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| The First: Fred MacMurray 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: 2017 Disney Legends |
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| Carrie Fisher Film |
Carrie Fisher will be instantly recognizable for her iconic performance as Princess Leia in the Star Wars saga. But throughout her career Carrie took on many roles—as an actress, author, playwright, screenwriter, and advocate for mental health awareness.
Carrie was born on October 21, 1956, the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. She stepped into show business at age 15, appearing alongside her mother in the Broadway musical Irene. In 1975, Carrie made her film debut in the comedy Shampoo. But it was 1977's Star Wars that made her an international celebrity, casting her as Princess Leia Organa. Carrie changed cinematic history and captured hearts with her portrayal of the groundbreaking heroine.
Subsequent film roles included parts in 1980's The Blues Brothers, as well as Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters, When Harry Met Sally…, and Soapdish. Carrie even starred in a 1986 episode of the Disney Sunday Movie, entitled Sunday Drive. She also appeared in many television shows, including 30 Rock, Family Guy, Entourage, The Big Bang Theory, and Catastrophe.
Carrie published her first novel, Postcards from the Edge, in 1987. The wickedly funny, semi-autobiographical tale proved a best-seller and won the PEN Center USA First Fiction Award for Best First Novel. A film adaptation, scripted by Carrie herself, premiered in 1990. She later continued her career as a best-selling novelist with Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, and The Best Awful.
In addition to her novels, Carrie wrote a series of memoirs, including Wishful Drinking, Shockaholic, and The Princess Diarist. Through her writing she tackled the entertainment industry, mental illness, depression, and substance abuse with insight and humor. Carrie was open about her struggles with bipolar disorder and substance abuse, and her voice on the subject helped break through the stigma of mental illness. Millions of people connected with her and appreciated her willingness to share her story.
Carrie's writing skills were also in high demand as a Hollywood script doctor, with her uncredited contributions including films such as Hook, Sister Act, and The Wedding Singer.
In 2015, she reprised the role that made her famous, returning as General Leia Organa in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and will be seen in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Carrie received the Women of Vision Award in 2005 from Women in Film & Video of Washington, D.C., and in 2016 she received the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism at Harvard University for her outspoken activism.
Carrie passed away on December 27, 2016. A documentary based on her fabled relationship with her mother, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, was released shortly after her passing.
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| Clyde Geronimi Animation |
You remember the scenes—a terrifying nighttime flight from the Headless Horseman, a romantic spaghetti dinner behind Tony's Restaurant, and a remarkably Mad Tea Party. These and many other instantly recognizable moments from Disney's animation history were created under the supervision of Clyde Geronimi.
Amid the Italian Alps in the town of Chiavenna, Clito Enrico Geronimi was born on June 12, 1901. His family moved to New York when he was a child, and although his name was anglicized as Clyde Henry Geronimi, his later collaborators would know him as "Gerry."
Clyde was enrolled in night school studying art at Cooper Union when he got his first animation job in 1919. He worked first at William Randolph Hearst's International Film Service, which produced short animations based on popular comic strips from Hearst's newspapers. Clyde next found himself at Bray Productions, working on animated series featuring characters like "Colonel Heeza Liar" and "Dinky Doodle."
Moving west in 1930, Clyde briefly worked at Universal before joining The Walt Disney Studios in 1931. His first assignments as an animator were to a number of memorable Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphony, and Pluto cartoons, and he eventually contributed to more than 50 of the Studios' shorts. His career as an animation director began in 1939 with Beach Picnic and the 1941 Pluto short Lend a Paw, for which Disney would receive an Oscar®. Other notable shorts he directed include the wartime pictures Education for Death and Chicken Little (both in 1943), as well as the 1952 classic Susie, the Little Blue Coupe.
Clyde made the leap to sequence director with 1943's Victory Through Air Power, and he subsequently contributed to The Three Caballeros, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. For the 1940s Disney package films Make Mine Music and Melody Time, Clyde directed memorable segments such as Peter and the Wolf and Pecos Bill. He also directed segments for television's Disneyland the Park/Pecos Bill and contributed to episodes of Walt Disney Presents. The apex of his Disney career came when he served as supervising director for the 1959 masterpiece Sleeping Beauty.
Clyde left The Walt Disney Studios in 1959 after 28 years. Later he recalled that "…the Studio was like one happy family… Walt Disney had the enthusiasm of a big kid. The Studio was his whole life and love; that is why it became such a great studio."
Before he retired in the late 1960s, he directed dozens of television cartoons starring Marvel Super Heroes, such as Spider-Man, Captain America, and Iron Man. In 1979, Clyde received the Winsor McCay Award from the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, for a lifetime of contributions to animation.
Clyde passed away on April 24, 1989.
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| Whoopi Goldberg Film & Television |
As an award-winning actress, producer, and talk-show host, Whoopi Goldberg is one of the most prolific entertainers currently working in the industry.
Whoopi was born on November 13, 1955, in New York City. After dropping out of high school and struggling to make ends meet working odd jobs, she decided to move to California to pursue an acting career. There she joined theatre and improvisational groups, eventually creating material on her own for her one-woman act, The Spook Show. After catching the eye of director Mike Nichols, she was able to take her show to Broadway. This would lead to a Grammy® Award-winning album and the HBO special Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway. The program helped launch her career, establishing the actress and comedienne as a tour-de-force talent.
Shortly thereafter, Whoopi landed a role in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple. Her breakthrough performance earned her an Academy Award® nomination and Golden Globe® Award for Best Supporting Actress. From there, she would go on to appear in a string of classic film roles in the '80s and '90s, such as Jumpin' Jack Flash, Sarafina!, Soapdish, The Associate, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and Girl, Interrupted. Whoopi is perhaps best known by audiences for her iconic role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, for which she earned an Academy Award® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and as Deloris in Touchstone Pictures' Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
Whoopi has enjoyed much success on television, starring for five seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation, appearing on The Wonderful World of Disney as Queen Constantina in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Vivien Morgan in A Knight in Camelot, starring in her own NBC sitcom, Whoopi, and appearing most recently in ABC's miniseries When We Rise. Since 2007, she has been a co-host on ABC's The View, for which she won a Daytime Emmy® in 2009. Well-known for her comedic timing, she became the first woman to host the Academy Awards in 1994, and later hosted the 68th, 71st, and 74th telecasts. She also appeared in nine Comic Relief television specials with fellow comedians and Disney Legends Billy Crystal and Robin Williams.
Audiences may also recognize Whoopi's voice talents, as she has recorded for many television series and film projects—from Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Liberty's Kids: Est. 1776, and Disney•Pixar's Toy Story 3 to ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and Disney Junior's The 7D and Miles from Tomorrowland—though Whoopi's biggest voice role may have been the hyena Shenzi in Disney's 1994 blockbuster animated feature, The Lion King.
Expanding her resume beyond acting, Whoopi directed Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley and has executive produced her show Whoopi, Hollywood Squares, Strong Medicine, ESPN's documentary short Coach, and Broadway musicals Thoroughly Modern Millie and Sister Act. She is also an accomplished best-selling author with Book, Is It Just Me? Or Is It Nuts Out There?, If Someone Says "You Complete Me," Run!, and for Disney, Whoopi's Big Book of Manners and the Sugar Plum Ballerinas series.
For her talents, Whoopi has earned the highly coveted EGOT: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar®, and Tony® Awards. Beyond her countless awards for her acting and producing, she is also renowned for her humanitarian efforts, receiving multiple NAACP Image Awards and People's Choice Awards.
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| Manuel Gonzales Publishing |
For nearly 40 years, Manuel Gonzales brought Mickey Mouse to newspapers nationwide. At its peak, his Mickey Mouse-starring comic strips appeared in 120 newspapers around the world with a collective circulation of more than 20 million readers each week.
Manuel was born on March 13, 1913, in Cabana, Spain. His family moved to Cuba when he was 1, and then immigrated to Massachusetts when he was 5. They then relocated to New York City, where he attended the National Academy of Design.
While living in NYC, Manuel and his best friend created a comic strip based on World War I flying "aces"–an early foray into the medium for the budding draftsman. While the strip never found publication, the work helped the young artist earn the nickname "Ace" by his early associates. From a young age, Manuel aspired to be an illustrator for The Saturday Evening Post. He greatly admired renowned illustrators such as Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, N.C. Wyeth, and Frederic Remington.
In 1936, The Walt Disney Studios was in great need of new artists to work on its first feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Open auditions for artists were held at Rockefeller Center in New York, and Manuel was one of 33 selected from thousands of applicants to join the Disney ranks. In 1938, Manuel took over penciling duties on the Sunday Mickey Mouse comic strip from Disney Legend Floyd Gottfredson. After taking a three-year break for Army service, Manuel began to pencil and ink the strip in 1946, a role he continued to occupy until 1981.
During his time at Disney, Manuel was known by his colleagues simply as "Gonzy." He was amazed by the talents of the artists around him and was honored to be in their ranks. Those who knew him described him as a humble and gentle family man with a passion for World War I aircrafts, steam locomotives, and fine art. He often enjoyed socializing with his friends from Disney, but especially appreciated his time with his wife and two sons.
As a Disney comic artist, Manuel helped to expose the world to the off-screen adventures of Mickey Mouse and his pals Goofy and Pluto, and also drew nine-week promotional comic strips that helped introduce films such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp. He later penciled and inked the popular daily newspaper strip featuring Scamp, the mischievous son of Lady and Tramp, from 1956-1981. Occasionally stepping in to pencil the daily Donald Duck strip, Manuel contributed to various Disney comic books and publications throughout his lengthy career, and was known for tackling each project with a masterful sense of artistry.
Manuel was presented a "Mousecar" award for his company accomplishments by Walt Disney himself in 1966. Walt joked that Manuel, who signed each of his comic strips as "Walt Disney," had probably signed Walt's name more often than Walt himself had.
Manuel passed away on March 31, 1993.
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| Mark Hamill Film |
For an entire generation of filmgoers, there has been no greater hero than Luke Skywalker. And behind the robes of the aspiring Jedi was an actor who would become an iconic part of the great Star Wars legacy: Mark Hamill.
Born in Oakland, California, on September 25, 1951, Mark was the son of a Navy officer. Growing up across the world, he developed an interest in acting. Back in the United States, Mark landed television roles, before earning a recurring part as Kent Murray on ABC's General Hospital.
Many more television appearances followed, including the sitcom The Texas Wheelers, but it was the 1977 blockbuster Star Wars that made Mark a household name. Luke Skywalker was a role that Mark would revisit in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as decades later in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Mark would even appear as himself—and as Luke Skywalker—on The Muppet Show in 1980.
Mark continued to act in a number of film, television, and theater projects. Other notable movies include Samuel Fuller's The Big Red One, Slipstream, Sleepwalkers, Village of the Damned, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Brigsby Bear. A longtime comic-book fan, Mark directed the mockumentary Comic Book: The Movie in 2004. He appeared as the Trickster on television's The Flash in 1991, a role he returned to decades later in the 2015 iteration of the show. His stage career includes the Broadway shows The Elephant Man, Amadeus, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, and the musical Harrigan 'n Hart, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination.
But outside of his Jedi heroics, he has found great success in the field of voice acting. His long list of vocal appearances stretches back to 1973, when he was cast in an animated Saturday morning adaptation of the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, to the Marvel animation shows Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, and Fantastic Four and also diverse parts in Metalocalypse, The Regular Show, and Time Squad.
A prolific voice actor, Mark has dozens of other appearances giving voice to any number of heroes and villains in television shows, feature films, documentaries, and video games. He lent his voice to Disney Channel's Miles from Tomorrowland, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and Jake and the Never Land Pirates, as well as the Disney-released English-language versions of two films by Japanese master animator Hayao Miyazaki. He's appeared on The Simpsons, Robot Chicken, and Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas, and provided vocals to video games such as Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and LucasArts' Full Throttle.
Mark has even taken on a long list of parts as notorious villains. He dabbled in the dark side, giving voice to Sith Lord Darth Bane in television's Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but he is most known for his role as the Clown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker. Beginning with Batman: The Animated Series, Mark has given voice to the scourge of Gotham City, performing in a string of Batman television series, full-length animated features, and video games. For his performance as the Joker in Batman: Arkham City, Mark won a BAFTA Award in 2012 and received a nomination for Arkham Knight in 2015.
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| Wayne Jackson Imagineering |
Wayne Jackson began his career as an Imagineer in October 1965, and in the decades that followed he would put his technical skill and know-how to great use in the development and installation of Disney attractions around the world.
Wayne was the first employee of MAPO—Walt Disney Imagineering's manufacturing and production arm. Originally trained in aircraft tooling, he began as a technician and machinist assigned to rebuild the shows from the 1964–65 New York World's Fair that were slated for installation at Disneyland. Instrumental in the early development of Audio-Animatronics® technology, Wayne would go on to help install Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, as well.
He then served as installation supervisor for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and spent seven years as manager of the show mechanical and plastics manufacturing departments. In these roles he supervised the installation of many Disney theme park projects on both the East and West Coasts.
In 1981, Wayne relocated overseas to become the director of show and ride production, manufacturing, and installation for all the shows for Tokyo Disneyland. Known for his patience, kindness, and thoroughness, he trained both Imagineering and Oriental Land Company staff during the production and fabrication of the Tokyo Disneyland attractions.
After the opening of Tokyo Disneyland, Wayne served as director of show quality standards there. Dedicated to a deep appreciation of show quality, he worked to establish a program for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland. Disney Legend Jim Cora remembered Wayne's contributions to WDI, saying, "He left a legacy which highlighted the importance of the Disney Show."
Eventually Wayne transferred to the then-underway Disneyland Paris project as the director of show/ride manufacturing, fabrication, and installation. After the park opened he was named technical director for show quality standards, where he established a communication system for special effects, projection, and new materials. For the first time, this allowed all Disney parks to identify common problems and methods for maintaining the parks.
Wayne's final assignment was as director of show systems for the construction of Tokyo DisneySea. For this project, he directed the manufacturing and installation of all show mechanical equipment, special effects, audio equipment, electronic show control equipment, and show ride programming. From his early work at Disneyland to the completion of Tokyo DisneySea, Wayne spent many years as an Imagineer helping shape experiences at Disney Parks worldwide.
Wayne retired from Imagineering in March 2002, after 36 years of service.
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| Jack Kirby Publishing |
The work of Jack Kirby helped define the Super Hero, expanded the power of the comic book, and brought thrilling tales of wonder and adventure to millions throughout the world.
Jacob Kurtzberg was born in 1917, the son of European Jewish immigrants. He grew up in New York's Lower East Side neighborhood during the Great Depression, where he faced fights every day just to walk to school. Those fights were a firsthand influence on the dynamic action he would bring to the pages of his comics.
He was inclined at an early age to pursue drawing, inspired by the comic strips of Milton Caniff and Hal Foster. Taking the pen name "Jack Kirby," he would go on to work in Max Fleischer's animation studio, illustrating for Lincoln Features syndicate, and winding up at the comic-book publishing house of Victor Fox. At Fox's studio he met Joe Simon, a fellow writer and artist. The two decided to strike out on their own—a collaboration that would endure for 16 years. One of their first jobs was working for the company that would one day be known as Marvel.
In spring 1941, Jack and Joe Simon created their biggest and most influential blockbuster comic, Captain America Comics #1. Its titular hero punched Adolf Hitler in the jaw on its iconic cover, months before America had joined the war. That comic helped redefine what comics could be with its innovative page designs and proportion-exploding panels.
After serving honorably in World War II and working briefly for National/DC, Jack returned to Marvel and began to collaborate with Stan Lee, his former assistant and now his editor. They worked on Western, war, and monster comics before lightning struck. In 1961, Stan and Jack produced Fantastic Four #1, and began what has become known as the Marvel Age of Comics. It was during this time that Jack earned the nickname "The King," and his way of working became so popular that it set the tone throughout the '60s. Jack brought his dynamic layouts, unparalleled action, and unbridled creativity to the fore in books such as Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men, Incredible Hulk, and Thor, creating a legion of characters now known throughout the world.
Jack went on to design work in Hollywood, including artwork for a science-fiction film that was never made, yet helped the CIA sell a plot to rescue embassy workers trapped in Khomeini's Iran, as depicted in the film Argo.
His work influenced many people, and continues to inspire to this day. "Words haven't been invented that can truly quantify what he has meant," said Joe Quesada, chief creative officer of Marvel. "Not just to Marvel, but to the entirety of the comics industry and to every young artist who has ever had the impossible task of staring at a blank page, knowing that even before they start, no matter how talented they are, how hard they work, Jack Kirby already did it better."
He was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame's 1987 inaugural class and continued creating comics into the '90s.
Jack passed away on February 6, 1994.
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| Stan Lee Film & Publishing |
Excelsior! It is the familiar rallying cry of Stan Lee, one of the most prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. In his more than seven decades in the industry, Stan has dreamed up an endless number of new characters and worlds, and brought readers an all-star roster of heroes and villains.
Stanley Martin Lieber was born in New York City on December 28, 1922. Stan grew up during the Great Depression, getting a job as an office assistant at a comic publisher in 1939 to help out his family. Then known as Timely Comics, the company would evolve into what we know today as Marvel.
Stan made his debut with a Captain America story in 1941, and by the next year he was promoted to editor at age 18. After serving in the Army's Signal Corps and Training Film Division, he went on to write a wide variety of comic series in the 1940s and 1950s. But it was with the rise of the Silver Age of Comics that Stan truly found his voice, when Super Heroes returned to vogue and Stan teamed up with Jack "King" Kirby to create the Fantastic Four in 1961.
A deluge of new titles followed, as Stan co-created an enormous roster of Marvel characters, including Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the X-Men, Daredevil, and Black Widow. Many of the most popular characters were gathered together as a super-team known as The Avengers.
Known for his vivid and engaging prose, Stan gave his heroes real-world problems and realistic human failings. Besides saving the world, they had to face everyday concerns such as dating or paying the rent, and Stan never shied away from social commentary on relevant issues such as race or substance abuse. He also broke ground in giving credit to comic creators, and filled every issue of his titles with chatty responses to fan letters. Stan became Marvel's editorial director and publisher in 1972, and eventually was named chairman emeritus.
But publishing hasn't been Stan's only career. He's also appeared in some of the most popular films of all time. His well-known cameos in Marvel Studios films began with 1989's telefilm The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, and since the release of X-Men in 2000 he has appeared in nearly every Marvel Studios film and television project. Cameos include television shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and Daredevil, Disney XD's Ultimate Spider-Man, and even as a LEGO version of himself in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and LEGO Marvel's Avengers. Outside the Super-Hero realm, he even pops up as a wedding guest in Disney's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
Stan continues to appear in all forms of media, founding POW! Entertainment in 2001 to produce a number of projects. He's hosted the television documentary series Stan Lee's Superhumans, as well as the series Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
Among Stan's many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Bush in 2008. He's also been inducted into the comic industry's Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.
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| Garry Marshall Film & Television |
An impresario of film and television, Garry Marshall created a vast TV world of long-running and interconnected shows that remain on the air to this day. He was also renowned as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood.
Garry Kent Marshall was born in the Bronx on November 13, 1934. He studied journalism before joining the Army, and spent time as a reporter in New York before moving to Los Angeles in 1961. There, he found work writing for a number of hit shows, including The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Lucy Show, but he had his own big break when he produced The Odd Couple for ABC in 1970.
The 1970s were a prolific decade for Garry, as he created many shows and executive produced many more. For ABC, he developed a shared universe of spinoff series beginning with Happy Days and including Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, and Joanie Loves Chachi. His other ABC sitcoms during these years included Angie, The New Odd Couple, and Blansky's Beauties.
Outside of television, Garry was a successful director, with 18 films to his credit. These included popular romantic comedies such as Runaway Bride and Valentine's Day. At Disney, he made Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries movies, which elevated the acting careers of both Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway. He also directed Bette Midler in Beaches and The Lottery, a short film which for years was a fixture of the Backstage Tour at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park.
Garry was known for acting as well, appearing in dozens of small roles in film and television. For Disney, he appeared in Race to Witch Mountain and Hocus Pocus, Disney Channel's Liv and Maddie, ABC's Brothers & Sisters, and voiced Buck Cluck in Chicken Little. He could be seen in television's Murphy Brown, in films like A League of Their Own, and he even appeared as a gangster facing off against James Bond in Goldfinger.
A theater lover, Garry wrote plays and directed opera. He founded Burbank's Falcon Theatre in 1997. He also wrote two memoirs, Wake Me When It's Funny: How to Break into Show Business and Stay There and My Happy Days in Hollywood: A Memoir.
Among Garry's many accolades are an American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Writers Guild of America's Valentine Davies Award, the David Susskind Television Lifetime Achievement Award, the Producers Guild of America's Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Television. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997.
Garry passed away on July 19, 2016.
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| Julie Taymor Theatrical |
As a Tony®-, Emmy®-, and Grammy®– winning and Oscar®-nominated director, Julie Taymor has changed the face of Broadway with her innovative direction.
Julie was born on December 15, 1952, in Newton, Massachusetts. From an early age she was drawn to the stage, becoming one of the youngest members of the Boston theatrical community. At age 15 she spent time studying abroad in India and Sri Lanka, and after graduating high school she traveled to Paris to further immerse herself in theatrical studies.
After graduating from Oberlin College in 1974, Julie spent several years in Asia. In Bali, she founded her own theater company, Teatr Loh. Along the way, Julie studied many techniques of puppetry and mask-making that would become a trademark of her later productions.
After returning to the United States in 1979, Julie designed her first American production, The Odyssey. Her next production, The Haggadah, earned her the American Theatre Wing's Hewes Design Award for Scenic, Costume, and Puppet Design. She directed and wrote the book for the musical Juan Darién: A Carnival Mass in 1988, which earned her the Hewes Award for Concept Puppetry and Masks. A 1996 production of the musical, Julie's Broadway debut, earned five Tony Award nominations, including one for her direction.
Her Broadway adaptation of the animated classic The Lion King debuted in 1997. An instant sensation, it received 11 Tony Award nominations, with Julie receiving awards for Best Director and Costume Designer. She was the first woman in theatrical history to receive the award for Best Direction of a Musical. In addition to her Tony Awards, she also received awards for her puppet, costume, and mask designs.
Disney's The Lion King has gone on to become the most successful stage musical of all time. Julie presided over 24 global productions that have been seen by more than 90 million people, with the most recent premiering in 2016 at Shanghai Disney Resort. The show has played in more than 100 cities in 19 countries.
In 1999 Julie released her first film, Titus. Afterward she worked with Salma Hayek on the biographical film Frida, which earned six Oscar nominations and brought Julie a co-nomination for Best Original Song. Her 2007 film Across the Universe earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and she then returned to Shakespeare's works for 2010's The Tempest.
Also an author, Julie has written or co-written several books including Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire, The Lion King: Pride Rock on Broadway, Titus: The Illustrated Screenplay, and Frida: Bringing Frida Kahlo's Life and Art to Film.
Julie has continued to work in the theater, directing and designing The Green Bird, co-writing and directing Grendel, and designing, co-writing, and providing the original direction for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Julie is a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and an inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement. She is currently directing M. Butterfly on Broadway, opening in fall 2017.
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| Oprah Winfrey Film & Television |
One of the best-known media personalities of our time, Oprah Winfrey is a producer, actress, network CEO, and philanthropist. For 25 years she was a daily fixture as host of the award-winning The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in rural Kosciusko, Mississippi, on January 29, 1954. While studying communications at Tennessee State University she began to work in radio and then television, eventually becoming a local broadcaster in Nashville.
Oprah moved to Baltimore in 1976 to co-anchor the local news, and went on to co-host the talk show People Are Talking. She moved to Chicago in 1984, where she became host of AM Chicago. She soon took the show to first place in its market, surpassing ratings expectations just a month after she began.
Before long her show was expanded to an hour, put into national syndication, and rebranded as The Oprah Winfrey Show. The ratings juggernaut ran from 1986 to 2011, largely on ABC stations and in more than 100 countries. Produced by Oprah's Harpo Productions, it became the highest-rated daytime program in television history.
Returning to her journalism roots, Oprah will be joining the long-running news magazine 60 Minutes in fall 2017 as a special contributor.
As an actress, Oprah found success early on in her career. In 1985 she was cast in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple, which earned her Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominations for Best Supporting Actress. In 1998 she starred in Beloved for Disney's Touchstone Pictures, a film that she also produced. She also voiced Eudora in Disney's The Princess and the Frog in 2009. Oprah earned critical acclaim in Lee Daniels' The Butler in 2013, produced and acted in the Academy Award-winning film Selma in 2014, and most recently produced and starred in the film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Oprah will also star in The Walt Disney Studios' 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time as Mrs. Which.
In 2011, Oprah launched her cable network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, for which she has produced a myriad of original programming, including critically acclaimed scripted dramas such as Queen Sugar and Greenleaf, the latter in which she also has a recurring role.
Oprah has also made her mark on Broadway co-producing the 2005 musical The Color Purple, which earned 11 Tony® Award nominations, and the revival of the play in 2016 for which she won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
Off-screen, Oprah has been an active philanthropist. In 2007, she founded The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa to provide educational and leadership opportunities for academically gifted girls from impoverished backgrounds, and is the largest single donor to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture with a $21 million donation.
Oprah was the first recipient of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in 2002, received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, the nation's highest civilian honor.
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| A Suite Legacy _ October 7, 2016: Hayley Mills (age 70) December 15, 2016: Dick van Dyke (age 91) December 27, 2016: Lea Salonga (age 45) |
It's not every day that you get to watch Dick Van Dyke (Film, 1998) 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 (Film, 1998), and Lea Salonga, (Voice, 2011) 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 _ October 21, 2016: Bob Gurr (age 84), Jim Cora† (age 79). November 11, 2016: Toshio Kagami (age 80) November 17, 2016: Carl Bongirno† (age 79), Marty Sklar† (age 82), Orlando Ferrante (age 84), Don Iwerks (age 87). |
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 (Parks & Resorts, 2005), 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 (Imagineering, 2004). "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 (Imagineering, 2003). "So, I have to see if its still up here, or they've taken it down." Adds Carl Bongirno (Imagineering, 2007), "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 (Film, 2009) 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 (Imagineering, 2001), "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 Parks & Resorts • 2008 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. |
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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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| "Our Lucky Star": Annette Funicello 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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| Personalities of the Parks _ 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. |
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 (Attractions, 1999) (sadly, only weeks before his passing) and Bill Sullivan (Parks & Resorts, 2005) 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 (Attractions, 1999), Tom Nabbe (Parks & Resorts, 2005), Ron Logan (Parks & Resorts, 2007), and Bob Matheison (Attractions, 1996). 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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| Roger Broggie Imagineering • 1990 |
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| Joe Fowler Attractions • 1990 |
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| Richard Irvine Imagineering • 1990 |
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| Herb Ryman Imagineering • 1990 |
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| Mary Blair Animation & Imagineering • 1991 |
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| Claude Coats Animation & Imagineering • 1991 |
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| Bill Evans Imagineering • 1992 |
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| Blaine Gibson Imagineering • 1993 |
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| Harper Goff Film & Imagineering • 1993 |
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| Bill Cottrell Animation & Imagineering • 1994 |
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| Marvin Davis Film & Imagineering • 1994 |
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| Van France Attractions • 1994 |
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| Jack Lindquist Attractions • 1994 |
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| Bill Martin Imagineering • 1994 |
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| Wally Boag Attractions • 1995 |
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| Fulton Burley Attractions • 1995 |
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| Edward Meck Attractions • 1995 |
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| Wathel Rogers Imagineering • 1995 |
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| Betty Taylor Attractions • 1995 |
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| Bob Allen Attractions • 1996 |
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| X Atencio Animation & Imagineering • 1996 |
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| Bill Justice Animation & Imagineering • 1996 |
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| Sam McKim Imagineering • 1996 |
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| Joe Potter Attractions • 1996 |
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| Masatomo Takahashi Administration • 1998 |
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| Yale Gracey Animation & Imagineering • 1999 |
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| Harriet Burns Imagineering • 2000 |
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| Joyce Carlson Animation & Imagineering • 2000 |
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| Ron Dominguez Parks & Resorts • 2000 |
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| Fred Joerger Imagineering • 2001 |
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| Harrison "Buzz" Price Imagineering • 2003 |
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| Rolly Crump Imagineering • 2004 |
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| Alice Davis Imagineering • 2004 |
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| Ralph Kent Attractions & Imagineering • 2004 |
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| Chuck Abbott Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Milt Albright Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Hideo Amemiya Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Hideo Aramaki Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Charles Boyer Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Randy Bright Imagineering • 2005 |
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| Robert Jani Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Mary Jones Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Art Linkletter Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Mary Anne Mang Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Jack Olsen Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Cicely Rigdon Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Jack Wagner Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Vesey Walker Parks & Resorts • 2005 |
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| Don Edgren Imagineering • 2006 |
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| Bob Booth Imagineering • 2008 |
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| Neil Gallagher Imagineering • 2008 |
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| Dorothea Redmond Imagineering • 2008 |
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| Leota Toombs Thomas Attractions & Imagineering • 2009 |
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| Bonita Wrather Parks & Resorts • 2011 |
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| Jack Wrather Parks & Resorts • 2011 |
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| Collin Campbell Imagineering • 2013 |
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| Julie Reihm Casaletto Parks & Resorts • 2015 |
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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*, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman†. 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. |
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| Legends on the Lot _ 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). January 19, 2017: Marge Champion† (age 97), Floyd Norman (age 81), Tony Baxter (age 69). |
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 (Film & Television, 2004), 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 (Film & Television, 2006) 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 (Television, 2011). "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 (Animation, 2008), Glen Keane (Animation, 2013), and Andreas Deja (Animation, 2015) 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 (Animation, 2000), 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 (Animation, 2007), 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 (Imagineering, 2013), "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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