Live, and even more so with the 1972 classic Sail Away and the brilliant and controversial 1974 release, Good Old Boys. With the 1977 release of Top Ten Little Criminals, Randy experienced a huge left-field smash in the unlikely form of "Short People."

In the 1980s, Randy was dividing his time between film composing and recording his own albums. In 1981, he released his exquisite score for Ragtime, earning him his first two of 20 Oscar® nominations for Best Score and Best Song. 1983 saw the release of "Trouble in Paradise," while the next year saw the release of his Grammy®-winning, Oscar-nominated and now-iconic score for The Natural.

Following some more film work, Randy finally got around to recording another studio album, 1988's Land of Dreams, another break-through work marked by some of his most personal and powerful work yet.

As for Toy Story, "I took a look at some of the storyboards and animation tests they had done, and I was just amazed by the way it looked, and I liked the idea of the story," Randy said of his attraction to the film. "I absolutely loved the people involved with the project."

Randy managed to play to the adult audience as well with his darkly hilarious take on Faust, the 1995 recording of which included performances by Don Henley, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, and James Taylor.

In 1998, Randy put out an impressive compilation, Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman and a new 1999 album for DreamWorks, Bad Love. In 2002, Randy finally won his first Oscar for "If I Didn't Have You" from Monsters, Inc.; he would bring home his second in 2011 for "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3.

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Paul J. Smith (1906–1985)
Music • 1994

When composer Paul Smith arrived at The Walt Disney Studios in 1934, he was "fresh out of university and full of musical ideas," according to animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in their book Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life.

The musical genius, who wrote scores for nearly 70 animated shorts and received an Oscar® with Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for the music in Pinocchio, later wrote background music for nearly every Disney True-Life Adventure, applying techniques he had learned while writing music for cartoons. As Thomas and Johnston recalled, "Paul's adaptation of cartoon techniques in the scores for the True-Life Adventures added immeasurably to that series of live-action films."

Born to a musical family in Calumet, Michigan, on October 30, 1906, Paul was raised in Caldwell, Idaho, where his father taught music at the College of Idaho.

Paul's father, Joseph, began teaching his prodigy son to play a variety of musical instruments beginning with the piano at age four, followed by the violin at age seven.

The youngster also played the trumpet and viola, and, by age 12, played the bass drum for the town band. Gifted with perfect pitch, Paul's experience helped him gain a more practical knowledge of the orchestra and he went on to conduct in high school.

In 1925, Paul enrolled in the Bush Conservatory of Music in Chicago, where he received the Juilliard Scholarship in theory. After graduation, he went on to teach brass instruments at Elmhurst College and at York High School for two years. In 1932, he moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, where he majored in English and wrote four musical comedies.

From UCLA, he joined The Walt Disney Studios as a pioneer in motion picture music. Versatile, prolific, and, like Walt, always bent towards exploration, Paul readily pushed the envelope in musical composition. As a result, he won eight Oscar nominations for such classic films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Song of the South, Saludos Amigos, and The Three Caballeros.

During the 1950s, he wrote symphonic scores for most of the critically acclaimed True-Life Adventures films, including Beaver Valley, Nature's Half Acre, The Olympic Elk, The Living Desert, The Vanishing Prairie, The African Lion, Secrets of Life, and Perri. He also recorded an album called True-Life Adventures, which was a compilation of his scores.

After three successful decades with The Walt Disney Studios, Paul retired in 1962. He passed away on January 25, 1985, in Glendale, California.

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Jimmy Johnson
Music • 2006

Jimmy Johnson devoted his entire career to the Disney organization and profoundly influenced the Disney approach to both publishing and consumer audio recordings. It is an influence felt by generations of kids who know "it's time to turn the page when Tinker Bell rings her little bells, like this," on vinyl discs where you "SEE the pictures, HEAR the record, READ the book."

"It was Jimmy's dedication and drive that really created the Walt Disney Records we know today," songwriter and Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman once said. "Tutti Camarata's creative vision combined with Jimmy's ingenious ideas about marketing and how to utilize the Disney catalog really made the Disney record label a one-of-a-kind success story."

James Alexander Johnson, Jr. joined The Walt Disney Studios fresh out of journalism school as an assistant in the Publicity Department in September of 1938. He was excited by the creative environment at Disney and thrilled by its bright future.

"Publicity had a management change, and Johnson faced termination," it is reported in the book, Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records, "but he had been bitten by the Disney bug and searched for any job that would enable him to stay with the Company."

Johnson wound up in Traffic, delivering mail on the Studio lot to destinations including the Animation Story Department, where he had hoped to end up. Instead, he was inexplicably transferred to Accounting, and shortly after was drafted into the Army. Upon his return from service, Jimmy returned to the Studio as assistant to the corporate secretary, a position to which he was elected in December 1950.

Roy O. Disney split Disney publications and merchandising that year, and asked Johnson to head the new publishing unit, as well as business affairs for the new Walt Disney Music Company, which Fred Raphael had established late in 1949. Jimmy handled the Disney Publications division worldwide until 1962, and was the editor of the Walt Disney magazine from 1956 through 1958.

Realizing that competing with the established Hollywood music concerns was both foolish and unnecessary, Johnson had a vision for the Music Company that focused on its core business—Disney stories, characters, and properties. He also shared Walt and Roy's growing desire for ownership and control of the creative and business assets of the division, realizing that strict supervision of those areas was vital to both the maintenance and growth of the Disney name and reputation. Jimmy helped turn the Music Company profitable in 1954. Also in 1954, Jimmy was impressed by a composer and performer who submitted 'The Pencil Song" for a proposed Disneyland TV episode. He was so pleased with the tune and its writer, Johnson brought future Disney Legend Jimmie Dodd on staff.

Jimmy became general manager of the Walt Disney Music Company in December 1958, and played a key role in the evolution of all Walt Disney music and record activities. He was vital in the establishment of the Buena Vista and Disneyland record labels, the Wonderland Music Company (BMI), and all related music publishing activities. He served as president of the Walt Disney Music Company from September 1970 until his retirement in March of 1975.

Jimmy Johnson passed away in January 1976.

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Danny Elfman
Film & Music • 2015

Daniel Elfman grew up immersed in movie music.

"I could listen to the scores of Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, and Erich Korngold and identify them. I was really proud."

"I could hear something and go, 'That's definitely Max Steiner,' and Nino Rota was huge. I loved playing the game of tuning into a movie on television, trying to guess who the composer was, then seeing if I was right. I was definitely a film music nerd—but it never occurred to me to actually do it."

As a young man, Danny roamed France and across Africa absorbing local musical trends—largely unaware of his own talent for composing. It wasn't until the early 1970s that Danny and his older brother Richard Elfman started a musical troupe in Paris; the group "The Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo" was created for Richard's 1980 directorial debut, Forbidden Zone (now considered a cult classic by Elfman fans). The group's name went through many incarnations before eventually becoming just Oingo Boingo.

In 1985, director Tim Burton, a fan of Oingo Boingo, asked Danny to provide the musical score for Pee-wee's Big Adventure. This marked the beginning of a long collaboration between the two, and Danny has provided the music for most of Burton's films ever since.

The Elfman-Burton collaboration continued with the clever and quirky music for Beetlejuice and reached a crescendo with the massive, Gothic score for Burton's Batman, which earned a Grammy® for the composer; it also attracted an active fan base, who felt that Danny's "Wagnerian" approach gave the Dark Knight a new and entirely appropriate sound.

Following his work on Batman, Danny provided the soundtrack for Disney's adaptation of Dick Tracy. Soon after, he worked on the songs and score for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, one of the composer's personal favorites, and for which he also provided the singing voice of Jack Skellington.

"Halloween was always my favorite night of the year," Danny says,

"and Christmas was the saddest. I was raised Jewish in a secular family. We didn't celebrate anything, so in my mind all my friends were singing Christmas carols in a warm, happy environment, while I was stuck in this depression. Black clouds gathered. I was cast out. Halloween was the opposite. It was the night to become something else. Anything!"

Danny has scored nearly all of Burton's films, including the touching Edward Scissorhands, with its delicately lyrical choral passages; the funhouse-from-hell music for the mad Penguin and Catwoman in Batman Returns; the '50s-style sci-fi score for Mars Attacks; the intense and powerfully orchestrated Sleepy Hollow; and Planet of the Apes. Five of Danny's eight Grammy nominations are for Burton films.

In addition to Burton, his regular collaborators include Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) and Gus Van Sant (Milk). "Writing the score is the easy part," Danny confides. "Getting into the director's head and understanding their psyche is what's hard. But that's what you need to do. You have to be half-composer, half-psychiatrist."

His many subsequent successes include Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, Hulk, and many others. Danny also has scored several Disney films, including Dead Presidents, A Civil Action, Flubber, Instinct, Meet the Robinsons, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenweenie, and Oz The Great and Powerful. His haunting music for the drama Good Will Hunting and his raucous sounds for the sci-fi comedy Men in Black earned him dual Academy Award nominations in 1997.

Not content to compose only for the screen, Danny also composed the themes for various television shows, including The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives, and even wrote the music for the exciting new Mystic Manor attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland.

"The thing that got me really into doing this ride was they said it was inspired, in part, by a ride that I loved when I was small," Danny says.

"The Haunted Mansion was a part of my musical subconscious… that's really the big appeal, that it was inspired by that: that I might do something that will become part of the musical subconscious culture of a generation."

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Who are the 543 Disney characters in 'Once Upon a Studio'?

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To commemorate the openings of the World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland on Nov. 20, 2023 and Fantasy Springs on June 6, 2024 (which featured Anna and Elsa's Frozen Journey at Frozen Kingdom and especially Fairy Tinker Bell's Busy Buggies at Peter Pan's Never Land), the Walt Disney Animation Studios debuted "Once Upon A Studio," an all-new short featuring not 100, but several hundred Disney characters, (543 to be exact) from classic to modern – and everywhere in between. Join us as we attempt to identify them.

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The short begins with Disney Legend – and longest-serving Disney employee at 70 years – Burny Mattinson (who filmed the opening scene just six months before he passed away in February 2023) telling a young intern, "if these walls could talk."

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"For 70 years, Burny was such an important part of this studio," said Disney Animation President Clark Spencer. "His career spans everything from working in the mailroom to being an animator and story artist to directing feature films to being the best mentor anyone could ever ask for."

When Burny closes the door, it sets off a flurry of activity as unlikely combinations of Disney characters make their way to the front of the building for a 100th-anniversary photo (all thanks to a little pixie dust from Tinker Bell (voiced by an unknown Japanese voice actor who can make Japanese people understand, unless if she can use jingling bells and her singing voice by Rachel Potter who is used for the song "Journey to Fantasy Springs")).

So, let's take a look at "Once Upon a Studio" scene-by-scene and see how many characters we can identify before we get to the big photo finish.

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"Once Upon a Studio" Scene-by-Scene

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After Burny shuts the door, Mickey (Chris Diamantopoulos) calls for Tinker Bell (and when he's sure the coast is clear), he and Minnie (Kaitlyn Robrock) jump out of their frame and set off to gather the rest of the gang.

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Down the hall, Princess Tiana (Anika None Rose) gathers Pinocchio (Griffen Campbell), Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) from "Zootopia," and her "Princess and the Frog" pal Louis the Alligator (Michael-Leon Wooley).

As Mickey passes three framed scenes from "Bambi," Bambi, Thumper (Ian R'Mante and Peter Behn), and Flower (Stan Alexander) jump out to wake up Orville, Bernard (Bob Newhart), and Miss Bianca from "The Rescuers," who narrowly miss Minnie with Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino (Mark Walton) from "Bolt" when Orville crash lands.

Minnie enlists the help of Peter Pan (Lee Slobotkin and Bobby Driscoll) to fly with Wendy, John, and Michael to "get the folks upstairs."

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TINKER BELL: ♪ What is this place?

Adventure's calling

A gentle breeze

Stirs up a distant dream

Your heart is leaping
Your mind is racing
To a wondrous spring
Where the water around you
Connects everything

A fairytale beginning
Your dream is taking flight
With magic and friends for all time!
Look inside
What story will you find?

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The Second Floor

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When they reach the second-floor landing, Peter and the kids are intercepted by Sisu (Awkwafina) from "Raya and the Last Dragon," who's apparently racing Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) from "Treasure Planet" through the hallway. Around the corner, Maui (Dwayne Johnson) from "Moana" turns into a giant bird and heads up the stairs as he reminds Aladdin (Scott Weinger) and Abu (Frank Welker) to meet in the lobby.

Hot on their wheels is Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) in her kart-racer with Dodger (Billy Joel) from "Oliver & Company" riding shotgun. Then, Elliott (Charlie Callas) from "Pete's Dragon" swoops by with Cody (Adam Ryen) from "The Rescuers" (passing Wayne and Lanny from "Prep and Landing").

Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) rides in on a wave, catching Flounder (Luke Lowe) just in the nick of time – except he needs water. Moana dashes to the Snuggly Ducking (a nod to "Tangled"), where Merlin (Jim Meskimen) is busy serving tea to Cogsworth (Bob Joles), Mrs. Potts, and Chip from "Beauty and the Beast;" The Mad Hatter (Alan Tudyk) and March Hare from "Alice in Wonderland," and Dr. Lucille Krunklehorn from "Meet the Robinsons." Luckily for Flounder (and thanks to Merlin), the Hatter's hat makes a handy fish bowl (despite no help being offered by a passing penguin waiter from "Mary Poppins" who's carrying a plate of spaghetti and meatballs a la "Lady and the Tramp").

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Passing Stromboli (Charles Judels) from "Pinocchio" struggling with a vending machine, Anna (Kristen Bell) wonders aloud to Elsa (Idina Menzel) if all the villains will be part of the photo, to which Elsa replies with a snow flurry ensuring at least once villain (namely Hans (Santino Fontana)) remains inside his frame.

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Following Mickey and Minnie's instructions, Donald (Tony Anselmo and Clarence Nash) calls the elevator only to find it already packed with Terk from "Tarzan," Carl (Harland Williams) from "Meet the Robinsons," Mother Gothel from "Tangled," plus Ranger Woodlore and Humphrey, the Bear, but just as the doors are about to close, Flash (Raymond S. Persi) from "Zootopia" asks Donald to hold the elevator.

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Meanwhile, as Olaf (Josh Gad) from "Frozen" is working at an animation desk (and Pumbaa and Timon (Nathan Lane) from "The Lion King" pass his door and tell him to hurry), Genie (voiced by the late great Robin Williams) appears from the sketch pad.

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At the men's room mirror, Gaston (Richard White) from "Beauty and the Beast" is getting ready for the photo, along with Prince John from "Robin Hood," Thomas O'Malley from "The Aristocats," Chicken Little, Milo from "Atlantis: The Lost Empire," Happy from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," and the Headless Horseman from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" – Oh, and the Cheshire Cat (Sterling Holloway) from "Alice in Wonderland."

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As Minnie reminds the men to "get moving," Pooh (Sterling Holloway) enlists the help of Christopher Robin, Kanga, and Eeyore to help him get out of his frame and Antonio (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) from "Encanto" is having a walk-and-talk with Pua from "Moana," Meeko from "Pocahontas," Pascal from "Tangled," Cri-Kee from "Mulan," and a pair of cheerful bluebirds from "Cinderella" – but pauses to remind Joanna (Frank Welker) from "The Rescuers" not to eat Jaq and Gus (Jimmy Macdonald) from "Cinderella" (with help from Pluto (Bill Farmer)).

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In the lobby, the "101 Dalmatians" pups are watching "Fantasia" as Angus McBadger, Rat, and Mole from "Wind in the Willows" along with Ryder, Honeymaren, Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), and Sven from "Frozen" pass through, with Kristoff advising the puppies (a little late) to stop watching the scary scene. When they scurry away from Chernabog, the puppies cause Scrooge McDuck (Alan Young) to drop his bags of money, much to the delight of Robin Hood (Daniel Wolfe) and Little John (Richard Epcar).

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Finally, Flash joins the (now annoyed) Donald and crew at the elevator, and at the last minute, Baymax (Scott Adsit) from "Big Hero 6" squeezes in.

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On another landing, Ursula (Pat Carroll) is followed by a lovestruck Splat from "Strange World" as Cinderella (Jennifer Hale) and Prince Charming (Keith Ferguson) descend the stairs. When the prince loses a shoe, the two share a laugh until Max (Frank Welker) (Prince Eric's dog from "The Little Mermaid") runs away with the footwear.

Mickey comes up the stairs and is concerned to see Kaa (Sterling Holloway) from "The Jungle Book," hypnotizing Clarabelle, but Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) assures him that she (and her trusty frying pan) has everything under control.

That's when Mickey notices a portrait of Walt, and they share a moment as "Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins" (Walt's favorite song) plays in the background. (It was recently recorded by Richard Sherman in Walt's office).

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100th-Anniversary Photo Op

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Minnie calls Mickey to the lobby, so Mickey catches a lift with Dumbo.

TINKER BELL: ♪ Within this place

Are new beginnings

And stories only you can write

Those fairy tales and ever-afters

Are all suspended here in time

A fairytale beginning

Your dream is taking flight

With magic and friends for all time!

Look inside!

What story will you find?

A fairytale beginning

Your dream is taking flight

With magic and friends for all time!

Come inside!

What story will you write?

He flies past a crowd on the stairs that includes Madame Medusa from "The Rescuers," Michael "Goob" Yagoobian (AKA Bowler Hat Guy) (Stephen J. Anderson) from "Meet the Robinsons," Kronk from "The Emperor's New Groove," The Clade family (Ethan, Searcher, and Meridian) from "Strange World," Clara Cluck, Pegleg Pete, and Gazelle from "Zootopia."

As Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) holds the door – with Madam Mim from "Sword in the Stone" and Flynn Rider and Maximus from "Tangled" looking on – Mickey and Dumbo fly out the studio's front door, followed by Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly), Scar (Jeremy Irons) from "The Lion King," and Mr. Toad (Eric Blore) who has a new "wild ride" aboard the flying carpet from "Aladdin."

We hear Mickey mention the ladder, which causes Ichabod Crane from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" to turn around quickly and duck as Goofy (Bill Farmer) recklessly swings a tall ladder around.

Trusty (Bill Baucom) and Jock from "Lady and the Tramp" are followed by Flora (Verna Felton), Fauna, and Merryweather (Barbara Luddy) (the three fairies from "Sleeping Beauty"), who look at the studio's iconic wizard's hat and magically change it from blue to pink and back to blue.

Mickey starts gathering everyone for the photo, including Amos Mouse and Benjamin Franklin from "Ben and Me," Phil from "Hercules," Luisa from "Encanto" (holding Rutt and Tuke from "Brother Bear" and the cow crew from "Home on the Range"), Pacha and Kuzco (David Spade) from "The Emperor's New Groove," Colonel Hathi and Winifred from "The Jungle Book," the three little pigs, Cinderella's stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella), Captain Hook and Smee from "Peter Pan," and a black and white Oswald, the lucky rabbit.

Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) from "The Lion King" lifts the camera to Goofy (a la Simba), and as Goofy teeters on the ladder, Tarzan and Jane, Chief Bogo from "Zootopia," Casey (at the bat), Clarabelle, Horace Horsecollar, and Jafar from "Aladdin" worriedly look on (with Iago (Piotr Michael) counting down to his inevitable fall) – and when Stitch (Chris Sanders) steps up to "help," Lilo steers him away.

In true Grumpy style, the grouchy dwarf (Josh Robert Thompson) from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" throws up his hands in disgust while young Simba and Nala from "The Lion King" as well as Rabbit, Eeyore (Jim Meskimen), Piglet, and Gopher from "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" look disappointed.

As Friar Tuck from "Robin Hood," Fred, Honey Lemon, GoGo Tomago, Wasabi, and Hiro from "Big Hero 6," The Big Bad Wolf, Ludwig von Drake, Arthur from "Sword in the Stone," King Leonidas from "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," and the Ongis from "Raya and the Last Dragon" start to leave, Mickey begs them to stay, but it's no use.

The group is joined by Princess Jasmine from "Aladdin," Abuela Alma and Isabela Madrigal from "Encanto," Sgt. Calhoun from "Wreck-It Ralph," Daisy Duck, Officer Clawhauser from "Zootopia," and Koda and Kenai from "Brother Bear." But then they hear a guitar playing "When You Wish Upon a Star."

It's Alan-a-Dale, the musical narrator from "Robin Hood" who's joined by Scat Cat from "The Aristocats" on trumpet, Mirabel from "Encanto" on accordion, and Hathi Jr. from "Jungle Book" on his trunk while Taffyta Muttonfudge from "Wreck-It Ralph" and Johnny Appleseed look on – and because it's Disney – the singing starts.

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When You Wish Upon a Star Your Dreams Come True

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First, it's Belle (Paige O'Hara) from "Beauty and the Beast" (standing with The Queen of Hearts from "Alice in Wonderland," Lewis and Wilbur from "Meet the Robinsons," Penny from "The Rescuers," plus Pecos Bill and Widowmaker). As the Beast (Robby Benson) joins Belle for a duet, Hades (James Woods) from "Hercules" gripes, but Aurora and Phillip from "Sleeping Beauty," Cruella De Vil from "101 Dalmatians" and John Henry look pleased.

The next verse is sung by Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (who is joined on the studio's rooftop by his gargoyle pals Victor, Hugo, and Laverne).

Pocahontas (Judy Kuhn) sings to Mama Odie from "The Princess and the Frog," Tod and Copper from "The Fox and the Hound," Basil of Baker Street, Olivia Flaversham, and Dr. David Q. Dawson from "The Great Mouse Detective," Dumbo and Timothy, Boun and Tong from "Raya and the Last Dragon," and the Aristocats (Duchess, Thomas O'Malley, Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz).

Then, Princess Ariel (Jodi Benson) sings to Nessie, Prince Eric, Jaeger Clade from "Strange World," and Dolores Madrigal from "Encanto" – accompanied by Scuttle (Jess Harnell) who's very quickly hushed by Baloo (Jim Cummings) and Mowgli (Phoenix Reisser) from "The Jungle Book" as Lady and the Tramp smile and Sebastian the crab conducts from atop the golden harp from "Fun and Fancy Free."

Goofy looks sadly at his broken camera when suddenly, Sorcerer Mickey's magical brooms from "Fantasia" come to his aid, assisted by Felix from "Wreck-It Ralph," Hercules, and Cinderella's Fairy Godmother (who bibbidi bobbidi boos everything back on track).

Snow White (Natalie Babbitt Taylor) then harmonizes with Mulan (Lea Salonga) and Asha (Ariana DeBose) from "Wish" for Lambert the Sheepish Lion, Princess Eilonwy from "Black Cauldron,"Baymax, Oaken (Yoo Hoo), and Robin Hood and Maid Marian from "Robin Hood," Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings), Tigger, The White Rabbit from "Alice in Wonderland," and Lumiere and Plumette from "Beauty and the Beast."

To "bring it home" is none other than Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards), who sings his iconic song from "Pinocchio" from the palm of Mickey's hand.

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Say Cheese, Everyone!

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So, how did you do? Can you identify any characters we didn't mention in the photo below?

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Memorable Moments

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Mickey Mouse March – Jimmie Dodd

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♪ Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Hey there, Hi there, Ho there! You're as welcome as can be!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse! (Donald Duck!)
Mickey Mouse! (Donald Duck!)
Forever let us hold our banner high, high, high, high!

Come along and sing a song and join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E ♪
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You Can Fly – Sammy Fain; lyrics by Sammy Cahn

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♪ Think of a wonderful thought,

Any merry little thought

Think of Christmas, think of snow, think of sleigh bells

Off you go, like reindeer in the sky!

You can fly, you can fly, you can fly! ♪

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Be Our Guest – Alan Menken; lyrics by Howard Ashman

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Bonjour! It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, the dining room proudly presents your dinner.

♪ Be our guest, be our guest!

Put our service to the test

Tie your napkin 'round your neck, chérie

And we provide the rest

Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres

Why, we only live to serve?

Try the grey stuff, it's delicious!

Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!

(INSTRUMENTAL)

Course by course! One by one! Till you shout,

"Enough, I'm done!"

Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest

Tonight, you'll prop your feet up, but for now, let's eat up

Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!

Please be our guest! ♪

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Fun on the Ice – Frank Churchill

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The Sorcerer's Apprentice – Paul Dukas

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I've Got No Strings – Leigh Harline; lyrics by Ned Washington

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♪ I got no strings to hold me down

To make me fret or make me frown

I had strings but now I'm free

There are no strings on me

Heigh-ho the merry-o

That's the only way to be

I want the world to know

Nothing ever worries me

I got no strings so I have fun

I'm not tied up to anyone

They got strings but you can see

There are no strings on me ♪

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Part of Your World – Alan Menken; lyrics by Howard Ashman

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♪ Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't ya think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't ya think I'm the girl,

The girl who has everything?

I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore

You want thingamabobs? I got 20

But who cares? No big deal. I want more!

I wanna be where the people are

I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin'

Walkin' around on those...

What do ya call 'em? Oh, feet.

When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love

Love to explore that shore up above?

Watch and you'll see, someday I'll be part of your world! ♪

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Bella Notte – Peggy Lee & Sonny Burke

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♪ For this is the night

It's a beautiful night

And we call it bella notte

Look at the skies

They have stars in their eyes

On this lovely bella notte

Side by side with your loved one

You'll find enchantment here

The night will weave its magic spell

When the one you love is near

For this is the night

And the heavens are right

On this lovely bella notte ♪

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I Just Can't Wait to Be King – Elton John; lyrics by Tim Rice

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♪ I'm gonna be the main event

Like no king was before

I'm brushin' up on lookin' down

I'm workin' on my roar!

Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing

Oh, I just can't wait to be king!

Everybody, look left

Everybody, look right

Everywhere you look, I'm

Standing in the spotlight

Let every creature go for broke and sing

Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing

It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling!

Oh, I just can't wait to be king!

Oh, I just can't wait

To be king! ♪

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The Work Song / A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes – Mack David, Jerry Livingston, and Al Hoffman

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Poor Cinderelly. Every time she finds a minute, that's the time when they begin it. Cinderelly, Cinderelly.
Cinderella!

♪ Cinderelly, Cinderelly
Night and day it's Cinderelly
Make the fire!
Fix the breakfast!
Wash the dishes!
Do the moppin'!
And the sweepin' and the dustin'!
They always keep her hoppin'!
She'd go around in circles
Till she's very, very dizzy
Still they holler
Keep her busy, Cinderelly ♪

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♪ A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep

In dreams you will lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true

Whatever you wish for you keep

The dream that you wish will come true

Will come true ♪
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Disneywiz, thinking as a result of Tinker Bell and her friends' absence and the presence of the Arendelle sisters, went on a log flume attraction that is based on the new film franchise in summer of 2016, following the opening in Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort on June 21, 2016. This celebrates the anniversary of the day Anna saved her sister with an unselfish act of true heart and thaw a frozen heart.

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1. Load (with Oaken's speech)

(Loading area announcements)

Oaken: Yoo-hoo! For your safety, keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the the boat there. And vatch your little vones, ja? (Spanish safety spiel.)

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Oaken

Oaken runs Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna.

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2. 1st Olaf ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman")

(Ride begins. Boats approach OLAF (voiced by Josh Gad) and SVEN. Music transitions to “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?”)

Version 1:
Olaf: Do you wanna build a snowman?
C'mon, I know you do!
Elsa's made a magic winter show,
With summer snow,
For Sven and me and you!
We're going up to Elsa's ice palace with you and you and you — all of you! See you there!
Sven: (Reindeer grunt.)
_
Version 2:
Olaf: Do you wanna build a snowman?
C'mon, let's go and play!
Elsa wants to give us all some fun,
She's making everyone
A snowy summer day!
Oh, you're going to Elsa's ice palace! Sven's going, I'm going. It'll be so beautiful! See ya there!
Sven: (Reindeer grunt.)

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Olaf

Created from Elsa's magical powers, Olaf is by far the friendliest snowman in Arendelle. He is innocent, outgoing and loves all things summer. Olaf may be a bit naive, but his sincerity and good-natured temperament make him a true friend to Anna and Elsa.

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Sven

A reindeer with the heart of a Labrador, Sven is Kristoff's loyal friend, sleigh-puller and conscience.

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3. The Trolls

(Boats move alongside TROLLS)

Young Troll: Tell us the story again!
Young Trolls: Please!
Grand Pabbie: On a day, very much like today, Anna saved her sister with an unselfish act of true love and thawed a frozen heart.
Young Troll: Ooh, ooh, and now they're best friends!
Grand Pabbie: Indeed.
Baby Troll: Hey, you're going up to a ice palace! Lucky…

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4. Lift ("Vuelie")

(Boats move alongside TROLLS. Music transitions to "Vuelie.")

Chorus: Na na na heyana
Hahiyaha naha
Naheya heya na yanuwa
Anhahe yunuwana.

(Boats move uphill)

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5. Olaf, Anna, and Kristoff ("For the First Time in Forever")

(Boats level out as they pass OLAF ice skating. Music transitions to "For the First Time in Forever.")
Olaf: La da da, for the first time in forever,
Now I'm so glad you came along!
For the first time in forever…
I don't really know this song.
And watch this next part, yooo-oooh!
Skating! Skating, skating, celebrating!

Welcome to Elsa's ice palace!

(Boats move alongside ANNA (voiced by Kristen Bell) and KRISTOFF (voiced by Jonathan Groff) singing together. SVEN's tongue is stuck to an ice crystal.)

Kristoff: Are you ready to see Elsa?
Anna: They were born ready!
For the first time in forever…
Anna and Kristoff: We get to share this frozen fun.
For the first time in forever,
Elsa's inviting everyone.
Anna: Would you say you’re elated or gassy?
Kristoff: Let's just call it "delight."
Anna and Kristoff: 'Cause for the first time in forever,
You're here…
Anna: For my sister's magic night.

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Anna

Spirited and loving, Anna gives her heart freely to those she cares about. Ever the optimist, she's proud to be Arendelle's Queen and always tried to do her best for the Kingdom and the people she loves.

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Kristoff

A rugged mountain man and ice harvester by trade, Kristoff was a bit of a loner with his reindeer pal, Sven, until he met Anna. As Arendelle's official Ice Master and Deliverer, Kristoff has found love with Anna and his new family: Elsa, Olaf and Sven.

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6. Elsa and Young Iduna's Voice ("Into the Unknown")

(As boats begin to pass through doors into ELSA's (voiced by Idina Menzel) ice palace, music shifts to "Into the Unknown" instead of "Let It Go.")

Angelic Voice: (VOCALIZING)

(boats begin to pass through doors into ELSA's ice palace)

Elsa: You're not a voice
You're just a ringing in my ear
And if I heard you, which I don't
I'm spoken for, I fear
Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls
I'm sorry, Secret Siren, but I'm blocking out your calls
Every day's a little harder as I feel my power grow
Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go

(Boats begin moving backward away from ELSA as she shows off her powers.)

Into the unknown?
Into the unknown!
Into the unknown!
Angelic Voice: (VOCALIZING)
Elsa: Whoa-oh-oh
Are you out there?
Do you know me?
Can you feel me?
Can you show me?
(VOCALIZES)
Angelic Voice and Elsa: (HARMONIZING)
Elsa: Where are you going?
Don't leave me alone
How do I follow you
Into the unknown?
Angelic Voice: (VOCALIZES)

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Elsa

Elsa is a mythic character – magical and larger than life. Now completely in control of her powers, she is confident, resolved, and warm Elsa looks after the spirits of nature and embraces her role as the Snow Queen, knowing that it is who she was always meant to be.

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7. Marshmallow and Drop ("Instrumental Theme (Elsa & Anna)")

(Boats change direction as they pass MARSHMALLOW, who is covered in SNOWGIES.)

Version 1:

Marshmallow: Let it go!

Version 2:

Marshmallow: I'm free!

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Marshmallow

Marshmallow is an enormous icy snowman born from Elsa's powers.

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Snowgies

Snowgies are little snowmen Elsa unwittingly creates every time she sneezes—and she sneezes a lot.

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8. Arendelle Ice Castle ("For the First Time in Forever" instrumental)

(Boats plunge down waterfall and sail past Arendelle, which features snow fireworks going off over the castle.)

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9. Anna, Elsa, and Olaf Finale ("In Summer")

(As boats approach unload area, ANNA, ELSA, and OLAF stand to the side and sing "In Summer.")

Olaf: Dah dah, dah doo,
Buh buh buh buh buh boo.
Olaf, Anna, and Elsa: The hot and the cold are both so intense,
Put 'em together…
Olaf: It just makes sense!
Rat dadat dadat dadat dadadadadoo
Olaf, Anna, and Elsa: Winter's a good time to stay in and cuddle,
Olaf: But put me in summer, and I'll be a…
Anna and Elsa: Happy snowman?
Olaf: Exactly!
Olaf, Anna, and Elsa: When life gets rough,
I like to hold on to my dream.
Relaxing in the summer sun,
Olaf: Just lettin' off steam.
Oh, the sky will be blue…
Olaf, Anna, and Elsa: And you guys'll be there too…
Olaf: When I finally do what frozen things do,
Olaf, Anna, and Elsa: In summer!

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10. Unload (with Oaken's speech)

(Boats return to dock. Unload area announcements.)

Oaken: Yoo-hoo! Welcome back! Please remain seated 'til your boat comes to a complete stop at the dock and you are asked to get out to the right, ja? Bye-bye, now! Bye-bye!

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During this time, Disneywiz decided to underrate the film like the less popular film in the Tinker Bell series, Secret of the Wings (with Elsa sharing many similar traits with Periwinkle):

Both have blue eyes and very fair hair – Peri's is white and Elsa's is platinum blonde.
Both have a small lock of hair down their forehead.
Both possess unusually strong powers over ice and snow, frost and sleet, hail and cold.
Both have icy-blue motifs.
Both have a dear sister (Anna / Tinker Bell) whom they love and care about very, very much.
Their sisters are the protagonists of both movies respectively.
Both enjoy playing in the snow with their sister but are forced into separation as their sisters may be vulnerable to the cold.
Both also appear to be unaffected by the cold. Peri's outfit has no sleeves, and she is almost always surrounded by ice and snow. Elsa, during "Let it Go", sings that "the cold never bothered her."
In the end, both reunite with their beloved sister to save their home kingdom (Arendelle / Pixie Hollow) from a ravaging blizzard / snowstorm.
Both Frozen and Secret of the Wings have the kiss in the end.

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Disneywiz rewrote and changed the stories of Frozen and Tinker Bell, with sharing the resemblance story between Anna & Elsa and Tinker Bell & Periwinkle (in the prologue only) (all sisters enjoying playing in the snow in the prologue until they are forced into separation as their sisters may be vulnerable to the cold). Skipping the Secret of the Wings climax due to no soundtrack, Tinker Bell will be spending the whole summer in the mainland with a better sister figure, Lizzy Griffiths, which is set during the events of the first Frozen during Anna and Elsa's adulthood.

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SPLAT: Ta-da!

BEAST: What?

KAA: ...mistake.

JIM: Whoo-hoo!

FLASH: Hold the...

ANNA: Do the magic!

GRUMPY: You don't...

EDWARD: Ah! Giselle!

ELSA: Go away, Anna.

EEYORE: There's one.

JAQ: Isn't it wonderful?

LOUIS: Tiana! Naveen!

TROLL: True love's kiss

DODGER: You help Tito.

THUMPER: Hiya, Bambi.

ANTONIO: Use my room.

IDUNA: And on that note,

MOANA: What's in there?

TOAD: Hello, you fellows.

CARL: Why is it an acorn?

MERRYWEATHER: Flora?

OLAF: Hey, let me ask you.

ANNA: And we're locked in.

MULAN: "Quiet and demure.

KRISTOFF: Come on, Sven.

LITTLE JOHN: Rob? Robin?

ASHA: Yes, that's the castle.

QUASIMODO: Most of them.

NICK: Mission accomplished.

ALADDIN: Look, I... I'm sorry.

CODY: That's it, you've got it!

SNOW WHITE: Uh-uh, uh-uh!

ELSA: Why is their ship here?

ABU: Yoo-hoo! Aladdin! Hello!

RUNEARD: Stand tall, Agnarr.

TIANA: Where you taking me?

STROMBOLI: Get along there.

FLOUNDER: Ariel, wait for me.

JUDY: (WHISPERS) Come on.

RHINO: Superbark. Superbark!

SCROOGE: What, what, what?

BELLE: New and a bit alarming

MAUI: I wasn't born a demigod.

SISU: Wow. So many questions.

KRISTOFF: Come on. Come on.

AGNARR: And I was so honored

COGSWORTH: Now it's too late.

BAYMAX: I have some concerns.

POOH: Oh, not for honey, I hope.

SCUTTLE: Nothing is happening.

RAYA: Where are you taking me?

CINDERELLA: Oh, there you are.

ROBIN: We're waiting. (LAUGHS)

POCAHONTAS: Come on, Meeko!

GISELLE: And grew and grew love

DONALD: Who would've thought it?

TINKER BELL: Just tie this off here.

TRUSTY: But I'd say a mite smaller.

MERLIN: You merely look like a fish.

MINNIE: Oh, Mickey, where are you?

FLORA: Bolt the door, Merryweather.

PINOCCHIO: Father? Father, it's me.

RAPUNZEL: What did you do to him?

HADES: A stirring performance, boys.

PETER: I came to listen to the stories.

GASTON: Who does she think she is?

VANELLOPE: Okay, good. Little more.

MICKEY: Hey, Pluto. Here she comes.

KUZCO: So this is where you came in.

URSULA: Come in. Come in, my child.

BOWLER HAT GUY: What's going on?

GOOFY: Gawrsh, that's the king's seal!

JIMINY: I gotta get in! My pal's in there.

BERNARD: No, no! Back! Back, Penny!

BALOO: (LAUGHS) You're gettin' it, kid.

ARIEL: Flounder, don't be such a guppy.

RALPH: No, no, no! Wait a second! Aah!

_________________________________

00:00:00–00:19:59
_________________________________
SVEN: Mm.
KAA: ...mistake.
VINNY: Hey, Junior.
CALHOUN: All right.
MRS. BANKS: Jane.
ANNA: Do the magic!
FAIRY: No, Pinocchio.
ELSA: Go away, Anna.
NALA: It's really creepy.
TROLL: True love's kiss
IDUNA: And on that note,
CASS: That's my nephew!
ALICE: Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo!
MERRYWEATHER: Flora?
GURGI: Oh, no, Great Lord.
MULAN: "Quiet and demure.
KRISTOFF: Come on, Sven.
JOHN: Blast you, Peter Pan!
FÉLIX: Our angel, our angel!
KALA: Oh! Oh, no. Shh. Shh.
RUNEARD: Stand tall, Agnarr.
DONALD: Suspension bridge?
FLOUNDER: Ariel, wait for me.
NANNY: The puppies are here!
KERCHAK: I said he could stay.
MARIE: Me first, me first. Whoo.
KRONK: Back! Elbow! Shoulder!
AGNARR: And I was so honored
SEARCHER: (CHUCKLES) Ooh!
CINDERELLA: Oh, there you are.
ISABELA: Who wants more pink?
ROBIN: We're waiting. (LAUGHS)
POCAHONTAS: Come on, Meeko!
JUMBA: He is bulletproof, fireproof
GISELLE: And grew and grew love
BIG MAMA: Mm-hmm. Oh, uh-huh.
MICHAEL: And I'll cut you to pieces.
RABBIT: Here we come. Don't worry.
DOPPLER: Jim! Oh, Jim! Wait for me!
MR. BANKS: Advertisement for what?
FRIEND OWL: Come on. (SHOOING)
PETER: I came to listen to the stories.
FLYNN: This is the story of how I died.
EINSTEIN: Yeah. And you're okay, too.
NAKOMA: Help me turn this thing over.
CALOWAY: There's a star on that door.
BERLIOZ: Yeah, old pickle-puss Edgar.
MAURICE: We should be there by now.
WENDY: Bu... But where are we going?
PONGO: For a while, it seemed to work.
ARIEL: Flounder, don't be such a guppy.
RALPH: No, no, no! Wait a second! Aah!

_________________________________

00:20:00–00:29:59

_________________________________

ZEUS: Ha ha!

SIMBA: Come here!

DODGER: You help Tito.

MOANA: What's in there?

GOTHEL: I love you most.

ANNA: And we're locked in.

SHENZI: Ooh, it tingles me.

CALLISTO: Okay, everyone.

LITTLE JOHN: Rob? Robin?

PHILLIP: You know, Samson,

ABU: Yoo-hoo! Aladdin! Hello!

TIMOTHY: I think they're cute.

DRIZELLA: Huh. As if you care.

MRS. PACKARD: Commander?

NANI: Okay, I got to get to work.

ATTINA: What is with her lately?

SISU: Wow. So many questions.

GOPHER: Quick! Turn the page!

MORPH: "Nothing but me heart."

TERK: Oh! Watch it! Oh! Ow! Ow!

ANASTASIA: Well, it's about time.

BASIL: This case is most intriguing

PLEAKLEY: Well, what's he doing?

RATCLIFFE: Keep on working, lads

TRUSTY: But I'd say a mite smaller.

MERLIN: You merely look like a fish.

PENNY: Bolt! It's okay, Bolt. I'm fine.

AURORA: Why, it's my dream prince.

MARIAN: Are you ready, Lady Kluck?

HORNED KING: The Black Cauldron!

MILO: Sorry about... Sorry about that.

MUSHU: Uh, uh... Yes, I just woke up.

GASTON: Who does she think she is?

JOCK: Aye, and they walk on all fours.

HIRO: I know what you're going to say.

BALOO: (LAUGHS) You're gettin' it, kid.

ANDRINA: Ariel, dear, time to come out.

_________________________________

00:30:00–00:39:59

_________________________________

BEAST: What?

DINKY: Charge!

SHANK: Well, well, well.

THUMPER: Hiya, Bambi.

LUISA: I move mountains

CARL: Why is it an acorn?

GRACE: We're on your trail.

RITA: Oh, that poor little kid.

COOKIE: Ya-ha! Gertie, pull!

ASHA: Yes, that's the castle.

KODA: Hello. I can't breathe.

QUASIMODO: Most of them.

KRISTOFF: Anna, be careful!

ZAZU: Oh, Scar, this is awful!

SNOW WHITE: Uh-uh, uh-uh!

CLAWHAUSER: Here you go.

BOGO: Abandoning your post.

ROGER: Maybe Scotland Yard.

ABUELA: Such a perfect match.

FIDGET: Let me out! Let me out!

HERCULES: Yeah. Yeah. I know.

POOH: Oh, not for honey, I hope.

PIGLET: Oh, dear. Oh, dear, dear.

SILVER: Well done, Mr. Arrow, sir!

JAEGER: A subterranean labyrinth

HONEST JOHN: (SIGHS) Splendid!

KING CANDY: Now, now! (LAUGHS)

DUCHESS: Now, be careful, children.

O'MALLEY: Hey, cool it, you little tiger.

MITTENS: So, if you got superpowers,

URSULA: Come in. Come in, my child.

YZMA: And so, it is with great sadness

ANITA: We're doing everything possible.

TRAMP: Alligators. Now there's an idea.

_________________________________

00:40:00–00:49:59

_________________________________

KENAI: Koda?

MR. BIG: Meh.

DAWSON: Basil?

PHIL: Two words.

FLASH: ...Priscilla!

BAGHEERA: Baloo.

ABBY: Ring the bell!

GRUMPY: You don't...

MERIDIAN: Heads up.

EDWARD: Ah! Giselle!

EEYORE: There's one.

JAQ: Isn't it wonderful?

MEG: (PANTING) Please.

POWHATAN: Pocahontas.

BASHFUL: Ain't he sweet?

OLAF: Hey, let me ask you.

LEWIS: That's a prototype?

PEPA: Married in a hurricane

CODY: That's it, you've got it!

WILBUR: Robinson Industries,

STROMBOLI: Get along there.

LUMIERE: Life is so unnerving

JOHN: This place is incredible.

MATTIAS: Hey, back at home...

DOLORES: I can hear him now

MEDUSA: There is another one!

LILO: Want to listen to the King?

FFLEWDDUR: Aah! Great Belin!

BAYMAX: I have some concerns.

JANE: I've never seen such eyes.

TARZAN: They mean us no harm.

PRINCE JOHN: Seize the fat one!

HATHI: Oh, absolutely impossible.

PACHA: Well, we better get going.

LING: Some king of the rock. Aah!

RUTT: So, you want to play "I spy"?

WASABI: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

PANCHITO: This custom takes place

BIANCA: Let go, you big bullies, you!

FLORA: Bolt the door, Merryweather.

FELIX: The vines. They're Laffy Taffy.

HADES: A stirring performance, boys.

RAY: I'll take them the rest of the way.

HAPPY: Never say die. Never say die.

ESMERALDA: You've done this before?

_________________________________

00:50:00–00:59:59

_________________________________

DAVID: Nani!

SPLAT: Ta-da!

GO GO: Mmm.

LASZLO: Yeah!

FRANCIS: Goodness!

FRIAR TUCK: Surprise!

SHERIFF: Howdy, Friar.

ARCHIMEDES: Wart! Wart!

RATIGAN: Goodbye so soon

ELSA: Why is their ship here?

FRED: (GASPS) He's glorious.

JOE: Watch your step, Donald.

MIRABEL: (IN ENGLISH) Wait.

BELLE: New and a bit alarming

LADY: Where is he taking him?

ALLAN-A-DALE: Man, oh, man.

IDUNA: The waves are too high!

HUGO: And since you're shaped

CAPTAIN AMELIA: Mr. Hawkins,

SCUTTLE: Nothing is happening.

MALEFICENT: Touch the spindle.

TARAN: They're only frogs, Eilonwy.

MAGGIE: Stallion of the Sim-moron.

TITO: Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!

DOC: Now don't you worry about us.

JASMINE: Just go jump off a balcony!

FAUNA: (CRYING) We're all to blame.

VANELLOPE: Okay, good. Little more.

KUZCO: So this is where you came in.

CLAYTON: Now, be careful, Professor.

DONALD: Am I going to like this place!

BOWLER HAT GUY: What's going on?

McLEACH: Get out of here! Go on! Get!

_________________________________

01:00:00–01:39:59

_________________________________

BOLT: Penny.

JAFAR: Shut up!

AUDREY: Milo, no!

LUCKY: Mother, Dad,

HONEY LEMON: Hiro.

LOUIS: Tiana! Naveen!

YOUNG TOD: Copper?

ANTONIO: Use my room.

VICTOR: Ready, aim, fire!

RABBIT: The March Hare.

PHOEBUS: No, you're not.

CRUELLA: Jasper! Horace!

BRUNO: Oh... Almost there.

TIGGER: Come on, bounce.

NICK: Mission accomplished.

ALADDIN: Look, I... I'm sorry.

SMEE: Oh, captain, you did it.

TIANA: Where you taking me?

SLIGHTLY: Yea for Bear Killer!

BOUN: I know what you mean.

WILBUR: Girls? Girls, I'm here!

JUDY: (WHISPERS) Come on.

RHINO: Superbark. Superbark!

MAUI: I wasn't born a demigod.

TONG: There's too much spice.

ETHAN: We can be resourceful.

GAZELLE: Wow! I'm impressed.

JIM: Whoa. What is all this stuff?

COGSWORTH: Now it's too late.

YOUNG COPPER: Yeah, forever.

RAYA: Where are you taking me?

PRINCE: That has possessed me

NARRATOR: And so they all lived

SEBASTIAN: Ariel, grab onto that.

ERIC: Whoa! Hang on, I've got ya.

RUNT: Don't go breaking my heart

NAMAARI: But you didn't trust her.

EDGAR: Now, my little pesky pets,

SHANTI: (SINGING) My own home

FROLLO: The prisoner, Esmeralda,

LAVERNE: Don't you ever migrate?

ARTHUR: Kay, Kay, here's a sword.

BELLWETHER: Come on out, Judy.

TINKER BELL: Just tie this off here.

TOULOUSE: I told you it was Edgar.

FACILIER: Shame all that hard work

JANE: Father passes that every day.

CHARLOTTE: Cheese and crackers!

B.E.N.: Laser cannons disconnected,

PINOCCHIO: Father? Father, it's me.

SWEET: Milo, you better get up here.

PERDY: Shh, children. Children, shh.

RAPUNZEL: What did you do to him?

STEPMOTHER: You clumsy little fool.

NAVEEN: Ray! Get me out of this box!

SNOOPS: Welsher! Swindler! Chiseler!

JIMINY: I gotta get in! My pal's in there.

EILONWY: Come on, Fflewddur! Hurry!

BERNARD: No, no! Back! Back, Penny!

CHRISTOPHER: You can let go, Tigger.

SULTAN: Find him! Search everywhere!

LITTLE: He's all right! Stop the invasion!

GEPPETTO: It's no use. We're done for!

HOOK: Don't stand there, you bilge rats!

YAO: Does this dress make me look fat?

_________________________________

The Story of Tinker Bell and Periwinkle's Sisterhood and Anna and Elsa's Childhood
_
Vuelie (00:00:00—00:01:36)
_
Anna and Elsa's Childhood Bedtime Story (00:00:57—00:07:47)
_
Frozen Heart (00:01:38—00:03:15)
_
Tinker Bell and Periwinkle (00:37:22—00:40:32)
_
Anna and Elsa's Childhood Accident (00:03:40—00:08:12) / Tinker Bell and Periwinkle (00:40:35—00:47:23)
_
Queen Clarion and Lord Milori (00:48:07–00:50:05)
_
Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? (00:08:17—00:11:25)

_________________________________

On the edge of a fjord, a deep mountain lake ringed by majestic peaks, the kingdom of Arendelle was a happy place. During the day, shopkeepers, fishermen, and ice sellers kept the city bustling. At night, the northern lights often lit up the sky in beautiful patterns. The rulers of Arendelle, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna, were kind. Their young daughters, Elsa and Anna, were the joy of their lives.

_________________________________

Tinkers' Nook was bustling with activity. The tinker fairies were making snowflake baskets for the fairies of winter. A flock of snowy owls soon arrived for the baskets, bringing a final shipment order for Fairy Mary with them. "Goodness," Fairy Mary said. "They need twenty more baskets for tomorrow's pickup!" Tink watched as the magnificent birds headed off toward the Winter Woods. "There's a whole other world over there," she said to herself.

_________________________________

Later that day, Tink volunteered to help her friend Fawn take animals to the Winter Woods to hibernate. But Fawn told Tink that they could only bring animals to the border, and weren't allowed to go into the Winter Woods. Then she got distracted by a sleeping marmot. "No hibernating yet!" she called into the animal's ear. "You do that in winter!"

Even though she knew it could be dangerous, Tink was very curious about the Winter Woods. With Fawn distracted, Tinker Bell jumped across the border!

_________________________________

Tink gazed in wonder at the beautiful wintry landscape, enchanted by the delicate snowflakes that drifted down all around her. Suddenly, her wings began to sparkle in a burst of colorful light–and she heard the faint sound of a baby's laugh!

_________________________________

The magical moment ended when Fawn yanked Tinker Bell back into autumn. Fawn touched Tink's wings and gasped. They were freezing! Fawn rushed Tink straight to the fairy hospital. A healing-talent fairy examined Tink's wings. Then she warmed them until they were back to normal again.

_________________________________

Tink was on a mission to find out what had made her wings sparkle. She flew off to the Book Nook, where she found a wing-shaped book she hoped would give some answers. Unfortunately, a bookworm had chewed through the pages. A fairy told Tink that the author of the book–the Keeper—might be able to help her. But he lived in the Winter Woods.

_________________________________

Tinker Bell put on a warm outfit, packed the book in a bag, and snuck into the tinkers' workshop. Then the adventurous fairy climbed inside a snowflake basket. Tink's fairy friends watched closely.

In a moment, Tink was soaring through the air. The young owl that had picked up the basket had no idea there was a stowaway inside!

_________________________________

As the owl crossed into the Winter Woods, Tinker Bell felt a cold blast of air. She peeked out of the basket and saw a majestic valley spread before her!

_________________________________

Suddenly, the owl accidentally let go of Tink's basket! She crashed onto the landing area, sending snowflakes scattering everywhere. Tinker Bell ducked behind the basket to hide–then realized that her book had been flung onto the ice. She had to get it back before a winter fairy found it!

Just then, Lord Milori, the Lord of Winter, arrived. "Now, that is odd," he said, grabbing the book from Sled, a winter fairy who had spotted it. Lord Milori asked Sled to return the book to the Keeper.

_________________________________

Tinker Bell secretly followed Sled to the Hall of Winter. When she arrived, she spotted the Keeper, whose name was Dewey. Then another winter fairy rushed into the room and asked Dewey why her wings were sparkling! Suddenly, Tinker Bell's wings began to sparkle, too–just like when she had crossed the border the other day! An irresistible force pulled her toward the fairy. The fairy's name was Periwinkle.

_________________________________

The girls hoped Dewey could explain what was happening to their wings. He brought Tink and Peri over to a giant snowflake. "Just put your wings into the light," he told them.

A few seconds later, the chamber filled with images showing the journey of a baby's first laugh–a laugh that split in two and landed on a dandelion! One half traveled to the Pixie Dust Tree on the warm side of Pixie Hollow, and Tinker Bell was born. The other half blew into the Winter Woods, and baby Periwinkle arrived. That meant Tink and Peri were sisters!

_________________________________

Suddenly, Lord Milori arrived. He was concerned about the book Sled had found. "What if a warm fairy brought it here?" he asked Dewey. "If a warm fairy comes here, you will send them back."

Peri and Tink, who had been hiding behind the snowflake, gasped. Did this mean that Tinker Bell would have to go home already?

_________________________________

Dewey told the girls they could have a little time to visit before Tink had to go home. Tink put on her coat and earmuffs to keep warm. When they got to Periwinkle's house, Peri showed Tink a bundle of items she had been collecting. "You collect Lost Things, too?" asked Tink. "I called them Found Things," Periwinkle replied, smiling.

_________________________________

Next, they went to the Frost Forest, where Peri introduced Tinker Bell to her friends Gliss and Spike. They went ice-sliding, which was like sledding on a frozen roller coaster. Tink had a wonderful time!

_________________________________

Agnarr loved telling Elsa and Anna, stories of long ago. One night he told them about the Northulara, a people who lived in harmony with the spirits of nature. The story left Anna and Elsa with many questions. But it was late, so Iduna lulled them to sleep with a lullaby. She sang of a river called Ahtohallan, which held all the answers to the past.

Elsa wondered if Ahtohallan knew why she had magical power. "Someone should really try to find it," she said before dozing off.

_________________________________

That night outside Periwinkle's house, after Tinker Bell had built a fire to stay warm, she had a thought. "I made it warmer over here," she said. "Maybe I could make it colder over there." Tink wanted her sister to be able to visit her on the warm side of Pixie Hollow.

Suddenly, the snow floor crumbled beneath them. It was melting from the fire! A lynx brought them to safety. Dewey told the girls that now it was really time for Tink to go back home.

_________________________________

The girls realized that they might never see each other again. Tinker Bell had to come up with a plan. When the three fairies reached the border, Tinker Bell broke into fake sobs. "I can't watch!" Dewey cried. "Meet me here tomorrow. There's something I need you to bring," Tink whispered to Peri.

_________________________________

A little while later, Tinker Bell arrived back on the warm side of Pixie Hollow. She asked her friends Clank and Bobble for help. The three fairies were hard at work when a few of Tinker Bell's other friends stopped by. Clank had told them about Tink's newfound sister, and everyone couldn't wait to find out more about her!

_________________________________

The next day, Tinker Bell arrived at the border with Bobble and Clank, who were pulling a strange-looking contraption. It was a snowmaker! Periwinkle and her friends gasped in surprise. "How does it work?" Peri asked.

_________________________________

A few seconds later, the snowmaker started to grate a block of ice and turn it into snow. Peri was delighted!

_________________________________

The older daughter, Princess Elsa, had a magical secret–she had the power to create snow and ice!

Anna adored her big sister and wanted to spend every minute with her. One night, Anna convinced Elsa to turn the Great Hall into a winter wonderland. They made a snowman together, and then Elsa created ice slides so Anna could soar through the air!

_________________________________

Peri's journey through the warm seasons was filled with one amazing sight after the next. She saw a fast-moving rainbow and a field of blooming flowers. She thought everything was so beautiful.

Soon, Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist, and Vidia got to meet the frost fairy face to face. "Everyone ... this is Periwinkle, my sister!" Tinker Bell announced.

_________________________________

Peri was continuing her tour of the warm side of Pixie Hollow when Tink noticed that Peri's wings had started to wilt. The snowmaker was running out of ice, and there wasn't enough snow to keep Peri cold! Elsa accidentally hit Anna with a blast of icy magic. Anna fell to the ground, shivering. A streak of white appeared in her hair.

_________________________________

Immediately, Tink brought Peri back to the border. The worried Agnarr and Iduna rushed their daughters to the trolls. They were mysterious healers who knew all about magic. At the moment, Lord Milori appeared. "Lift your wings," he told Peri. "Let the cold surround them." A wise old troll named Grand Pabbie was able to cure Anna by helping her to forget the injury–and the magic. He also had a warning. "Elsa's power will grow," he said. "She must learn to control it." Suddenly Queen Clarion, the Queen of Pixie Hollow, arrived. She looked at the girls sadly. "This is why we do not cross the border," Lord Milori told Tinker Bell and Periwinkle. "I'm sorry. You two may never see each other again."

_________________________________

Elsa was afraid that she would hurt her sister again. She spent her time practicing to keep her magic under control. It was difficult, especially when she became upset. As a precaution, Agnarr decided to keep the castle gates closed. As the girls went their separate ways, Lord Milori mounted his owl and flew off–but not before he knocked the snowmaker into a stream. The contraption goes over the waterfall as Lord Milori had intended, instead of the contraption getting caught on a ledge.

_________________________________

Later that day, Queen Clarion tried to make Tinker Bell understand why the rule about not crossing the border was so important. She told the story of two fairies who fell in love. One was from the warm seasons and one was from the Winter Woods. One of the fairies crossed the border and broke a wing–an injury for which there was no cure. The queen finished her sad tale.

Anna couldn't remember Elsa's magic, but she still wanted to play with Elsa. No matter how much Anna pleaded, Elsa refused to open her door. Years passed, but the girls didn't grow any closer, even when their parents were lost at sea.

_________________________________

Many years and adventures later, Arendelle was flourishing. Elsa was the new ruler, and she and Anna surrounded themselves with a friendly group–composed of a snowman, a reindeer, and a mountain man–they called family. One evening, they were all playing charades. Olaf and Kristoff made a great team.

"Teapot! Unicorn!" – Kristoff

Kristoff guessed correctly every time. Olaf rearranged himself into a new shape.

It was Elsa and Anna's turn. As Elsa stood before the group, she heard a haunting melody sung by a voice that no one else seemed to hear. It took her focus off the game.

When the round was over, Elsa abruptly excused herself, saying she was tired.

_________________________________

Anna knew her sister wasn't just tired. She opened the door to Elsa's room and saw that she had wrapped herself in their mother's scarf.

"You do that when something wrong, said Anna. "What is it?"

Elsa wanted to tell Anna about the voice but decided against it. Instead, she said she was worried about messing things up.

"You're doing great," Anna assured her.

Elsa smiled. "What would I do without you?" she asked. "You'll always have me," replied Anna.

_________________________________

Later that night, the voice woke Elsa, louder and more insistent than before. She followed it to the fjord. She needed to know more about it.

Elsa began to sing along with the voice's call. As she did, she felt her magic getting stronger. The voice encouraged her to use her power in new ways.

Elsa found she could pull moisture out of the air and create wonderful fleeting images made of snow. How can this be happening? she thought.

_________________________________

Then Elsa felt the voice pull away from her. She reached for it and a shock wave of magic blasted from her in every direction. The moisture in the air froze into crystals that dotted the sky as far as she could see. Suddenly, an explosion of light came from the north.

_________________________________

The shock wave woke Anna. When she saw that Elsa was not in her bedroom, she raced for the castle doors. Just as she stumbled into the courtyard, the frozen crystals fell from the sky.

The sound of crashing ice crystals brought the villagers out of their homes as well. All around them, lanterns suddenly flickered out, and the water in the fountains began to dry up.

The sisters found each other, and it was clear to them that something was very wrong. The ground shook and the wind blew the villagers, pushing everyone toward the cliffs.

After they were all safe, Elsa told her sister about the voice.

"A voice?" asked Anna. "What kind of voice? What did it say?"

_________________________________

Elsa revealed that the voice hadn't said anything it had simply shown her the Enchanted Forest. She knew she needed to travel there.

"Not without us, you don't," Anna said.

The ground rumbled again, but this time it was the mountain trolls rolling through the pass. Grand Pabbie went straight to Elsa.

"Much about the past is not what it seems," Pabbie said. "When one can see no future, all one can do is the next right thing."

Elsa had to find the voice. "And this time, Anna, I am not afraid," she said.

Grand Pabbie told Anna he would take care of the villagers but she needed to watch over Elsa.

"I won't let anything happen to her," Anna promised.

_________________________________

At dawn, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven left Arendelle, headed due north. They traveled day and night. Their mission was too important–the stakes too high–to stop for rest.

Olaf tried to lighten the mood. "Who's into trivia?" he asked, but he didn't wait for a response. "I am! Okay!"

The snowman kept up a never-ending chatter, revealing fun facts he had discovered since learning to read. "Did you know that water has memory?" Olaf said. "Did you know men are six times more likely to be struck by lightning? Sorry, Kristoff!"

_________________________________

As they went over a small hill, Elsa heard the voice again. She asked Kristoff to stop the wagon. Straight ahead, the sun revealed the Enchanted Forest, shrouded in a heavy mist.

Elsa raced across the plain with Anna right behind her, but they stopped before reaching the mist. "We do this together, okay?" Anna said.

"Together," Elsa replied.

At once, the mist began to part.

_________________________________

Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven hurried to join Anna and Elsa. The group stared as four giant stone columns were revealed.

The friends moved slowly toward the monoliths. But once they were inside the mist, it closed around them. They were trapped!

They didn't have time to be concerned, as the mist began to push the friends into the unknown!

_________________________________

They eventually stumbled into a wooded area. Everyone looked around in amazement. They had entered the Enchanted Forest!

Suddenly, the snowman was swept up by a gust of air.

"Olaf! Elsa cried, rushing toward him.

It was the Wind Spirit! Moments later, the whole group was caught in its vortex.

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Elsa sent a blast of magic that pushed everyone out of the whirlwind–except her. She filled the vortex with a steady stream of snow and slowed its spinning. Then she threw her arms open and snow flew everywhere.

Elsa was free. And she was surrounded by ice sculptures depicting beautiful moments frozen in time.

"What's that thing you say, Olaf?" Anna asked.

"Water has memory," he said.

As Anna and Elsa walked among the sculptures, one in particular caught their attention. It showed their father as a teenager. He was being rescued by a girl who wore a scarf that was just like their mother's.

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They suddenly heard a loud banging. Reindeer quickly surrounded Elsa and the others as people emerged from the bushes. They were the Northuldra! Anna grabbed an ice sword from one of the sculptures.

"Lower your weapon," said a Northuldra woman named Honeymaren.

Seconds later, soldiers from Arendelle, in faded and tattered uniforms, appeared.

"And you lower yours," Lieutenant Mattias of the Arendellians said to Honeymaren.

But another Northuldra, Yelana, sneaked up behind them. "Threatening my people again, Lieutenant?" she said.

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The two groups charged, both wanting to be the first to capture the sisters and their friends. Elsa used her magic to make the ground slick, causing the Northuldra and the Arendellian soldiers to slip and fall.

"That was magic!" Mattias cried.

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As Mattias got to his feet, Anna asked, "Do I know you?" She and Elsa walked over to him.

Then it hit her. His portrait was in the castle. "You were our father's official guard!" Anna exclaimed.

"I see him. I see him in your faces," Mattias said.

The young Northuldra were also eager to meet Anna and Elsa. Honeymaren approached them and asked about the scarf Anna was carrying. Anna explained that it had been given to her father, who had then given it to her mother.

It was remarkable to all that a traditional Northuldra scarf was cherished by an Arendellian queen. Maybe the two sides were more alike than different.

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Without warning, a bright light shot out from behind a tree. It was the Fire Spirit! Everything it touched burst into flame. People scattered, but Elsa stayed to battle the blaze with her magic.

The Northuldra reindeer panicked and ran. Kristoff jumped onto Sven and took off after them.

Elsa spotted the tiny Fire Spirit, a salamander, under a rocky overhang.

Elsa held out her hand and the spirit cautiously climbed onto it. She smiled and sprinkled the salamander with snowflakes.

All of a sudden, Elsa heard the voice and so did the Fire Spirit! The two of them turned toward its calling.

"We have to go north," Elsa said. It was time to move on.

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Elsa started walking. Even though Kristoff and Sven were away from the camp, Anna and Olaf knew they had to leave immediately with Elsa.

It felt as if they had been walking for hours when a distressing sight came into view–the wreckage of an Arendellian ship.

When they got closer, Elsa and Anna realized it was their parents' ship! Inside, Anna found a map. Ahtohallan, the river from their mother's lullaby, was clearly marked on it.

Elsa was devastated. "This was my fault. They were looking for answers about me!"

"Hey, you are not responsible for their choices," said Anna.

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Elsa let that sink in. She knew Anna was right. But she also knew that the next part of the journey would be the most dangerous. She had to go alone. If anything happened to Anna, she wouldn't be able to bear it.

She conjured up an ice boat beneath Anna and Olaf and sent them down a dry riverbed.

Anna reached for something, anything, to stop their boat. But they slipped into a quickly flowing river that took them farther from Elsa.

As their ice boat continued downstream, Anna spotted Earth Giants sleeping along the shore. The giants stirred as Anna and Olaf drifted silently by. As perilous as the moment was, Anna couldn't help wondering what dangers Elsa was facing.

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Elsa had, in fact, reached the Dark Sea. Its ferocious waves made it nearly impossible for her to cross. Elsa was determined, but time and time again the sea pushed her back, and then it pulled her under!

She managed to reach the surface and create an ice slide, but when the waves broke it, she dove straight into the water, not noticing an enormous creature watching her.

Below the waves, Elsa was confronted by a looming spirit that took the form of a horse–the Water Nokk!

The spirit charged at Elsa over and over, but Elsa didn't surrender. She summoned all her power to create an ice bridle, which she hooked onto the massive horse.

At last, the Water Nokk responded to Elsa's commands. Together, they galloped to the other side of the Dark Sea.

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Elsa had reached Ahtohallan–and the voice that had been calling to her. The answers to all her questions were there, just as her mother's Iullaby had promised. But more than the truth about her magic, Elsa also discovered peace–a peace she couldn't wait to share with her sister, the spirits, and spread throughout the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Anna and Olaf had found refuge in a cave. A twinkle of snowflakes rushed in and formed an ice sculpture. It was a signal from Elsa that she was safe, and soon they would all be together again.

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Walt Disney's Last Productions

Walt was dedicated to his dream of being a cartoonist since he was in high school. He drew cartoons for the newsletter at McKinley high school in Chicago. Once he got his first job as an animator, it was the catalyst that set off his dream of opening his own studio. Laugh-o-grams studios was this for him, until it went bankrupt. He was faced with having to start all over again, but with his brother Roy and best friend Ub at his side, they eventually created the icon that is Mickey Mouse. The rest is history.

Walt Disney passed away on December 15th, 1966, just 10 days after his 65th birthday. Even though most people retire once they've reached a certain point in their 60s, Walt was still working just as hard as he used to. The studio was on a high during the Silver Age era, producing films like Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and Lady and the Tramp. Disneyland was approaching its 10 year anniversary, and was still a massive success. Walt was also working on his Disneyland anthology TV series. Let's take a look at some of the last films and TV shows Walt was personally involved in.

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Films

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The AristoCats

The production for The Aristocats began in 1962. The script development had seen many challenges through that year and into 1963, with disapproving writers, differing opinions, and it was starting to become complicated. The original idea for the story was to have it as a 2-part Wonderful World of Color special, rather than a whole film itself. But when it was suggested to Walt that all of the elements would make for a great movie, he approved it. He left Ken Andersen in charge of overseeing the writing. It was shelved though until 1966, as Walt felt that The Jungle Book's production would progress faster.

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The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is famously known as the last full movie that Walt worked on. The film previously released to it, The Sword and the Stone, had not done so well. Walt wanted to be sure that The Jungle Book was done right, and had a sense of magic to it. Though it is adapted from Rudyard Kipling's novel from 1894, according to Sense of Cinema, he actively tried to make sure that the writers were not reading the book.

After some disagreements with the initial writer for the film, Bill Peet, Walt decided to scale back his team and choose a group of people he knew he could trust and who could naturally see his vision. Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas, two of the Nine Old Men, were responsible for the friendship that came through between Baloo and Mowgli. Other people included in the making of the film include Wolfgang Reitherman, Ken Andersen, Milt Kahl, and John Lounsbery.

"[Walt] obviously got hooked on the jungle and the characters that lived there." — Roy E. Disney

During the production of The Jungle Book is when Walt began feeling weak and tried to hide his frequent pain. Animators believed he was suffering the effects from an injury sustained while playing polo several decades earlier. Diagnosed with lung cancer, Walt scheduled a doctor's appointment in October of 1966 for some neck pain he was in. During the x-ray, doctors noticed the spot on his lung. He went in a month later on November 7th to get surgery done to remove it. However, the tumor had gotten so big that he was only given another six months to two years. He passed away one month later on December 15th.

"Nobody at the studio was aware that Walt was as sick as he was." — Richard Sherman

During that one month period between his surgery and his death, Walt made one final visit to the studio, though his staff had no idea how sick he truly was. They could see it in his face, but they were happy to see him regardless as they continued to work on The Jungle Book. Walt called Wolfgang Reitherman, the director of The Jungle Book, to the hospital and personally asked him to help lead the feature film animation program, letting him know that he would be the one to continue the legacy of animated films and the Disney Fairies film series (including the streaming of the trilogy at Disney Plus and one attraction (Fairy Tinker Bell's Busy Buggies) at Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disney Resort featuring Tinker Bell (which she speaks in a Japanese language instead of English) and some of her animals friends, including Cheese the mouse, the firefly, and the NeverBeast seen as an Easter egg at the winter section), so Reitherman pushed back against the shutdown and the discontinuation of the Tinker Bell franchise (which was popular at every web page and site, including YouTube and Disney.com). He and the other artists wanted the complete story of Anna and Elsa's childhood and the era of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna to be completed the way Walt wanted, and they were ultimately able to continue production.

"He walked down the hall and said goodbye. He never said goodbye to anybody in his life, he'd say "I'll see you next week" or something." — Marc Davis

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Kristen Bell on Anna's devastating moment in Frozen II

About three-quarters of the way into Frozen II, just before the film's final original song, princess protagonist Anna (Kristen Bell) finds herself stranded in a dark cave and an even darker state of mind. Elsa (Idina Menzel) is all but considered dead, Olaf (Josh Gad) has disintegrated like an extra Avenger in Endgame, and any wisp of hope that the princess ever felt has vanished like an icicle in August. It's a shocking nadir for the habitually optimistic Anna, who now joins Bambi and Simba in the subsection of Disney characters who have just absolutely gone through it on screen.

It also inspires over a Disney story idea to have everyone believe that Baloo the bear from The Jungle Book had been killed. Over fifty years later in Frozen II, when Elsa risked her life to deliver the truth beyond the Arendelle past to her sister Anna so she can free the Enchanted Forest and save the kingdom, causing her happy-go-lucky snowman sidekick Olaf to disappear and Anna singing "The Next Right Thing" desperately. Believing two deaths have struck her world, Anna does what a Disney princess in mourning is want to do: She sings.

"I've seen dark before, but not like this.
This is cold, this is empty, this is numb.
The life I knew is over, the lights are out.
Hello darkness, I'm ready to succumb.

I follow you around, I always have.
But you've gone to a place I cannot find.
This grief has a gravity, it pulls me down,
But a tiny voice whispers in my mind."

Fortunately, what follows is a moment of inspiring resolve, even for young viewers who have been left shaken by the drama (and/or possible introduction of the word "succumb"). "You are lost, hope is gone, but you must go on and do the next right thing," Anna sings. "Take a step, step again, it is all that I can to do the next right thing."

What ultimately happens here is Anna finds a way to literally scrape herself off the floor and continue living, despite no longer having two of the people she's been living for. It's that difficult duality — of crippling uncertainty and the loss of co-dependency, in this moment and throughout Frozen II itself — that Bell, who voices Anna, was eager to explore.

"Before [writer/director] Jennifer Lee wrote the script, we sat down for a while and she said, 'What do you think Anna is struggling with? What's the next big hurdle in her life?' and it honestly took me a while to come up with it, but I think whereas Anna in the first one is ultimately optimistic and believes in everyone around her, I wanted to talk about, what you do when you don't know what to do, which I think is a really dark question for a lot of us," Bell tells EW. "What do you do when you don't know what to do?"

It's certainly not an easy issue to unpack, and Anna's song "The Next Right Thing" is an objectively tough one to listen to (not only for its lyrics, but for Bell's performance and decision to not sacrifice emotion for the sake of making a song minivan-appropriate). But Anna's uncertainty over what to do (after so confidently proclaiming that some things never change) is greatly worsened by a loss of who to even do it for — and Anna, more than any other character, is wayward when left without a tribe.

There is a chasm of difference between the loss of life and the loss of co-dependency — you don't have to have been intensely co-dependent to meaningfully grieve a death — but Anna's personality has always been calibrated toward an optimism that manifests in an allowance of needing others to fulfill her. That sounds pretty harsh, but recall that the first 20 minutes of Frozen introduce Anna as a person whose entire worldview was created in the absence of human interaction; the rest of the film presents a wonderfully layered adult full of wit and warmth, but one who nevertheless has outsourced a large portion of her own sense of self-completion to the new affections of other people (like Hans, Elsa, and Kristoff). Add another layer to this: Anna is, according to the directors, an archetype of fairy tale — as opposed to Elsa, an archetype of myth — and so her motivations have been purposefully crafted to follow north stars of love, harmony, and happy endings. None of those are bad things to believe in, but the reason Anna's moment of mourning feels so disarmingly dark is because such sunny dogma exacerbate the fall from grace when you're suddenly miles away from your castle alone in a cave grieving her sister and snowman.

Watching Anna go to her darkest depth is no easy scene to swallow, certainly not for younger audience members who didn't exactly have "Olaf dies" on their Frozen II bingo card. But if the moment can spur a meaningful dialogue about determination after the film, then it holds the same power that, for decades, has made animated films a consequential medium for fostering maturity.

"We waited around to find the story lines that were important enough to talk about, ones that we felt were necessary and things that hadn't been discussed before," says Bell. "This film definitely grew with its audience, and it took so long to make because everyone was hell-bent on not just making episode 2 of Frozen." In the six years since Frozen first made landfall in the world, the actress has always spoken about her "otherworldly connection" to Anna — to her humor, her idiosyncrasies, to proudly wearing her heart on her sleeve — and Anna's development here only furthers their bond. "I am very co-dependent, and that's part of where my people-pleasing and optimism comes from, and we really dug deep with Anna about the good and the bad parts of being all those things in a melting pot," she continues. "But what do you do when you can't live for someone else anymore? I think our children deserve that conversation."

Bell volunteers a link to another current project of hers that has also sparked its share of provocative conversation: NBC's The Good Place, the four-season-long sitcom on which Bell plays a reformed sinner whose near-death — or, actual-death — experience galvanizes her to be a better human being. "I'm proud to be a part of a show like The Good Place because I play a girl who lives in isolation and was an island, and then only when she got to the afterlife did she realize she needed people, and she grew because of it," Bell says. "I think Anna is sort of the opposite. She lives for everyone around her, she's seemingly happy, but even she has to find her strength and depend on herself. And I think Jen and everyone found a beautifully poignant way to have Anna discover that and look inward." When viewed that way, Anna's moment of mourning doesn't have to be something terrifying, but something teachable.

And it certainly doesn't hurt that, for the second time in forever, a happy ending still does manage to work out in the long run.

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This tragic but very emotionally touching scene when Anna griefs her sister (Elsa) and snowman (Olaf) after they die, singing "The Next Right Thing", will definitely help me let Mike Greenholt and the filmmakers tell the truth about the death of Pixie Hollow had there not first been a Peter Pan and realizing that Anna's decision of destroying the dam was a hard one. It would flood her beloved home of Arendelle, becoming the reason why the Frozen franchise will be discontinued like the Tinker Bell franchise and that Walt Disney Animation Studios will be shut down like DisneyToon Studios, unless the childhood version of Anna and Elsa was more popular than adulthood. And it also will definitely help me let go of the fact that the Tinker Bell film soundtrack collection was almost completed.

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Dedicated to the work by Walt Disney V's best friend and partner, John Lasseter, one of the key members of their executive team, who left the Disney company at the end of 2018 in a cloud of controversy and allegations of unwanted touching (Lasseter acknowledged "missteps" in a company-wide memo responding to the allegations). Ralph Breaks the Internet was the last animated cartoon feature production that Lasseter was involved with as executive producer and, like its predecessor, Disneywiz's reviews were mixed-to-negative.

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His sabbatical letter

I have always wanted our animation studios to be places where creators can explore their vision with the support and collaboration of other gifted animators and storytellers. This kind of creative culture takes constant vigilance to maintain. It's built on trust and respect, and it becomes fragile if any members of the team don't feel valued. As a leader, it's my responsibility to ensure that doesn't happen; and I now believe I have been falling short in this regard.

I've recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me. It's never easy to face your missteps, but it's the only way to learn from them. As a result, I've been giving a lot of thought to the leader I am today compared to the mentor, advocate and champion I want to be. It's been brought to my attention that I have made some of you feel disrespected or uncomfortable. That was never my intent. Collectively, you mean the world to me, and I deeply apologize if I have let you down. I especially want to apologize to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form. No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected. In my conversations with Disney, we are united in our commitment to always treat any concerns you have with the seriousness they deserve, and to address them in an appropriate manner. We also share a desire to reinforce the vibrant, respectful culture that has been the foundation of our studios' success since the beginning. And we agree the first step in that direction is for me to take some time away to reflect on how to move forward from here. As hard as it is for me to step away from a job I am so passionate about and a team I hold in the highest regard, not just as artists but as people, I know it's the best thing for all of us right now. My hope is that a six-month sabbatical will give me the opportunity to start taking better care of myself, to recharge and be inspired, and ultimately return with the insight and perspective I need to be the leader you deserve. I'm immensely proud of this team, and I know you will continue to wow the world in my absence. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and look forward to working together again in the new year.

John

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When Encanto takes over Frozen II as the winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Disneywiz's reviews were mixed-to-negative. Strange World followed, and due to the same musical score as the Wreck-It Ralph franchise, his reviews were also mixed-to-negative.

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And of course, the filmmakers all acknowledge there would be no Pixie Hollow had there not first been a Peter Pan. "One of the reasons I took this job was because growing up, I loved Peter Pan," Greenholt states, adding, "Every time we do a new project—and even in the midst of it—I'm constantly watching Peter Pan, over and over again, trying to stay in that world, to try and keep the animation and the acting as close to those sensibilities as I can." Wigert also stresses, "Peter Pan was such a fun character in that film. We absolutely respect that and want to live up to that legacy."

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After the sequel to Wreck-It Ralph was announced and thinking that Frozen Ever After or the story of Anna and Elsa's childhood and the era of Queen Iduna and King Agnarr was a better hit than the first film or the rest of Anna and Elsa's adulthood, Disneywiz acknowledges there would be nothing new at Disney Animation and became tired of anything new at every new animated feature with any lackluster reviewer had there not first been a Alice from Wonderland, Disney's famous mermaid with her beautiful feminine voice, and the rest of Anna and Elsa's childhood and the era of Queen Iduna. "One of the reasons I took this job was because I loved Anna and Elsa's childhood and Queen Iduna, I loved Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, or Enchanted," Disneywiz states, adding, "Every time we do a new Disney feature project or sequel (especially for Moana 2) which will do better than Frozen II or Disenchanted (a sequel to Enchanted, which the reviews saying that it lacked the charm of the predecessor), except for every new Frozen film with every nostalgic childhood scene (especially with rave reviews, a boo-boo, or one that is about to enter and win the awards at the Oscars) or any different movie with a C or D grade—and even in the midst of it—I'm constantly going back to visit Anna and Elsa's childhood and seeing their parents (in the first and second films), and watching Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, or Enchanted, over and over again, trying to stay in that world, to try and keep the animation and the acting as close to those sensibilities as I can." "Alice, Ariel, and Giselle were such feminine characters in those films. You think it's better than Tinker Bell or her other fairy friends until further notice. We absolutely respect that and want to live up to that legacy."

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Despite being 16 years old, Enchanted is a better tribute to Walt Disney and Tinker Bell film series than Frozen ever could.

Because of how sad and disappointing Frozen II (or Disenchanted) turned out, despite being seen as the dedication to the fact that the filmmakers all acknowledge there would be no Pixie Hollow had there not first been a Peter Pan, I then remembered that in 2007, there was a movie Disney did that in hindsight, makes for a better tribute to the Tinker Bell movies than the Frozen movies or the sequel to Enchanted ever could (in which the reviews saying that it lacked the charm of the predecessor).

Of course, as said in the title, I, believe Enchanted makes for a better tribute to the Tinker Bell movies and Anna and Elsa's childhood and Queen Iduna as it not only offers tributes and Easter eggs to past Disney movies, along with spoofing them, at least the story holds on it's own with some semblance of originality, along with the plot making sense and having fun characters and the references and Easter Eggs aren't so overabundant and the 2D animation was a nice touch.

To me, this should've been released every time we do a new Disney feature project or sequel (especially for Moana 2) which will do better than Frozen II or Disenchanted, except for every new Frozen film with every nostalgic childhood scene (especially with rave reviews, a boo-boo, or one that is about to enter and win the awards at the Oscars) or any different movie with a C or D grade), not every new Disney feature project as every new Disney feature project didn't even try to make a good movie that was a tribute to the Tinker Bell movies and Anna and Elsa's childhood and Queen Iduna.

If there was a movie good enough to dedicate the Tinker Bell movies and Anna and Elsa's childhood and Queen Iduna, it's Enchanted and it's a shame Disney didn't make Giselle a princess as despite being a parody, she's better princess material than Anna, Elsa, or Moana.

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Before its official release, the film (The Jungle Book / Frozen II) was screened at the studio in February of 1967. The audience included Hazel George, Walt's personal nurse, one of his closest confidantes, and the songwriter in Disney's From All of Us to All of You. Some of the animators and other staff who worked on the film liked to think that the very last scene of The Jungle Book that Ollie Johnston did, when Baloo and Bagheera are dancing off into the sunset, was Walt's final scene of his life too. This will help the Frozen franchise and Walt Disney Animation Studios continue their careers.

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The Happiest Millionaire

Disney was on a streak of live-action films during the 1960s, having only 3 total animated films during the entire decade produced. A lot of them did phenomenally, while others fell flat. Some of the most successful ones were Swiss Family Robinson, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Parent Trap, and Mary Poppins. The last live-action film that Walt was involved with and produced was The Happiest Millionaire. Production began at the beginning of 1966 and the film was released June 23rd, 1967.

Follow Me, Boys! was the last film that was released by the studio before Walt's death, on December 1st, 1966. The first film released after his death was Monkey's, Go Home! on February 8th, 1967.

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Television Shows

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Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color

Beginning in 1954 during the time of the development and construction of Disneyland, Walt wanted to document the process while simultaneously marketing the park to a young audience. He began an anthology television series called Walt Disney's Disneyland. It was called this until 1958, then it was changed to Walt Disney Presents. During his final run hosting the show, it was called Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. This was the debut of the series to be in color for the first time. On this series, Walt would introduce new, fun animated characters like Professor Ludwig Von Drake. He would also have guests, sing songs, and telecast his movies.

Just a month before Walt's surgery in November, he filmed an introduction called An Evening with Walt Disney, where he talks about how he couldn't make it to the Follow Me, Boys! premiere, and discusses The Happiest Millionaire. It never aired due to his passing.

Walt filmed several introductions for the series before his passing, which continued to be aired until they ran out. Chet Huntley and Dick Van Dyke hosted a memorial tribute to Walt after his death. This version of the anthology series went on until 1969.

I believe these projects hold a special place in history as being the last touched pieces of Walt's life. He was going up to the studio just 2 weeks after his major lung surgery just to ensure everything was going the way it should be. He even talked about his future plans for Disney World with Roy the night before he passed away. I'll be making a post soon about his last theme park projects, so stay tuned for that.

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How did the company release the Secret of the Wings soundtrack when Disney has to discontinue the Tinker Bell series and that the first Frozen or the other new Disney films will do better than Frozen II (with the exception of the song "Into the Unknown") at the Academy Awards?

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Disneywiz's wish gift

Shipped from eBay to Traverse Town on Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Delivered on Sunday, December 24, 2017
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To: The fan of Walt Disney's most popular fairy with her voice and sibling in Pixie Hollow with her name based on a purple flower and Arendelle's enchanted sisters as they were juniors and the Academy Award-winning team behind Zootopia and Frozen, including the father of the deceased guardian angel: Chris Buck.
—with Christmas kisses—
From: The studio staff and the cast of Peter Pan (including the surviving members: Margaret Kerry, Kathryn Beaumont, and Paul Collins), Tinker Bell's animation supervisor Michael Greenholt, Gary and Lyn Geronimi, two sons of a gifted director and a new Disney Legend: Clyde Geronimi, costume designer Alice Davis† (wife and widow of Marc Davis), filmmaker Ted Thomas (son of legendary animator Frank Thomas), most of the crew (some of the surviving cast members) who worked on Walt's last picture: actors Darleen Carr, Bruce Reitherman (son of director-producer Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman), and Lord Tim Hudson; songwriter Richard Sherman†, and story artists Floyd Norman and Burny Mattinson†; former studio executive Ron Miller† (Walt Disney's son-in-law and Diane's husband), the PhilharMagic orchestra, most of the surviving Disney Legends; and the old Disney Legends' animation team, including Donald Duck's animation director: Jack Hannah; Disney musician: Paul J. Smith; television director: Les Clark; Imagineers: John Hench, Roger Broggie, and Richard Irvine; director: Ben Sharpsteen; co-director: Robert Stevenson; co-producer: Bill Walsh; writer: Winston Hibler; a successor for Tinker Bell's voice: Jimmy Macdonald, and especially, one of King Arthur character designers and story man: Bill Peet who left the Studio in over fifty years.
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Dedicated to:
Ollie Johnston – Animation
Milt Kahl – Animation
Ward Kimball – Animation & Imagineering
Eric Larson – Animation
Joe Fowler – Attractions
Robert B. Sherman – Music
Ken Anderson – Animation & Imagineering
Mary Blair – Animation & Imagineering
Claude Coats – Animation & Imagineering
Sterling Holloway – Voice
Bill Evans – Imagineering
Annette Funicello – Film & Television
Ken O'Connor – Animation & Imagineering
Pinto Colvig – Voice
Buddy Ebsen – Film & Television
Peter Ellenshaw – Film
Harper Goff – Film & Imagineering
Donn Tatum – Administration
Adriana Caselotti – Voice
Marvin Davis – Film & Imagineering
Fulton Burley – Attractions
Edward Meck – Attractions
Fred Moore – Animation
Bob Allen – Attractions
Bill Peet – Animation
Lucien Adés – Music
Armand Bigle – Consumer Products
Cyril Edgar – Film
Mario Gentilini – Publishing
Horst Koblischek – Consumer Products
Gunnar Mansson – Consumer Products
Arnoldo Mondadori – Publishing
Poul Brahe Pedersen – Publishing
Joe Potter – Attractions
Paul Winkler – Publishing
James Algar – Animation & Film
Buddy Baker – Music
Wilfred Jackson – Animation
Norman "Stormy" Palmer – Film
Lloyd Richardson – Film
Bill Tytla – Animation
Norm Ferguson – Animation
Yale Gracey – Animation & Imagineering
Hamilton Luske – Animation
Grace Bailey – Animation
Harriet Burns – Imagineering
Joyce Carlson – Animation & Imagineering
Becky Fallberg – Animation
Dodie Roberts – Animation
George Bruns – Music
Frank Churchill – Music
Hugh Attwooll – Film
Maurice Chevalier – Film
Lillian Disney – Family
Buddy Hackett – Film & Television
Bill Anderson – Animation, Film & Television
Matthew Garber – Film
Ralph Kent – Attractions & Imagineering
Mel Shaw – Animation
Mary Jones – Parks & Resorts
Cicely Rigdon – Parks & Resorts
Vesey Walker – Parks & Resorts
Ginny Tyler – Film & Television
Roone Arledge – Television
Art Babbitt – Animation
Lucille Martin – Administration
Oliver Wallace – Music
Estelle Getty – Television
Raymond Watson – Administration
Bonita Wrather – Parks & Resorts
Dick Clark – Television
Manuel Gonzales – Publishing

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In Memoriam (We salute the following Disney Legends and members at the Walt Disney Family Foundation who have passed away since the last two Tinker Bell soundtracks released in February 2015)

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Marty Sklar
Imagineering

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Charlie Ridgway
Attractions

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X Atencio
Animation & Imagineering

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Blaine Gibson
Animation & Imagineering

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Jack Lindquist
Attractions

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Al Konetzni
Consumer Products

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Tyrus Wong
Animation

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Harry Archinal
Administration

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Carson Van Osten
Consumer Products

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Frank Gifford
Television

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Dean Jones
Film

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Kevin Corcoran
Television

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John Culhane
Author & Historian

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To our guardian angel, Ryder Buck (1990—2013)

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It's not surprising that all six of the Tinker Bell feature films always had a special place in their heart for the Disney Fairies library at Disney Plus. It helped save their franchise, along with the superior critical success of Frozen II. It was a new beginning. To see Tinker Bell's special animation, click 00:42:43–44.

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To see Frozen II's superior success, click Frozen II's Film Release and Success.

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